US: Charleston’s 17th Pride Parade returns to downtown on Saturday

Color and bustle returned to the streets of downtown Charleston, South Carolina, on Saturday morning. The 17th annual Charleston Pride Parade started at Wragg Square at 9 a.m., with marchers walking slowly along King Street and ending at the intersection of Market Street and King Street. Onlookers cheered along the way, and colorful flags and floats passed through the historical districts. (Photo source: Charleston County News; WCBD)

The parade was directed by the South Carolina Archives of Sexual Minorities at the College of Charleston. The archive has long been collecting and organizing the stories and histories of sexual minorities in South Carolina. This participation as the general director is regarded as a presentation of community memory and public visibility. During the parade, the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina's "Beloved Community, Integration for All" banner also accompanied the procession. (Photo source: Charleston County News; WCBD)

Following the parade, the free Charleston Pride Festival will open at 11 a.m. at Building 64 in North Charleston, featuring live music, art displays, drag performances and merchant booths. At 8pm that night, a follow-up party for those over 18 years old will be held at the same venue. (Photo source: Charleston County News; WCBD)

According to local media observations, such public demonstrations have been continuously held in southern cities in recent years and have become an important channel for local communities to express their identity and fight for public space. In the context of tightening policies in some states, festivals at the local level are seen as a reflection of community cohesion and visibility. This Charleston parade continues a local tradition that has existed for many years, and also reflects the continued increase in the participation of sexual minority communities in public life in southern cities. (Photo source: Charleston County News; WCBD)