Buzz up! S.F. revels in annual outpouring of gay pride

(06-29) 21:38 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- There's nothing like celebrating marriage with hundreds of thousands of your closest friends.Less than two weeks after same-sex marriage became legal in California, drag queens, kids, politicians, shirtless men, married couples, straight couples and tourists flocked to San Francisco for the city's 38th annual San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration, which culminated Sunday with a huge parade.Marriage was in the air as scores of people lined Market Street for the annual event, where veils and wedding garb were the fashion choice of many parade participants and spectators. Of course, scantily clad boys and girls - and boys dressed as girls - were also on hand during a celebration that seemed to attract more people, and families, than in years past, although official crowd count numbers were not immediately available.Many of the speakers and parade participants took the opportunity to campaign against a measure on the November ballot that would overturn the recent court ruling and ban same-sex marriage in the state.Whoops and cheers began even before the parade, with some members of the giddy crowd scrambling on top of anything they could for a view of the more than 200 floats and other parade contingents. After a cool morning, the sun peeked out by noon, giving way to a warm afternoon.Later, revelers filled Civic Center, where the party continued with live music and speakers, drinking and eating. The all-ages, multicolored crowd seemed to represent the Bay Area's diversity, with high school students bumping shoulders with young parents, elderly gay, lesbian and straight couples and transgender people. Police said the event was largely peaceful, with just three arrests for public intoxication by 5:30 p.m.Ann and Jay Summers of Springfield, Mo., said they were overjoyed to attend their first Gay Pride Parade."The diversity and number of people who support justice and equality and freedom for all people is one thing we enjoyed," said Ann Summers, whose brother died of AIDS. "One of his last wishes was to come to the parade before he died. He came once, and now we're here all these years later." SOURCE:SFGATE.COM