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13 November 2016 2:41 PM

Thousands attend Orlando’s Come Out with Pride festival

By Fabio Crispim

It’s been five months since the Orlando Pulse nightclub attack and the city and its citizens continue to recover.

Previously, the city of Orlando announced their decision to buy the Pulse nightclub and turn it into a permanent memorial.

Yesterday (November 12) saw the community come together once more but this time, they celebrated love, equality and acceptance at the Come Out with Pride festival in Orlando.

The event was originally scheduled for October but was rescheduled over the threat of Hurricane Matthew.

Survivors and family members of the attack joined Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, police chief John Mina and more as the Most Colourful Parade’s grand marshalls.

49 crosses were also displayed during the event, symbolising all of the victims lost at the attack. The names of the victims were read aloud as fireworks lit the sky over Lake Eola.

Speaking to USA Today, Communications director for Come Out with Pride Jeff Prystajko said, “The pain is easing, but I think we really haven’t had a whole community coming together.”

“Hopefully we want people at the end of the day to go home with some bit of joy, that they were glad they came.”

He adds, “If you look back at the last four decades, it has not been all rainbows for the LGBT community. Pride is about not standing down.”

The event also saw performances from Alexx Mack, the Orlando Gay Chorus and Drag Race’s Katya.

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