Photo Gallery: Iowa City celebrates 50 years of Pride

Iowa City held its 50th annual Pride celebration on Saturday. This year’s Pride would’ve been the 51st, but Iowa City Pride 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic.

Iowa City first celebrated Pride in 1970, when the Gay Liberation Front marched in the University of Iowa’s homecoming parade.

Organizers decided not to hold Pride’s traditional parade this year. Instead, there was a Unity March to “show our community we are still here and we will come together to fight for our rights and the rights of others,” according to their website.

Pride is usually celebrated in the summer to coincide with the Stonewall riots, which began on June 28, 1969. However, Iowa City held Pride Fest in October to commemorate the 1979 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. This also allowed more time for locals to get vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to public gatherings.

Thousands of people joined the Unity March through downtown. Afterwards, attendants listened to live musical performances, watched drag shows and visited vendor booths scattered around downtown Iowa City.