TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo Pride took over Adams Street on Saturday afternoon for its annual Pride Parade. The all-day celebration kicked off with over 200 organizations walking in the parade, traveling down Adams street, to Summit Street, and ending at Promenade Park.
"I like seeing the people walking around and everybody smiling and having a great time," said Pride goer Corina Multen.
This is the 14th annual Toledo Pride. It's the largest event in the region for the LGBTQIA+ community.
"It's good. It's good," said Arturo Grano De Oro, a PhD student at the University of Toledo. "I was not expecting this. It's actually quite popular. Yeah? It's super fun, and the concert, all the food, its super fun."
Grano De Oro is originally from Spain. Saturday was his first Toledo Pride.
Savanna Lutchey is the resident DJ for Toledo Pride. She says she appreciates the acceptance at Toledo Pride, having just come out herself seven years ago.
"I've been a part of Pride for many years but I wasn't out," said Lutchey. "But like now, when I finally came out, and having the support and what not, to see so many young ones here, with their parents and what not. It's really beautiful and it's really important."
Noteworthy drag queen Sugar Vermont says Toledo Pride is one of her favorite events.
"It's so great to feel a community come together with love, especially with everything else we have going on," said Sugar. "We have representatives right here in Toledo trying to push legislation trying to criminalize drag, and that's why it's so important to show everybody Drag Queen, it's not a crime honey."
Ohio House Bill 245 was introduced last month. One of its aims is to ban drag shows of any-kind outside of adult cabaret venues. If passed and signed into law, drag performances would be prohibited for anyone under 18 years old.
Consequences for violating the law could potentially be a felony. It's is why the "Drag is not a crime" banner hung over the main stage at Saturday's event.
"I've been telling everybody and announcing it all day 'Please make sure you're registering to vote. Please make sure you're paying attention to what's going on'," said Lutchey. "Because we have this big turn out, and it's been 14 years that they built this up, this could be gone next year."
Toledo Pride continues on Sunday with a huge drag brunch. The Big Rainbow Brunch Crawl on Adams street runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Attendees will be able to get pride-themed drinks and dishes at all the participating bars for only $5.
MORE FROM WTOL 11: