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PHOTO ESSAY | Seattle Pride Parade Celebrates 50 Years of Growth and Activism

Editor

by Alex Garland

Over the past 50 years, Seattle Pride has been expanding, both in attendees and participants. This year, over 300,000 people were expected to attend the parade and festivities at Seattle Center. The parade route was less than a mile, but the thousands of participants meant the parade would take five hours to make it to the end. Led by the Dykes on Bikes, the throaty roar of motorcycles echoed off of downtown buildings as residents stood on balconies or looked out windows as the parade passed them by. The length of the route meant some areas near the stages were packed 15—20 people deep.

The crowd was entertained by drag queens and kings as emcees, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe as the parade grand marshals, and our own Managing Editor Rosette Royale as one of the intergenerational grand marshals. The parade was filled with floats, cars, and walkers representing organizations like Habitat for Humanity, National Park Service, Alaska Airlines, T-Mobile, Starbucks, and others, but several groups in the parade made sure attendees remembered that Pride is a protest: They held signs showing their support for Palestine. While the parade was a first for many of the younger generations, this was the 50th parade for some activists who made this dream a reality in 1974.

One of Seattle Pride Parade's drag queen emcees high-fives a youth before the parade begins on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Dykes on Bikes show off their skills to parade watchers at the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Several groups reminded attendees that Pride is also a protest by walking with banners and signs that showed support for a free Palestine during the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Seattle sports legends and Grand Marshals Megan Rapinoe (left) and Sue Bird (right) pose and smile at Pride Parade attendees on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
A parade marcher proudly carries a Peruvian flag while wearing traditional attire, celebrating the intersecting aspects of identity, at the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Thousands from all walks of life attended the Seattle Pride Parade and celebrations at Seattle Center on June 30, 2024, a stark difference from the roughly 200 who participated in the first Seattle Pride Parade 50 years ago in 1974. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Seattle Pride Parade spectators carry signs calling for a free Palestine as well as no cops or corporations at Pride, a reminder that Pride is also a protest, on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
South Seattle Emerald Managing Editor Rosette Royale, serving as part of the 2024 Seattle Pride Parade intergenerational grand marshals, poses for a quick photo on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
LGBTQIA Ukrainians proudly waving Ukrainian flags alongside Pride flags and carrying signs reminding attendees of the ongoing war in Ukraine at the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
The Frederick Simmons Seattle Chapter of the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (EWMC) hypes up the crowd of Seattle Pride Parade attendees, showing support for labor and LGBTQIA+ movements. (Photo: Alex Garland)
National Park Service in Washington State marchers, many in uniform, proudly wave to attendees at the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. National-level department memos from earlier in the year seemed to ban uniformed NPS employees from marching in public events, including Pride; however, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland later clarified the policy, allowing Bureau leaders or designated officials to decide how and when to participate. (Photo: Alex Garland)
A South Asian beauty pageant queen poses for a quick photo at the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. Many cultural and ethnic community groups marched in the Pride Parade, celebrating all the intersecting parts of a person's identity. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal smiles as she walks the parade route at Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Members of the Washington Education Association carrying signs supporting LGBTQIA+ students as well as public school educators during a year that's seen an increase in bills targeting LGBTQIA+ rights, particularly in regards to trans students, at the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Indigenous parade marchers drum and sing during the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Seattle Pride Parade marchers call for an end to the genocide in Gaza, a reminder that Pride is also a protest, on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)
Some parade spectators watch and show their support through windows overlooking the route at the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)

Alex Garland is a photojournalist and reporter. With a degree in emergency administration and disaster planning from the University of North Texas, Alex spent his early professional career as a GIS analyst for FEMA. Follow him on Twitter.

📸 Featured Image: Seattle Pride Parade marchers carry a giant rainbow flag on June 30, 2024. (Photo: Alex Garland)

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