Pride Festival brings in large crowd

An estimated crowd of more than 3,500 people gathered along a crowded Fifth Street and the Bartholomew County Public Library Plaza downtown Saturday afternoon in support of the LGBTQ community and their family and friends.

And that was an hour before the drag show, last year’s most popular attraction, began.

Erin Bailey, now a student at Herron School of Art + Design in Indianapolis, launched the first Pride festival last April as her senior project at Columbus Signature Academy — New Tech High School. Regional, national and international media picked up the story of the event they saw as especially significant because the event was occurring in Vice President Mike Pence’s hometown.

“I just wanted to say thank you to all the people who have been helping,” Bailey said from the stage near the event’s opening Saturday.

Kimberly Hoffman, left, gives a free mom hug to Connor Cheek during the second annual Columbus Pride Festival in downtown Columbus, Ind., Saturday, April 13, 2019. Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Kimberly Hoffman, left, gives a free mom hug to Connor Cheek during the second annual Columbus Pride Festival in downtown Columbus, Ind., Saturday, April 13, 2019. Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Piper Bridges, 5, sits on her father Patrick's shoulders as they listen to live music during the second annual Columbus Pride Festival in downtown Columbus, Ind., Saturday, April 13, 2019. Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Piper Bridges, 5, sits on her father Patrick’s shoulders as they listen to live music during the second annual Columbus Pride Festival in downtown Columbus, Ind., Saturday, April 13, 2019. Mike Wolanin | The Republic

For more on this story, see Sunday’s Republic.