The Twin Cities Pride Festival kicks off Friday night.
"Pride is first and foremost a protest more than it is a celebration, but both of those things can coexist at the same time," said Kelsey Alto, director of programming for Twin Cities Pride.
She says it's an important community event.
"And it's so important for us to gather together as a community so that we are able to find resources," Alto explains. "We know that there is strength in numbers. We've gone through plenty of dark times as a community, and we know how to come together to support each other, and to fight for our rights, and that's no different this year."
Some highlights the World’s Largest Duck, Mama Duck, and her son, Timmy, plus a huge party in Loring Park on Saturday. The traditional parade will take place on Sunday down Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis.
"We have our festival with over 650 vendors," Alto explains. "We've got four food courts, three stages. There's so many things you can do. We also have the world's largest rubber duck, which is so exciting. And then on Sunday we kick off with our 5K running down Hennepin Avenue before the parade, and then our parade steps off at 11:00 a.m."
She says Friday night is "youth night" with free food and N/A beverages for those under 21-years of age.
