Tri-Cities first LGBT pride parade and festival draws thousands

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Johnson City's Commerce Street was packed Saturday with thousands of people cheering and screaming for the Tri-Cities’ first pride parade.

"We're small town East Tennessee, so to have something like this and to see the turnout for this is amazing,” Valerie Henkel-Glass said.

Excited cheers, music and dancing filled the street for the hourlong parade.

"It's a celebration of diversity and inclusion and acceptance,” TriPride President Kenn Lyon said. “It's amazing. It really is. It gives me goose bumps."

The festival at Founder's Park just after the parade included vendors, information about LGBT organizations and free STD testing. Local music was featured throughout the afternoon.

A heavy police presence was visible at the event. TriPride said threats from protest groups led to the extra security.

Law enforcement were on roofs. A swat team stood ready, and THP patrolled the air in a helicopter.

Protestors did arrive, but their presence was peaceful.

Hunter Thomas said he hopes the event will allow others to gain a greater understanding of a diverse people.

"Being gay isn't just my whole life. It's just a part of me, and being able to have that part of me out in the open makes it so much less of something I have to care about,” he said.

An official count hasn't been taken yet, but TriPride estimated there were likely seven to ten thousand people at the event. Lines were so long coming in, they delayed the parade by half an hour.

"The turnout, I think, really expresses the need for this in this region,” Lyon said. “and also that people are ready for this. They're ready to embrace a larger culture."