COVINGTON, Ky. — The city of Covington kicked off Pride Month with its 15th annual parade. What began as a small festival has grown into a huge celebration supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Despite the rain and cloudy weather, community members were all smiles as they celebrated Pride Month with the parade and other festivities.
The Dance Flash Fusion was one of many community groups showing their support and walking in the parade. Six-year member Sinead Quinn said they aim to spread their message of love through dancing.
"We want to spread joy, let people know that everybody is loved and included," she said.
The NKY Pride Parade is the first of its kind in the area as Covington was the first Northern Kentucky city to pass a fairness ordinance, banning discrimination in all public forms.
While hundreds of members came out for the event, among the crowd was 21-year-old Aidan Collins, who brought a sign to tell people about his special guy.
He said they met at school via Tinder before they quickly hit it off. They now maintain a long-distance relationship.
Collins said this was his first parade.
"I'm feeling so welcome ... everyone out here partying, and it's just this shared sense of community that it's hard to replicate in other spaces," he said.
Bonnie Meyer, president and co-founder of the Northern Kentucky Pride Center, said Pride is about representation.
"I really do believe that this year, it is more important than ever to celebrate Pride," she said. "There's a lot of reasons, obviously, like the visibility of our community, particularly for youth, to be able to see folks who are like them living happily."
As Collins watched the parade go by, he reflected on the history of what Pride means for the community.
"I think that we need to have Pride to remind ourselves that there (are) people like me ... and they are welcome," he said.
The Hotel Covington welcomed attendees after the parade for the NKY Pride Official After Party, featuring shows from Brooklyn Steele-Tate and Sarah Jessica Darker.