Mayor: Charlotte Pride Festival celebrates city's diversity

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte mayor Vi Lyles said this weekend’s Charlotte Pride Festival celebrates the city’s diversity and respecting it.

[PHOTOS: Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade]

[Thousands turn out to celebrate Charlotte Pride Festival uptown]

"Everyone out here isn't LGBTQ,” Lyles said. “There are a lot of straight people out here, but you know, we all have to remember we're a part of a big family, and we're going to be able to be a part of that big family for our city.”

The Charlotte Pride Festival is held all day Saturday, and then from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday on Tryon Street between Trade and Stonewall streets.

The Charlotte Pride Parade will begin Sunday at 1 p.m. at 9th and Tryon streets. The parade turns east on Trade Street and disperses on College Street.

“This entire street is going to be shoulder-to-shoulder,” vendor Sarah Thomason said.

A lot of the people at the festival represent the LGBTQ community.

Organizers said the goal for the weekend is to shine a light on the experiences that make them different but also celebrate what makes them the same.

“It's very important that the people understand that we're no different than you,” participant Bob Saylor said.

The annual festival has grown to be a huge event for Charlotte. Last year’s crowd topped 150,000 people and made more than $4 million.

“Four weeks ago, I was in San Francisco for their Pride,” Saylor said. “Last year, I was in Amsterdam for their Pride.”

“We've been to Salisbury, Roanoke and Winston-Salem, but we've never been to Charlotte,” said Melanie McMillan, who traveled from Martinsville, Virginia.

U.S. Rep. Alma Adams was a part of the crowd who celebrated in Charlotte. She said she came to show her respect.

“Our country needs it. Our community needs it,” Adams said. “That's what we're here to show today.”

Last year, the Charlotte Convention and Visitors Association estimated 16,000 out-of-towners came in for the festival.

The parade set a record as the city’s largest annual parade when nearly 5,000 people registered to march. This year, organizers expect nearly 6,000 marchers.

The festival has grown every year since it started in 2000, and event organizers expect 150,000 attendees.

"This is one week in the year where here in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas, that we can rejoice in that fact that we're all part of the LGBTQ communities," Saylor said.

Leaders think it could be even bigger this year.

“That lightens the tax burden on the rest of us who live here, so it’s great to have people come in from out of town,” Mike Butts, with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, said.

With the influx of people, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has increased staff this weekend and will have extra security procedures in place.

“We have a command center set up at CMPD Headquarters that will be coordinating the event,” Capt. David Robinson said. “We’ve gotten used to large-scale events such as this.”

The following streets will be closed:

The Charlotte Pride Parade will begin Sunday at 1 p.m. at 9th and Tryon streets. The parade turns east on Trade Street and disperses on College Street.

Floats and marchers will stroll down Tryon, then turn left down trade street.

The festivities are expected to last about two hours.

Staging for the parade will close Tryon Street between 9th and 11th streets and the cross streets between Church and College streets at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Street parking in uptown is free on weekends. The event website recommends anticipating parking prices up to $15 in surrounding facilities. The festival is a few blocks away from the Lynx light-rail line, and the Charlotte Transportation Center/Arena stop is closest to the stage at the end of the parade route.

For more information on this weekend's events, click here.

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