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Thousands turn out to celebrate Charlotte Pride Festival uptown

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thousand attended Charlotte's Pride Festival Saturday in uptown and the festivities will kick off once again Sunday afternoon.

This year is special because it's the first time the festival been held since the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.

People packed uptown for the pride parade to celebrate the LGBT community before then checking out local vendors and musicians.

The festival has expanded this year by a block and includes new booths and Channel 9 even saw churches staffing booths with volunteers.

“We want community to know we're accepting and God loves all,” said Valerie Langley with Saint Martin’s Episcopal.

"It was just a month and a half ago, LGBT issues were front and center all over the country and I think people have also come out to celebrate marriage equality," said the festival’s marketing chairman, Matt Comer.

Channel 9 learned there were 100,000 visitors last year, which brought in $7.75 million to the local economy.

The festival runs Sunday from noon until 6 p.m.