Thousands attend Palm Beach County Pridefest
Ten thousand people from all over Southern Florida converged on Saturday and Sunday for Palm Beach County Pridefest, the annual celebration for the LGBT community - making the event larger than those in other cities with more well-established gay communities.
"This is great. I've never seen this many people," James Van Dress, 29, told the Sun Sentinel. Van Dress is a West Palm Beach resident who came with his partner, Peter Finfrock.
"It's so colorful, upbeat and fun," said Finfrock, 38.
The event even has a sizable straight contingency that comes every year, said Mike Zewe, events coordinator for Compass gay and lesbian community center, which organizes the festival and uses proceeds from the event for its community programs, including HIV education and youth counseling.
Frenchie Davis, a former American Idol contestant, was the headliner this year. Davis has also starred in the West Coast touring production of the stage musical "Dreamgirls" and belted out a crowd-pleasing rendition of the show's most well-known tune, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."
Sunday began with a parade resembling Mardi Gras. Participants in colorful outfits marched and rode in trucks and vintage cars while throwing beads and candy to onlookers on Lake Avenue.
Attendees said that although some pride festivals have turned into giant events for vendors to tout products, Palm Beach County's remains focused on community and family. Exhibitors promoted gay-friendly places of worship, community and political organizations, and gay social groups.
Linda Derk, of Hypoluxo, came with her partner, Marlo Tamayo, and said she loves to see the diversity at the event, which ranges from drag queens to political activists to families with children.
"It's a real melting pot of the community," she said.