Sunday’s Atlanta Pride Festival marks the first one since a landmark court decision legalized same-sex marriage, and for newlywed Emma Foulkes, it caps a year of joyful happenings.
While not everyone welcomes the event, a celebratory buzz surrounds this gathering, which has evolved over 45 years from an equal rights march to a parade to a full-blown weekend festival.
“I cannot put into words my excitement about Pride this year,” said Foulkes, who married the day of the June 26 decision. Then, proving her point, she had to take a moment. “It’s been such a fantastic year.”
The three-day event stands among the largest gay pride events in the country, and is expected to draw large crowds to Atlanta. What began as a radical demonstration in the 1970s has evolved into something of a mainstream event, with appearances by public officials such as Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, corporate sponsorships from Coca-Cola, Delta and T-Mobile, and participation by same-sex couples and their kids.
Aside from the flamboyant costumes on more than 200 floats and other entries moving along Peachtree Street, events include two yoga sessions, a classic car and motorcycle show and entertainment on two stages in Piedmont Park. A radio station is expected to perform a marriage atop one of the floats.
Still, some people aren’t comfortable with such public revelry.
“I don’t believe in celebrating the lifestyle,” said Tanya Ditty, head of Concerned Women of America in Georgia. “By having a parade, you’re giving a nod to that lifestyle.”
Concerned Women opposed the high court decision, which effectively struck down what had been a widely supported 2004 referendum in Georgia that banned gay marriage.
“I live in Marietta, and I wouldn’t want to see Marietta hold a parade that celebrates that lifestyle,” Ditty added.
Foulkes, who heads the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, said the event highlights the challenges here for gays and lesbians. A separate march will highlight transgender issues, while booths will offer HIV/AIDS testing and education on legal issues.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday asked the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau about the impact from this weekend’s events, which organizers say are expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors. But both groups declined to comment.
Those business groups’ refusal to publicly discuss the Atlanta Pride events disappointed Foulkes.
“It says to me we still have a lot of work to do,” she said.
She said gays and lesbians still need equal rights protection in housing and the work place, and greater acceptance in the minority community.
The 2015 event is organized by the nonprofit Atlanta Pride and receives no money from the City of Atlanta. Aside from Mayor Reed marching, participants will also include the Atlanta police and fire chiefs and members of the Atlanta Board of Education.
For many, this is a time to reflect on how the parade has changed from the days when some participants wore paper bags over their heads to protect their identity.
Jamie Fergerson remembers attending her first Atlanta Pride parade 14 years ago. She was fresh out of rural upstate Georgia and largely secretive about her sexuality. It was, she said, “something life-changing,” seeing so many gay and lesbian people expressing themselves so openly.
“I realized that you don’t have to hide who you are,” she said. Soon after, in college, she came out.
Fergerson, now 33, was hired this year as executive director of Atlanta Pride. She still gets that big feeling of closeness when she attends the parade. But it is coupled with a coming together with the larger community of Atlanta.
“It’s absolutely great to see people supporting us,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see it here.”
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