Final day of Des Moines' PrideFest kicks off
The event is organized by Capital City Pride, a nonprofit whose mission is to bring together the LGBTQ+ community and host around 100 events and programs annually to inspire and educate.
PrideFest is a three-day festival and is the nonprofit's largest event every year. It started 46 years ago when a group of people marched from the Iowa State Capitol to the Blazing Saddle in the East Village to demand rights for LGBTQ Iowans.
Laurel Feakes is the Director of Public Relations for Capital City Pride. She said last year's PrideFest brought between 130,000 and 150,000 people to downtown Des Moines.
The three-day event kicked off on Friday with vendors and acts performing on the Community Stage. Then on Saturday, the packed schedule featured events for families and kids, teens, pets, and more. The Main Stage also headlined acts like Ally and AJ.
Sunday is the final day for the event. Early risers started their morning with yoga across the street from the Embassy Suits.
PrideFest officially kicked off at 10 a.m. with a Pride Worship Service on the Main Stage.
The festival's largest attraction is the Capital City Pride Parade that will start at noon on East Grand Avenue, starting at the Iowa State Capitol.
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