FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Friday evening on Dickson Street thousands of people took to the street to support and participate in the Trans March that's kicking off the 20th annual NWA Pride Parade and Festival.
Over the next couple of days, it's projected that over 35,000 people will come out to participate in Pride weekend.
The march on June 28 got going at 7 p.m., beginning on Dickson Street and ending at the Fayetteville Square, where they would start the Trans Fest at the town center.
This is the fourth Trans March during NWA Pride Weekend, and many people around the march said they believe this is the perfect start to such an important weekend for the LGBTQ+ community.
5NEWS spoke to Evelyn Stafford, a Justice of the Peace in Washington County, about why this event means so much to the trans community in Northwest Arkansas.
“It's a way for the trans community and the non-binary community in Northwest Arkansas, you know, just to say, hey, we are a part of this community. We're your neighbors, we're your coworkers. We check you out at the grocery store, we're your baristas and things like that, and just to show that this community, you know, is part of the fabric of Northwest Arkansas, just like everyone else," Stafford said.
Saturday will be a full day of Pride festivities, as the NWA Pride Festival will kick off at 11 a.m. with the Pride Parade at 5 p.m. and more events on Saturday and Sunday. For more information about the events, click here.
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