Orlando Massacre at the Forefront of Lexington Pride Fest

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) The attacks in Orlando and the possible threat to the LA Pride Parade are in the back of everyone’s mind at Lexington’s Pride Festival. But the energy at the festival, in downtown’s courthouse plaza, is lively and for many they say their pride is even louder.

Drag Queen Shotz With A Z says, “I think it’s really banded everyone together to say we’re not going to live in fear. We’re going to come out, we’re going to be proud, and we’re going to wave our banners and not let anyone deter us from being who we are.”

Just hours after the attacks in Orlando, and a man in Santa Monica was caught with weapons heading to the LA Pride Parade, organizers of Lexington’s Pride Festival worked to ensure safety here at home.

Sarah Brown with Lexington Pride Festival says, “We work with the police every year and, of course, with the recent events we wanted to step it up just a bit to be safe, but we haven’t had any threats or anything going on.”

And many attendees say in wake of recent events they’re thankful for the added security.

Festival go-er Charles Laytart says, “It’s a little scary because you don’t know when it could happen in your community and you hope and pray it never does happen again, but you don’t know that. But you can’t stay at home and not live your live. You got to be who you are and what you are and be proud of that.”

In solidarity with the victims in Orlando an emotional tribute, as the counted up the 49 victims of the massacre at Pulse Nightclub.

People from all walks of life came together downtown to stand against hate and embrace diversity.

Shotz with a Z says, “It makes me very happy that people didn’t let things like that stop them..it instead invigorated them.”

If you missed out on all the fun earlier today, not to worry there’s still more to come. The last drag show is starting at 8:10 and the headliner country artist Billy Gillman is set to take the stage at 8:50.