Thousands of spectators of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, shapes and sizes came together Sunday to celebrate free speech and gender identity during the Victoria Pride Parade, the biggest in the city’s history.

Even the appearance of overcast skies as the parade began at 11 a.m. couldn’t quell the enthusiasm of parade-watchers and participants, or the profusion of rainbows, the pride movement’s signature motif.

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“Rain or shine, I get protected,” said Diane Edmundson, clutching her rainbow-patterned umbrella as she dashed toward Government Street before the parade began to support her daughter, a trans lesbian.

She was on her way to meet fellow members of PFLAG, a support group that helps parents and others understand and accept their non-heterosexual children.

Government Street was a riot of colour, music, feel-good vibes and creative ingenuity as more than 100 floats and community ensembles headed to MacDonald Park in James Bay for the Victoria Pride Festival.

There was Mayor Lisa Helps, riding her bicycle and waving to onlookers; bejewelled Vancouver-based designer Kevin Young and two friends attired as “Venetian royalty;” free-spirited TicketRocket celebrants cutting loose on a trailer with a giant disco ball; larger-than-life Paparazzi nightclub owner Attila Bassett, sporting a silver suit and blue-and-yellow feathers that made him seem a cross between a lean gladiator and a giant bird; bulldogs with fuchsia tutus; and a towering rainbow-caped character on stilts.

There was a tall, slender guy wearing a headpiece resembling a large tooth, and hot-pink high heels; and a woman wearing a black T-shirt reading: Feed Me to the Lesbians.

“We had fun making these and now we’re having more fun wearing them,” said Katalin Acpis, showing off her blue-veiled Venetian gown. “There is so much love in the air, which is how it should be.”

Irreverence was not out of place here, as when a large man wearing baggy shorts warned spectators “Careful, it’s raining rubbers from the sky!” while tossing condoms to the crowd to promote sexual health.

For younger parade-goers, there was a proliferation of free balloons, rainbow flags, beach balls, yellow kites, stickers and magnets to augment the fun of watching this spectacular parade go by.

“This is like Halloween in July!” laughed Mike Scharien, an IT worker at the University of Victoria who made friends with Robin Burgess, a retired public servant sharing his patch of the sidewalk.

“I’m here for the fun and to show support to the local gay community,” said Burgess. “It’s just such a tremendous way to bring the community together. I love it.”

Scharien brought his daughter Quinn, 4, dressed for the occasion like a little mermaid; and her friend Gracie, 6.

“I wanted to teach them that you can be who you want to be,” he said as the Village People hit YMCA blared from the lively, musical B.C. Ferry and Marine Workers float cruising by.

“Everybody’s equal. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you believe. And we don’t want to be mean to ‘other’ people.”

Mathilde Giordano, 17, and four friends from her native Quebec City attended their first Pride Parade as part of a YMCA exchange program.

“It’s so much fun and everyone is happy. It’s full of joy,” said Giordano.

Premier-designate John Horgan had to cancel his scheduled appearance to go to Kamloops because of the wildfire crisis, but there was no shortage of dignitaries.

Politicians participating in parade ensembles flying their party colours included Green Party of Canada leader and Saanich-Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May, B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver, Victoria’s NDP MP Murray Rankin and Randall Garrison, the NDP’s Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke MP and the party’s critic for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer issues.

“Today, we get to celebrate the fact that Bill C-16 has passed and that we filled the major human rights gap in our legislation,” Garrison said.

“We have now said to transgender and gender-variant people that you are Canadian. You have the same rights as everybody else, and that is something to celebrate today.”

Laurie McDonald, a member of the Enoch Cree First Nation who identifies as two-spirited, which encompasses lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, also had cause for celebration.

McDonald, who blessed the grounds, said he was honoured that his Greater Vancouver Native Cultural Society was invited as the only two-spirited organization to do the Victoria festival’s opening ceremony.

He took the opportunity to spread awareness of the struggles that aboriginal two-spirited people have faced in communities across North America.

“A lot of members were afraid to be outed because of discrimination,” he recalled. “A lot of people were leaving reserves to go to cities to be safe. We couldn’t wear regalia or headdresses.”

It’s the Victoria Pride Festival’s spirit of inclusiveness that Felicity Smith and her sister, Ann, wearing matching pink Gay for a Day T-shirts to show their support, say inspires them to return each year.

“I love the way the public responds, lining the streets. The crowds are so enthusiastic. It feels like a great big love-in,” said Felicity.

mreid@timescolonist.com