Denver PrideFest 50-year celebration to include historical recollections

DENVER (KDVR) — When a small group of LGBTQ+ community members gathered in Cheesman Park in June 1974, they might not have known that their gathering would become an annual celebration for their community even decades later.

Denver PrideFest is the largest Pride festival in the Rocky Mountain region hosted by The Center on Colfax, a nonprofit community center that serves Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community members.

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Denver PrideFest is the Center’s largest fundraiser, annually raising over $1 million to help the organization serve LGBTQ+ youth, seniors and Colorado’s transgender community, and provide training and legal programs. The two-day festival includes the Denver Pride 5K, exhibitors and food vendors, live entertainment and the Coors Light Denver Pride Parade.

In 2023, over 550,000 people attended, setting a record for attendance. This year’s event is scheduled for June 22-23 at Civic Center Park.

“When I ran for Governor I ran to create a Colorado for All where everyone can thrive no matter who they love or how they identify. As we celebrate 50 years of Denver’s PrideFest, let’s celebrate how far we’ve come to create a more inclusive Colorado and reaffirm our commitment to a future that protects all Coloradans,” said Governor Jared Polis in the event announcement.

Polis made waves in 2018 when he became the first openly gay man to be elected governor of a state.

Key figures to recall history of Denver’s LGBTQ+ community

For the 50-year celebration, the PrideFest will include “recollections from some of the key figures in the history of Denver PrideFest.” The organization shared brief biographies of seven people who have helped make Denver’s Pride weekend the event it is today and are featured in the anniversary event.

Christopher Sloan (he/him)

Also known as Christi Layne, Sloan is known in both LGBTQ+ activism and entertainment circles. Layne was Empress VI of the Imperial Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire and secured the first permit for the Denver Pride Parade & Festival in 1976.

Phil Nash (he/him)

A Denver resident since 1976, Nash has “left an indelible mark on the city’s LGBTQ+ community,” according to the Center on Colfax. He was the first director of The Center on Colfax and the first president of the Board of Directors of the Colorado AIDS Project in 1984. Nash is set to release “LGBTQ Denver” through Arcadia Publishing this month.

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Rex Fuller (he/him)

Fuller is the CEO of The Center on Colfax. Before his current role, he was Vice President of Communications and Corporate Giving for six years.

“Through his leadership, Fuller continues to empower and uplift LGBTQ+ individuals across Colorado and beyond,” the Center said in its release.

Phil Wade (he/him)

Wade was pivotal in the historic Denver Gay Revolt at City Council on Oct. 23, 1973, sometimes called Denver’s Stonewall. As an openly gay Denver Public School teacher at a time when LGBTQ+ individuals faced widespread discrimination and legal constraints, Wade symbolized a stand for equality and liberation.

Jameson Johnson (he/they)

Johnson is renowned for their drag persona Ophelia Peaches. As a public speaker, drag performer and queer activist advocate, Johnson celebrates creativity and self-expression. Notably, Johnson is the face of Denver’s Dragutante and has been on the reality TV series Generation Drag.

DeMarcio Slaughter (he/him)

Slaughter was the PrideFest emcee and co-organizer for 20 years. As PrideFest’s entertainment coordinator of Center Stage, Slaughter curates vibrant performances that elevate Pride celebrations, fostering unity and celebration.

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Anthony Aragon (he/him)

As Director of Community Engagement & Government Affairs at the National Western Center Authority, Aragon serves Denver’s diverse communities. With over 30 years of dedicated involvement in Denver’s LGBTQ+ community, including organizing the Denver Pride parade for 19 years, Anthony is an advocate for equality and inclusion. Aragon’s extensive civic engagement includes serving as a Commissioner on the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, President of the Board of Directors for Equal Rights Colorado, and a founding board member of One Colorado.

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