Photos: Thousands Enjoy First Cedar Valley Pridefest

Downtown Waterloo was covered in rainbow flags Saturday for the first ever Cedar Valley Pridefest.

Some who came to celebrate were dressed extravagantly, such as Josh and Justin Collins, of Des Moines, who came in green body paint, fairy wings and little else. But most of the crowd came in their normal jeans and t-shirts. Rainbow facepaint and stickers were added embellishments in honor of the occasion.

The rainbow flag is the symbol of pride for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Pridefest was organized to celebrate the diversity of that community within the Cedar Valley.

Organizers say they hope to make it an annual event, and that 2000 people attended. With live music and performances, food and information booths from area organizations, the event was much like any other summer festival.

One noticable event: a "drag race," in which runners donned high heels, dresses and wigs before running in a circle on the 300 block of Waterloo's West Fourth Street.

Zach Wahls, who gained fame after a video of him speaking passionately to the Iowa House in defense of his two lesbian mothers went viral on Youtube, was a featured speaker.

“A person’s worth is not dictated by the gender of the person they love,” he told the crowd.