Denver’s PrideFest is right around the corner. This year is the big 50th anniversary of Denver’s first Pride parade, and the honorary Grand Marshal has just been announced. The Center on Colfax named Christopher Sloan (he/him), AKA the legendary Christi Layne (she/her) as Grand Marshal of the 2024 Coors Light Denver Pride Parade.
Back in 1974, Christopher secured the very first permit for Denver’s Pride Parade. What started as a quaint, queer gathering in Cheesman Park has blossomed into a huge celebration today made up of over half a million people. At the time, Sloan had to navigate the challenging and discriminatory environment of Denver. What was originally approved was a civil rights march with no connotations of it being about queer identity. After Sloan’s brave and pioneering efforts, it is only fitting to see them lead an event they helped start half a century ago.
Christi Layne holds a respected position in LGBTQ+ activism and entertainment. She became Empress VI of the Imperial Court of the Rocky Mountain Empire (ICRME). ICRME was founded in 1973, making it the oldest LGBTQ+ organization in Colorado. “Christi Layne played such an important role in the evolution of Denver’s gay pride movement,” says Rex Fuller, CEO of The Center on Colfax. “We are so grateful that 50 years after our first Pride event, Christi will lead our parade as our 2024 Grand Marshall.”
The Center on Colfax opened in 1976. Since then, it has grown to become the largest LGBTQ+ community center in the Rocky Mountains, providing the community with a voice, reducing discrimination, and striving to empower LGBTQ+ folks across Colorado. Sloan explained the humble beginnings of the Community Center and his part in it. Every month or so, there would be a party at Cheesman Park. These parties eventually became fundraisers to help friends in need, as well as the foundation for PrideFest and the Community Center.
“We started the Community Center with $35. A friend of mine raised the first $35. It was for a dream—to have someone sit behind a desk and tell us where we could find a doctor, find a lawyer, and get just the basic necessities,” Sloan explains.
Today, the Center on Colfax is a multimillion-dollar facility that provides programs and resources to ensure LGBTQ+ happiness and health. Both its growth and that of Denver PrideFest exemplify what it means to be queer—to come from a tightly knit community standing up for something pure, taking care of each other and spreading passion and understanding. It is beautiful to see the support and strength that has gathered over each of the years since 1974.
Denver’s PrideFest’s mission is to provide a fun, safe, empowering space to celebrate members of Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community and their allies. Generating millions of dollars to support Denver and its LGBTQ+ organizations, it has come a long way. This year’s PrideFest is packed to the brim with exhibitors, vendors, and performers such as Alyssa Edwards, Shea Couleé, Pattie Gonia, Mirage, and more. The formation and expansion of Denver’s PrideFest has been a beautiful process of resilience and dedication. It owes its growth to pioneers like Christi Layne, whose support and commitment to community has given LGBTQ+ folks a celebration they deserve.
