First time participants join the Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- 34 years ago, the archetypal Fresno Rainbow Pride Parade was a overmuch smaller event.

"Several section entertainers, resistance queens, LGBTQ radical who borrowed buying carts and laundry baskets from section establishments, and they conscionable pushed each different down Olive Avenue," said Fresno Rainbow Pride's Bryan Cauwels.

Video from the ABC30 archives shows the Fresno parade successful 1992.

Cauwels said the KKK showed up during the archetypal 2 years of the parade.

"The 2nd twelvemonth they showed up, the parade had grown a small bit. It was a small bigger, determination were much radical here, and they benignant of got intimated aft that and ended up leaving and didn't travel backmost aft that," said Cauwels.

This year, 114 sponsors person made the parade and festival possible.

Many whitethorn beryllium amazed to spot spiritual groups connected the list, including St. James Episcopal Church.

"I americium truthful excited to spell retired successful the parade, but I americium adjacent much excited to beryllium astatine the festival and spot everyone," said Priest Jessica Harmon from the church.

The religion has participated successful the parade and festival for the past fewer years.

Harmon said St. James has unfastened LGBTQ+ clergy and members of its congregation. She hopes that by participating successful the parade, radical successful the assemblage volition person 1 important message.

"God loves you. God welcomes you and affirms you. And we astatine St. James volition amusement that emotion of God, that Jesus loves you," said Harmon.

This year, Fresno's Mayor volition beryllium participating successful the day's festivities for the archetypal clip ever.

"To cognize that we person grown arsenic a assemblage to that level. And to cognize that we're a assemblage that's inclusive and not lone of queer radical but of our allies. The information that the politician is consenting to march with us," said Fresno City LGBTQ+ liaison, Robin McGeHee.

Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said the section has ever secured the event, but this is the archetypal clip the section volition beryllium driving and walking down Olive Avenue arsenic a participant.

"My occupation is to look retired for my community. My occupation is to look retired for my constabulary officers. And participating successful this conscionable shows that we are including everybody successful the city," said Balderrama.

The Fresno Rainbow Pride parade volition statesman astatine 10 americium successful the Tower District. The festival volition statesman astatine 11 americium and tally until 6 pm.

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