More than 15,000 people attended the 2006 Nashville PrideFest, making it the largest GLBT event ever in Nashville’s history.

Nashville Pride, Inc. (NPI) organizers and Metro Parks officials estimated 15,000 persons attended the one-day event. In addition, more than 160 businesses and organizations and 150 volunteers supported Pride Week and PrideFest..

The yearly pride event keeps growing. The 2005 festival drew an estimated crowd of 13,000. The 2004 festival had a crowd of more than 10,000.

“This was such an incredible year,” said Todd Grantham, NPI president. “The weather was beautiful, we had fantastic entertainment, and more attendees than ever before. I have to give credit to all our volunteers, including our board, and to all of this year’s sponsors. Their hard work and financial support made Pride 2006 – including Pride Week, the Pride Parade, and the PrideFest – possible.”

“I just can’t say enough about how happy I am with this year’s celebration,” said Jeanna Emert, NPI vice president. “Each year I’m reminded about how incredibly proud I am to be surrounded by such a diverse, vibrant community with so many supportive individuals and organizations.

The Pride Festival was sponsored by Tribe, Play, “Out & About Newspaper,” “Inside Out Nashville,” “Church Street Freedom Press,” “Nashville Scene,” Packers & Poodles, Bridgestone, Drescher & Sharp, Outloud!, ID Lube, Budweiser, CMT, Log Cabin Republicans, Your GLBT Yellow Pages, SunTrust, In The Life, and Night Technologies.

“We would also like to thank this year’s main-stage entertainers,” Grantham said. “They include T. Graham Brown, Steff Mahan, Ronda and Jonda, 3 AM, Eric Dennis Band, and Nashville In Harmony. Nashville Pride encourages everyone to support these organizations and individuals who support hope, justice, and equality for all.”

If you are interested in getting involved with planning for Pride 2007, visit www.nashvillepride.org and attend an upcoming meeting. Nashville Pride is a volunteer organization that meets every other week.