About 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 11th Street in the Strip District, hundreds of people gathered, waving Pride flags and wearing Pride apparel, preparing for a parade celebrating the 50th year of Pride Pittsburgh. Conversely, a half-century ago, about 50 people marched from Market Square, Downtown, to Schenley Park in Oakland the first time Pride was observed in Pittsburgh. By the time they got to the park, the crowd had grown to about 100, according to news reports at the time.

When Saturday’s parade started at noon, thousands of people — including U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and state Rep. Sara Innamorato, the Democratic nominee for Allegheny County executive — were among those in attendance,

They walked from Liberty Avenue and 11th Street, before turning onto Seventh Street and heading over the Andy Warhol Bridge and headed through Allegheny Center on the North Side before ending at the festival located in Allegheny Commons Park West. Once there, they were greeted by thousands more, who were enjoying food, live music, and buying various household goods and other items for sale throughout the park.

Along the route, music blared and thousands more lined the sidewalks, cheering for those marching. Two of the marchers were Adam and Erica Goldstein, 22-year-old twins who spoke of the historical significance of Pittsburgh’s 50 years of recognizing Pride.