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Polk Pride celebrates Pride in the Park in Lakeland

Pride festivities went forward with enthusiasm in Lakeland despite Polk County Commission declining to declare June as Pride Month.

LAKELAND, Fla. — Pride celebrations continue into Saturday evening in Polk County with "Pride After Dark."

The county's biggest pride celebration of the year wrapped up Saturday afternoon. Event organizers estimated thousands of people would participate in Pride at the Park in Munn Park in Lakeland.

The event featured live music, various booths and food trucks.

Polk Pride President Scott Guira said, "What makes [Pride in the Park] special is that everyone comes together from every walk of life to celebrate. We’re here to celebrate one another, celebrate one another’s differences and come together as a community." 

For some, Pride in the Park means visibility. For others, it means acceptance.

"It’s great to be around people who see you and welcome you and invite you and say you’re a part of this community and we’re happy everyone is here," said Guira. 

This year’s Polk Pride events are not without controversy. The Polk County Commission declined to declare June as Pride Month for the first time in years, with some comments made throughout the decision process drawing criticism. 

"The truth of the matter is this issue gets more divisive by the day," said County Commissioner Neil Combee. "I want to be on the record, as I said, for my grandkids, saying I can’t go along with men saying they are pregnant." 

"I think their comments were based in ignorance," said Guira, when asked to respond to the commission's comments. "They didn’t really seek to understand the people they were talking about."

Guira said through the month of events that Polk Pride has organized, they're "responding to ignorance" with pride. 

"We're responding with pride. It’s exciting when you look around the park and you see that, whether they want to say it or not, we are here and we are loud," said Guira.

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