COLUMBUS—Columbus was a sea of rainbows, colorful flags and a symphony of cheers for the 38th annual Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and Parade.

Around 13,000 marchers showed their pride down High St. on Saturday. Every year, pride celebrations happen across the world to commemorate the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer liberation movement.

This year's theme – “The Power of Pride”.

For Parade Grand Marshal Nina West, the theme speaks to the history of LGBTQ people.

“There is so much power in pride,” said West. “50 years ago was the kickoff of our whole movement in New York City at Stonewall Inn, the Stonewall Riots. 50 years ago. And here we are, and we need the power of pride more than ever. And people need to come together and celebrate our community and lift up our voices to make sure that everyone has a seat at the table.”

West returned home after earning the title of Miss Congeniality on VH1's RuPaul's Drag Race, and touring the country for pride.

“There's no pride like Columbus Pride and there is no community like this queer community here in Columbus, Ohio,” said West at a Pride party at Brewdog Franklinton on Friday. “And, there is just that sense of soul, heart, camaraderie, fellowship.”

Businesses also got into the pride spirit. Brewdog in Franklinton held a tea dance, a nod to the vintage LGBTQ past time. West joined special pride guest Jake Borelli from Grey's Anatomy. Borelli and his character came out last year, and he says that those at Stonewall paved the way.

“I am constantly reminded about the work and the struggle that generations before us in the queer community have endured and gone through to ensure that this generation of queer people could celebrate openly,” said Borelli, who hosted a series of events through the weekend.

Borelli is a Columbus-area native and had never been to Columbus Pride before. He left the area at 18 while he was still closeted.

“It's such a homecoming on so many different levels, and to be brought back in this capacity you know, being a part of Pride, it's so full circle it's mind blowing,” Borelli said.

Though pride often equates to celebration, the events actually began because of a police raid in New York City's Stonewall Inn in 1969.

Back then, people weren't allowed to wear clothing of the opposite gender, and police routinely arrested and harassed LGBTQ people because of laws against same sex relations and gender presentation.

“The actions taken by the NYPD were wrong, plain and simple,” said NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill, who atoned for the department's raid as the city gears up for the celebration of World Pride in honor of Stonewall. “The actions and the laws were discriminatory, and oppressive, and for that I apologize.”

And though we are now 50 years after the birth of the modern LGBTQ rights movement, the fight for rights continues.

This is not just like your Pride or my Pride, this is our Pride,” says West, who runs a foundation that raises money for various LGBTQ causes.

West added, “And, we have to make sure that everybody in our community, from our transgender brothers and sisters, to our queer brothers and sisters of color, to women, to gay men, we all have a seat at the table and if we don't allow that we're failing ourselves at our own pride.”