Thousands of Nebraskans celebrate Pride at Star City Pride Parade

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Thousands of people from all over Nebraska came together around the state capitol on Saturday to celebrate Pride Month during the City’s third-annual Star City Pride Parade.

Star City Pride is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2006 to support the LGBTQIA+ community. They are the faces behind a lot of Pride events every year, including Saturday’s parade.

“This is really just an opportunity for a bunch of organizations within the City of Lincoln and throughout the state of Nebraska to come together and really march alongside one another and really celebrate and build community,” said Andrew Farias, Community Outreach Coordinator.

Staff at the event said celebrations like this give people the opportunity to be seen.

“So many of these people grow up in a place where they just feel like there’s no one else like them, so to see everybody come out together and participate makes a whole world of difference for our youth and people my age even,” said Ryan Luxe, MC at Star City Pride Parade.

For most people at the parade, the event is dear to their hearts. Gracie Pendergras has been at the parade all three years and said it just feels like home.

“It makes me happy to just be around people who understand my struggles and understand my identity,” Pendergras said.

About 40 organizations were seen at the Parade on Saturday, including the Star City Chorus, History Nebraska, various churches, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.

Staff said it’s the largest parade they’ve had so far and are looking forward to next year.

Organizers said following the parade, there will be a festival that goes on until midnight with booths, food and music.