Amid the beating of drums, and revving of motorbikes on Church St. Saturday afternoon, many of the people waiting for the Dyke March to begin expressed the same sentiment.

“I’m here to be surrounded by other queer people and support everyone in their diversity,” said Brittany Skerritt, 25, who says she identifies as queer. Skerritt came in for Toronto’s Pride weekend from Ottawa. Close by was her twin sister, who lives in Hamilton.

“I’m here to support her,” said Janelle Skerritt.

It was a theme that seemed to pervade this year’s march, which began with Dykes on Bikes — many of their motorcycles decorated with flags or feathers — leading the parade up Church St. and west on Bloor St. They were followed by participants on bicycles ringing their bells and thousands of people on foot.

Pride organizers estimated it was the largest turnout in the march’s history, although they didn’t have accurate numbers yet.

Many participants were colourfully decked out in shades of the rainbow pride flag. Some were wearing animal costumes and had to take the heads off in the sweltering sun. There were couples with matching t-shirts that said “I’m right where I want to be” or “You’re mine,” with arrows pointing in each other’s direction, if they happened to be standing together.

Jeannita Mckay, dressed as Sailor Moon, said she’s been coming to the parade for a number of years because we should “love everybody.”

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It was a peaceful march across Bloor St. and down Yonge St. — accompanied by the thumping of drums — save for a few minutes at Yonge and College Sts., when the parade came across a small group of religious protesters, one with a microphone attached to a speaker. Parade participants followed the protesters, drowning out their words with whistles.

There were a few more protesters on Carlton St. holding up signs on the side of the street. One said “God loves you repent and come to Jesus.” They were largely ignored by the buoyant marchers who passed them by.

Mostly, bystanders cheered and clapped, or waved to people they knew, as the parade went by.

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A husband and wife, standing on the sidewalk, said they’d come out to support the LGBTQ community because “it’s a day that everybody is happy,” and “to show we are all together in this.”

Women’s College Hospital also had a contingent in the parade to celebrate the recent launch of its transition-related surgery program. The first vaginoplasty surgery in a public hospital in Canada took place at Women’s College on Monday. Marci Bowers, the California doctor who helped train the Toronto surgeons who performed the operation, took part in the 10th-annual Trans March on Friday night.

“It’s a big week for Women’s,” said Michelle Sparrow, a development officer with the hospital, who was standing on Carlton St.

A few feet away, Sheila Craig Waengler, a 90-year-old volunteer at Women’s College, was energetically handing out information cards with a list of the transformative surgeries now available at the hospital.

“I’m a volunteer,” said Craig Waengler, “and I support the parade. Naturally.”

The march ended, about an hour after it started, at Allan Gardens.