Charlie Craig and David Mullins — the Denver couple who just lost a legal battle with the bakery that refused to bake their wedding cake — will serve as grand marshals in this year's Denver PrideFest parade.
The couple's complaint against Masterpiece Cakeshop went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which earlier this week ruled in favor of the bakery. (Here's why, and what it means.)
Now, Denver PrideFest will honor their five years of "vocally advocating for fair and equal access for the LGBT community," a press release says. This year's theme is Say it Loud, Say it Proud.
"Charlie and David have endured an incredible battle standing up for their civil rights. We wanted to recognize their determination and acknowledge that this year has been a year of activism on many fronts, for many people,” Debra Pollock, CEO of the GLBT Community Center of Colorado said in the release.
The festival is on the weekend of June 16 and June 17.
From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, PrideFest will offer the parade, three stages, a 5K, a political rally, family activities and more than 200 vendors.
The Center, which has hosted PrideFest for 40 years, expects more than 350,000 people at this year's celebration.
The parade, officially known as the Coors Light PrideFest Parade, had 200 entries this year. PrideFest performers this year will include dance music legend Crystal Waters, a RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Kameron Michaels and former Drag Race stars Morgan McMichaels and Thorgy Thor.
And local artist Lonnie Hanzon will once again showcase some of his art — an interactive sculpture titled "Equal Threshold"in which people can walk through a series of doors highlighting quotes from the U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act. Hanzon is also putting on a trash fashion show to kick things off a week in advance.
PrideFest serves as the largest fundraiser for The Center, which each year provides programs for LGBT youth, seniors and Colorado’s transgender community, and training and legal programs to 47,000 people. The economic impact for the city is estimated at about $25 million, according to the press release.
For more information, including a schedule of events, go to denverpride.org.
