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Starting today, OKC Pride Week kicks off with an evening ceremony and runs with events every day through Sunday.

The highest estimates for attendance in recent years has been 85,000 according to Lauren Zuniga, event director for the Oklahoma City Pride Alliance.

She told Free Press that they have 102 floats lined up with over 175 organizations and businesses participating in some way.

It will be the 31st parade, 32nd block party, and 42nd Pride Week.

Humble beginnings

“We’re going to have a parade, even if it’s two lesbians on a bicycle,” said Marianne Lad in 1988 according to local lore.

She was the president of the Oasis Community Center, the main LGBTQ organization for Oklahoma City at the time.

After ten years of mostly hidden parties during Pride Week, Lad thought it was time to do something public.

But more than two people showed up.

Turns out, there were more than anyone thought would brave being publicly identified as LGBTQ back then. The 1980s were the days of only the bravest in OKC coming out in public, much less joining a daylight march.

Pride Week Events

The biggest event of the week is the Pride Parade Saturday starting at Noon.

The parade will move west along Northwest 39th Street from Classen Boulevard to Youngs Avenue.

Here is a list of key events during the week:

Monday – Opening Ceremonies at Dunlop Codding in Film Row – 5:30p

Tuesday – Film + Panel “Paris is Burning” – Banquet Cinema Pub – 6:30p

Wednesday – Pride Youth Night – 39th St. Glitter Alley – 6p

Thursday – Film + Dance Party – Tower Theater – 8p

Friday – Block Party – Angles lot, NW 39th – 5:30p

Saturday – Pride on 39th Parade – 12p, Festival – 2p

Sunday – Pride at Lost Lakes – Lost Lakes Entertainment Beach – 10a – 9p

To keep up with the week’s events as they happen, search #okcprideweek on Twitter and follow @lazuni (Lauren Zuniga).

See our coverage of the 2017 Pride Parade where an Oklahoma City Public Schools bus made an appearance in the parade for the first time in history. The district officially participated in the parade again in 2018 and plans to this year.