Photos from the 2019 Boston Pride Parade and Festival

This year's theme, "Looking Backward, Loving Forward," honored the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

By Simone Migliori· 6/8/2019, 6:14 p.m.

Photo by Simone Migliori

The 49th annual Boston Pride Parade was the largest in history, with hundreds of thousands turning out in rainbow attire to show their solidarity with the LGBTQ community.

This year’s theme, “Looking Backward, Loving Forward,” commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City, where the modern-day struggle for LGBTQ rights began. While the parade looked backward to remember those who fought for equality, it also took a positive look forward into the future of the LGBTQ community in Boston.

And with 431 marching groups, 54 floats and thousands of spectators turning out this year to celebrate, the future of Boston Pride is looking bright.

Along the two mile parade route, members of the Blue Man Group shot streamer cannons into the crowd, Ava Glasscott, former Massachusetts competitor in the Miss Trans USA pageant, waved serenely from the back of a red convertible, and people of all ages smeared on body glitter and pasted rainbow heart stickers to their clothes.

On City Hall Plaza, marchers converged with the festival crowd, gathering by the stage to watch headliners Todrick Hall, Robin S., and Beth Sacks perform throughout the afternoon. Vendors dished up hot fries and burritos while drag queens shuffled guests on and off stage to the roar of the joyful crowd.

Check out photos from the 49th Boston Pride Parade and Festival below.