On September 8th, 2019, over 7,000 attendees flocked to Boulder’s Pridefest 2019 in Downtown’s Central Park, according to numbers from Out Boulder County. The balmy Sunday provided the perfect backdrop for the event which featured booths from an array of LGBTQ+ organizations from around the area in addition to an all day lineup of live performers and artists.

Solidarity and acceptance were in the air, and rainbow flags fluttered in every direction one could turn. Out Boulder, the event’s organizer, defines their foundation’s mission as “educating, advocating and providing services, programs, and support for Boulder County’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer communities.” The Pridefest was a testament to those values, and a proud example of the respect for diversity that makes Boulder such a progressive community.

Notably present at the event were many Boulder High students, proudly flaunting gender and sexual identities from across the spectrum. Many among them were members of the GSA or Gender and Sexuality Alliance here at the school, a club which coordinates outreach in the LGBTQ+ community and provides a non-judgmental space for students to express themselves.

Pridefest provided a family-friendly space for Boulder to come together and celebrate their unique and beautiful quirks while also taking advantage of community resources. In the Health and Wellness area of the festival, services such free STI-testing were made readily available, and Out Boulder even set up a “LGBTQ Community Assessment Survey” to collect feedback and understand better where to direct funding and resources for the LGBTQ+ community should be allocated. The care that event organizers showed for their attendees was tangible, and it’s safe to say the event was a smashing success.