COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hundreds gathered to celebrate love, inclusivity and pride at the annual Westerville Pride celebration Saturday evening.

From rainbow-themed crafts to local artists, Westerville was filled with color and community.

“As a young person in our city, it is so cool to have something honestly higher than just community, supporting us,” said attendee Sophia Visalli.

Headed by the nonprofit Westerville Queer Collective, the annual Pride festival hosted over 30 vendors, businesses and food trucks at the corner of North State and East Home streets.

The organization began in the spring of 2021 after local leaders discussed how to take actions that fully included and celebrated the LGBTQ+ community.

The following summer, Westerville agreed to fly the Pride flag for the first time

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