River City Pride Celebration happening Saturday in Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE — Thousands are expected to take part in the River City Pride celebration happening Saturday in Jacksonville.

This year’s theme is “Stronger Together.”

The Pride event features a marketplace at Riverside Park that is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The highlight is the 1.5-mile parade from Willowbranch Park to Riverside Park. The parade is from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and organizers say it runs through the most prominent LGBTQIA+ neighborhoods in the city.

River City Pride says their mission is, “to produce an annual event that fosters a sense of community, encouraging LGBTQIA+ citizens to live openly, promotes fellowship with our allies, opposes discrimination based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, and provide financial and community support to LGBTQIA+ oriented non-profit organizations in the local area.”

According to the River City Pride website, the first Pride celebration in Jacksonville happened back in 1978, nine years after the Stonewall Riots and led to a national push for gay rights.

You can find more information about the 2021 Pride Celebration in Jacksonville here: www.rivercitypride.org.

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