For 20 years, Paige Hart has been living with a secret that she did not feel comfortable sharing with her family, friends or the world. 

She said she was never able to be herself and hiding caused immense pain every day.

But that all changed on Saturday as the Texas native put on a yellow sundress with white flowers and came out to the world as a trans-person, she said.

“The ability to be myself for the first time in my life and not hide myself has just lifted a huge burden off of my shoulders,” Hart said while sitting on the grass at Civic Center park. “I can love myself and I can be loved by the people around me.”

Hart was one of tens of thousands of people to attend Denver’s PrideFest at the park on Saturday. The festival made its full in-person return this weekend for the first time since 2019, said Rex Fueller, the CEO of Center on Colfax.

Due to the pandemic, the festival was fully remote in 2020 and implemented a hybrid model last year, Fueller said. 

Fueller and many festival goers said it was great to be back in-person. 

“It’s very exciting,” Fueller said. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm just because people haven’t be able to be a part of it for so long and people just want to be together.”

The festival kicked off with a 5K in which over 2,400 runners participated — the largest on record.

Organizers say they expect more than half a million people over the two days of the festival. Fueller said that number could be lower this year due to the possibility of rain and cool temperatures. 

While the festival is designed celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its history, some believed this year’s celebration was more important than ever due to the anti-LGTBQ+ legislation being passed in some states.

Molly Speck of Denver said Denver PrideFest was essential after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday because she believes eventually the LGBTQ+ community will become a target.

“It seems like we’re going further and further backwards and I believe Roe v. Wade being overturned is just the beginning,” Speck said. “While we are celebrating today, we are also showing the world that we won’t go away.”

Pasha Ripley, a co-founder of Parasol Patrol, a non-profit organization that protects children from protesters at events such as Drag Queen Story Hour, shared that sentiment Speck and said pride events give people a safe space and a place where they will be accepted. 

“These events show long people that there are events that are safe to talk to and that they can be who they are without judgement,” Ripley said. “It’s wonderful to be able to come out and celebrate after this long time.”

While 31 people were arrested earlier this month in Idaho and accused of planning to riot at a Pride festival, many of the people who spoke to The Denver Gazette said they were not afraid to come to the celebration on Saturday.

Denver PrideFest will continue Sunday with the Coors Light Denver PrideFest Parade that begins on 9:30 a.m. and will have performers, floats and community attendees.  

There will also be a Pride Rally held between 12:30 and 1 p.m. at the steps of the state Capitol. 

Hart said she plans to attend both events and will do so as herself and is excited to do so.

“We need a place where we can all be together and spread the word and fight for ourselves,” she said. “This gives us that outlet and for the first time I feel free.”