Caesar, the No Drama Llama and Larry, the Llama Guy make their way through the crowds early at Pride in the Park 2022 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)
Capital Pride’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ community drew a crowd to Riverfront Park Saturday.
The event had its largest year yet, with nearly 140 booths for community organizations, churches, businesses and other groups joining in the celebration.
Capital Pride puts on the festival each year after LGBTQ Pride Month in June, in part to ensure attendees don’t have conflicts with Pride events in larger cities. It’s also meant to encourage year-round celebration of LGBTQ people.
“We are firm believers in that, you’re not only queer in June, so you can celebrate Pride all year long,” Zachery Cardoso, Capital Pride president, told Salem Reporter ahead of the event.
Free Mom Hugs Oregon chapter leader Tamara Hooper shows new volunteers around the organization’s booth at Pride in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)ASL interpreter Rian Gayle provides interpretation for deaf attendants at Pride in the Park 2022 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Free Mom Hugs volunteers Carol Raymundo, Tamara Hooper, and Deb Vaughn embrace attendees throughout the event on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Tylene Cool Neighbors sit patiently in the Storybook Faces booth while owner Margaret Beach finishes a tiny seascape on her face (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Courtney Gould staffs the information center and distributes flags in exchange for small donations at Pride in the Park 2022 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)The Salem chapter of Moms Demand Action – a gun safety organization staffed by Stephanie Hull, Marcia Christenson, and Kat James hands out stickers and gun safe locks to event goers at Pride in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Drag performer Sunshine McPherson shows off her colorful dress while singing for the crowd gathered at Salem’s Riverfront City Park at Pride in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)One of the youngest performers at the event, Vanellope Craving McPherson Dupont dances and displays colorful signs to the crowd in attendance at Pride in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Nicole Onoscopi twirls for the crowd mid-performance at Riverfront City Park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Salem based rock band Sunwell performs at Pride in the Park 2022 on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Attendees browse the many booths at Pride in the Park 2022. The booths ranged from LGBTQIA+ affirming churches to face painting to arts, crafts, food, and more on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Oregon State Representative Teresa Alonso Leon browses the booths at Pride in the Park 2022 on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Moms Demand Action volunteer Kat James talks with an attendee about the group’s work on gun safety at Pride in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Attendees watch the drag performances at Pride in the Park 2022 on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Drag performer Nicole Onoscopi sings for the attendees at Pride in the Park 2022 on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Kwanzaa Shade, a drag performer leaves the stage and strikes a pose for the crowd on the lawn at Pride in the Park 2022 on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)Salem based rock band Sunwell performs at Pride in the Park 2022 on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)A large rainbow greets event goers at the entrance of the park on Saturday, Sept. 24 (Chris Ward/Special to Salem Reporter)
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