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Denver PrideFest photos: 380,000 people were there. Here’s who they were.

Hundreds of thousands of people turned out and turned up in downtown Denver for PrideFest, with a minimum of trouble.
Andrew Kenney
3 min. read
Austin, 25, wrote, “You are in our hearts.” He thinks Pride is important because it encourages people to unite in the face of hate. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
A gogo dancer in a unicorn mask pumped up the crowd. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)

The GLBT Community Center just threw a pretty amazing 40th birthday party for itself. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out and turned up in downtown Denver for PrideFest, with a minimum of trouble.

Here are our best images and video, some of our favorite social posts and the final stats on attendance and crime.

DeMarcio Slaughter's view on Saturday
The stats
  • Organizers estimate about 380,000 people came to PrideFest throughout the weekend.
  • "This is the largest turnout we've seen. I think a lot of it is in support of what happened in Orlando," said Chief Robert White of the Denver Police Department, ABC7 reported.
  • The Center estimated that 120,000 people watched Sunday's parade on Colfax Avenue.
    The arrest blotter

    Two people were arrested in incidents related to PrideFest.

    • One person was arrested Sunday morning for a felony charge of menacing, according to a Denver Police spokeswoman. CBS Denver reports that a male suspect threatened to use a gun, but police say no weapon was found.
    • One person was arrested for a "disturbance," but the police spokeswoman couldn't immediately provide more details.
    • And, in what sounds like the world's most pathetic expression of hatred, CBS also reported an account of a burning pile of wood chips in the shape of a swastika.
    • Two other people were arrested on prior warrants.
Denver Pride Fest 2016 paid tribute to Orlando victims, most strikingly through this chalk wall. Participants were invited to write supportive messages in rainbow chalk. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
Throughout the day, the main stage hosted a series of performers and paid tribute to Orlando victims. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
The Denver 2016 Pride Parade began early Sunday in Cheesman Park and snaked down Colfax to Pride Fest. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
Friends since college, Crystal, Matthew and Nathan take a break from the sun. "Denver may not be a gay mecca per say, but it has a live and let live attitude," Nathan said. "There's a level of respect here you don't see other places." (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
Season one Skin Wars winner, Natalie Fletcher, paints a Pride-inspired pop art mural on a fest attendee. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
Megan took a moment to admire the festival. Pride means "I'm able to love who I want to love," she said. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
Not all was somber at Denver Pride 2016--attendees grooved to electronic music at Pride's Dance World. (Chloe Aiello/Denverite)
A few of your posts

That's all! See you next Pride.

Andrew Kenney

Andrew Kenney has worked as a Public Affairs reporter for Colorado Public Radio since 2019. He previously worked at The Denver Post, Denverite and The (Raleigh) News & Observer.

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