Thanks to windy marine conditions on Saturday I was able to take the Maine Green Independent Party‘s leadership up on their invitation to march with them in the Southern Maine Pride Parade.
The experience was not what I expected it to be. Almost immediately I felt the need to document the awesomeness that I was seeing with my camera phone.
There were fabulous outfits and costumes everywhere I looked. There were little kids having an absolute blast. There were church groups with rainbow banners. There were activists and politicians. There were bikers everywhere.
Even the residents from Piper Shores retirement community were there to promote openness.
The Viking-looking dude featured above was the first pic I took, I basically sprinted across Monument Square yelling “awesome!” as soon as I saw him.
Here are the rest in chronological order:
Me- “Sir, would you like to remove your hat so your face is clear in the picture?”
Dude- “Nope.”
Me- “Yea, if I were you I wouldn’t want to show my face either.”
The guys from Wild Burritos and Burgers stole the show during the parade.
This dude really loved the camera.
Legendary civil rights leader Gerald Talbot poses for a picture with his daughter, Rachel Talbot Ross, who is currently the president of the Portland NAACP.
Independent candidate for governor Eliot Cutler with his wife Melanie Stewart Cutler.
Bikers rev there engines at the start of the Pride Parade on Congress Street in Portland.
900 foot flag.
This is my personal favorite of all the pics, kid gave me a fist bump and yelled “priiiiiide!”.
Anita Talbot, wife of Gerald Talbot and mother of Rachel Talbot Ross.
Maine Green Independent Party member Maxwell Mendez shows his political preference.
Green Party candidate for State Senate Asher Platts gives former Green Party State Legislator John Eder a lift. Eder was toughing it out after being hit by a car on his bicycle the day prior. #ToughGreen
Not only does he have sweet socks, but he also makes one of the best chai lattes in Portland at Yord Prom Coffee Co.
Former Democratic State Senator and current executive director of Portland’s LearningWorks Ethan Strimling fund raises for Equality Maine.
This is a real cruise that I got invited to.
Every kid loves a bouncy house.
I was pumped to catch up with Shenna Bellows after she gave her speech at the Deering Oaks park.