WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita Pride Festival is happening this weekend and event organizers say they expect more people to attend this year.

The festival is starting at the Old County Courthouse and extend to the Mid-American All Indian Center on Sunday, Sept. 29 at noon.

The Wichita Pride group says because of the recent flag burning that happened last week, they’ve seen an increase in the number of people who want to help and attend.

“When incidents like this take place the LGBT community tends to stand together and they stand taller and more assertive about their rights,” said Stephanie Byers, Communications Director of Wichita Pride. “This time around we’ve had a lot of allies as well that have contacted us and said how can we be a part of this, where can we get a flag, how can we show our solidarity with the LGBT community.”

More people in and outside of the LGBTQ community are buying more flags to hang outside of their homes to support their neighbors.

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“We immediately hung our flag up,” said Paula Love Moore, vice president of Riverside Citizens Association. “You know it was hey if this is doing this to one of my neighbors, I want to show my support and say you know, I’m here for you and I can fly my flag too, with pride and try to not let fear get the best of any of us.”

Moore says she does have safety concerns whenever she goes to a large event. She finds herself looking up at rooftops, constantly observing people around her to make sure there isn’t someone around that may commit an act of violence.

She says when she heard about her neighbor’s flag being burned she was sad and angry, but she knows as a society we’ve come so far and she won’t let fear win.

“We can’t let hate rule, love always wins and sometimes it takes events like this to cause that swelling in people to say, no I won’t take this,” said Moore.

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