For the first time, the annual Manatee Pride festival kicked off with a prayer.
- Manatee Pride Festival began with interfaith service
- A banner was made for the 49 people killed in Pulse shooting
- About 50 vendors participated
Seven local congregations came together on Saturday at Bradenton's Riverwalk and led attendees through an interfaith service. At the end, the clergy asked each person to wear a pink triangle sticker, a symbol that was once on Nazi concentration camp badges given to men who were sent there because of their sexuality.
"It is a symbol that we take back the pink triangle, that was meant to be a symbol of shame, but we take it now as a symbol of pride," explained Rev. Brian Bagley-Bonner with Faith United Church of Christ.
The short service was held under a banner remembering the 49 people killed inside of Pulse Nightclub in Orlando last June. The tragic shooting was one of the driving forces behind the interfaith service.
"With Orlando that happened last June, we thought it would be wonderful to have a blessing to start off our festival," said Valerie Fisher, Chair of Manatee Pride.
The festival was full of food, vendors, and fun. It also included free HIV screenings and many mental health resources.
"We're mindful of our 49 brothers and sisters who were murdered and we keep them in our hearts, but we know they'd want us to party on, so that's what were doing," Fisher said.
With about 50 vendors, the festival had its biggest turnout yet.