NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Rainbows weren't just in the sky on Saturday, but all over the streets of North Little Rock as hundreds of people gathered in Argenta for the 10th Central Arkansas Pride Festival.
"It just feels good to be free. It feels good to live in a time where we can do this," said festival-goer Jackie Mason.
She said that this was her first time attending Pride, and added that she wanted to celebrate the person she truly is.
She was decked out in all of her favorite rainbow gear for the occasion.
"[I] always wanted to go. I grew up in a really sheltered Christian household," Mason explained.
On the other hand, Matthew Law is no stranger to the festival.
He grew up in a small town and has been attending the event since 2018— now, he said that he just wants to be an ally for someone else.
"There are some people who are just not comfortable with it, so if I can be that involvement, or that person for one person, that's more than enough for me," Law said.
For the past two years, the in-person festival was postponed and transitioned to a virtual event due to the pandemic.
Organizers and attendees said that they were simply happy to be back in what they consider to be a safe space.
"There's a whole community that's out here [and] fighting for equality out here and we're here and ready to accept you and embrace you for who you are," said Zach Baker, executive director of Central Arkansas Pride
He said that he takes part in planning every year because he remembers not being able to attend festivals like this when he was younger.
"To have a place where you can go and you can be yourself or have role models that you can look up to is really important for our community," Baker said.
In addition, Baker said that the nearly 60 vendors at the festival have played an important role in strengthening the community.
"The other great thing about the festival is the opportunity to connect with local organizations, businesses, [and] local colleges," Baker added.
He hoped that the biggest takeaway from the festival will be for people to realize that they aren't alone on their journey.
"We hear from people that say, you know, this is the first time they felt they can come and be themselves," Baker said.
Like Jackie, who said that Saturday's festival has become more important to her now than ever.
"Nobody should be hated for anything and we should be able to love who we want and be who you want [and] look how we want and dress how we want," Mason said.