"No Kings Saturday" - Columbus Pride Stands for Freedom!!!

Photos from today's largest Pride Parade in the Midwest.

Later this evening, I’ll share a video about my amazing experience at the annual Stonewall Columbus Pride celebration. First here’s some photos of a parade today - which I hope gives you (and those with whom you share these photos) a joyful, hopeful and colorful contrast to another parade on Saturday, June 14th.

I am deeply grateful that the agency at which I’ve worked for more than three years put together a group to march in the parade:

We lined up for the parade right across from the Ohio capital building. So most of my photos have a perfectly symbolic background:

This group is supporters of the most successful professional team in town - the Columbus Crew.

The local chapter of Indivisible Central Ohio had 200 marchers (the maximum possible) in the parade:

And my protest/Crew/Hocking Hills/spiritual brother, Mark marched by too:

Here we are back at the Presidents Day rally (a few feet away from where today’s photo was taken) when the windchill was in the single digits:

Balloons spelling messages were a common motif:

Yes, the “L” and “Y” needed to catch up.

An important employer/think tank was well represented with balloon and much more:

Local institutions were well represented:

I saw at least a dozen churches represented:

Local pageant winners were there:

And people from Honda on pretty cool rides:

One of the cleverest shirts that I saw:

Best use of balloons:

Finally, there was this guy (love the idea, but not the sign)

I will post a video reflection about the day later this evening - please keep your eyes open for it. And please share photos to counter parade images we’ll see later today.