by Michael J. Marino
The weather was close to perfect for the some 4,000 people who celebrated LGBT Pride
Month in downtown Billings this Saturday, June 25, 2022. (Photos by Michael Marino)
Close to four thousand people packed downtown Billings on Saturday, June 25 for the annual LGBT Pride Parade. The parade was followed by a festival under the SkyPoint and adjacent streets and that included live entertainment and music, food trucks, and various information and activity booths.
The 406 Pride Foundation organized this year’s events, and president Walt Donges said he was happy with the large turnout. Over 30 floats were included in the parade, which Donges said “went off without a hitch,” adding there were no protesters or attacks like there had been in years past.
“The most amazing part,” Donges told YCN, “is the community.” He further explained how 406 Pride has received community input that the event should be held downtown this year so as to establish a good rapport and professional relationship with businesses in the community, and to make more people aware of the event. The latter was certainly the case Saturday, with Donges estimating anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 people participated throughout the day.
Those numbers are up from 2021, when Donges stated that due to COVID restrictions there was only a short celebration at a local park.
“I think what we saw at the zoo,” Donges said, referring to the June 22 Drag Queen Story Hour event, “is that more people are focused on diversity than on hatred in the community; and we’re seeing that again here today.”
To learn more about 406 Pride Foundation or find resources for LGBT-related issues, readers can go online to: www.406pride.org.
