Denver Pride kicks off with 5K and fest, drawing rainbow-clad crowds
Kyla Pearce
Denver Pride took off through a rainbow arch Saturday as the annual Pride 5K began on the west side of the state capitol building, drawing hundreds of participants donned in rainbow attire and enthusiastic grins.
The crowd buzzed with excitement as an announcer counted down from 10 to begin the race, among the the first of many events taking place to celebrate Pride Month in Denver.
Denver Pride is the largest LGBTQ+ Pride event in the Rocky Mountain region, according to DenverPride.org. In 2022, the event saw an estimated 535,000 attendees and 2,400 Pride 5K runners.
Runners, walkers, roller bladers and parents pushing strollers took off under the starting arch, headed along a route to Cheesman Park then back to Civic Center.
A group of people cross under the starting banner at the Pride 5K.
After 15 minutes and 49 seconds, Jeremiah Vaille from Golden flew across the finish line, met with cheers and high fives.
Vaille, dressed head to toe in rainbow attire, didn’t show any signs of being winded as he sprinted under the arch, hands raised in victory. This was his second year in a row crossing the finish line first in the Pride 5K.
“The energy coming back is super amazing with everybody cheering,” Vaille said.
Jeremiah Vaille has crossed the finish line at the Pride 5K two years in a row.
While the race is a big draw for Vaille, he comes to Pride to celebrate love, he said.
“I’m celebrating the opportunity for everyone to love who they want and celebrate in their own ways and be themselves,” Vaille said.
Several minutes later, Casey Dean crossed the finish line on roller blades, toting a rainbow feather headband and a huge grin.
“I love coming to pride because I feel safe here in a state that lets us have events like this,” Dean said. “I ran for a bunch of people I know in other states that don’t feel safe going to their prides.”
The route got hilly at times, Dean said, giving them a challenge on the up-hills and a fun ride on the down-hills.
“Sometimes it felt like I was cheating because I got to coast down on my roller blades,” Dean said.
Casey Dean crosses the finish line at Saturday’s Pride 5K on rollerblades.
Dean grew up in Utah and went to a few pride events in their old state, but Denver pride has been their favorite.
“There’s a lot more people and a lot more love,” Dean said about Denver Pride.
Kadyn and Grace Bonnema do cartwheels in the grass at Denver Pride.
After the 5K, the crowds filed into PrideFest, filling Civic Center Park.
Booths sold food and pride merchandise, friends and lovers lay in the grass, enjoying Saturday’s warm weather and crowds danced and cheered for drag queens and musicians on the fest’s stages.
Several attendees interviewed by the Denver Gazette plan to attend the parade and festival on Sunday as well.
Sunday’s Pride Parade begins at 9:30 a.m., stepping off at Colfax Avenue and Franklin Street.
The 2023 Denver Pride Parade will span from Cheesman Park to Civic Center on Sunday.
Proceeds from Denver Pride go to The Center on Colfax, a non-profit organization serving Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community with year-round services for youth, older adults and the transgender community.
