The 2019 SLC Pride Festival shaped up to be a citywide party filled with love, acceptance and unity like no other. To send the festival out with a bang, the annual pride parade brought out thousands of patrons from all walks of life to join together and show what Utah is made of. For our part in the parade, SLUG Magazine teamed up with SLC SLAY to celebrate ball culture in the beehive state. From groundbreaking dance routines, to resistance chants, to a makeshift runway on the streets of downtown, SLUG did not hold back from giving this year’s parade everything we got. As we danced, walked, dove and biked throughout the streets we chanted our rallying cry of “Exist, Ignite, Resist, Unite, Persist the Fight!” Donned in pink from neck to waist, our crew rocked a brilliantly designed t-shirt of a bearded queen designed by local artist Heather Mahler.
Everyone from babies to dogs and unicorns to queens joined us to showcase Utah’s longest running underground culture media. SLUG has always been a pinnacle of representation in a state that has been historically lacking in showcasing the beautiful sub-culture that exists in every faucet of our life. To be a part of the parade and to witness the evolution of our city as we move towards a move inclusive future has been a long awaited dream for many in our state. While the festival may have come to an end, our passion for continuing to provide a platform for Salt Lake’s UnderGround to be represented is only just begun.
SLC Slay collaborated with SLUG at this year’s PRIDE fest to provide parade viewers with a fierce dance show.
The weather cleared up just in time for PRIDE this year giving parade walkers all the sunlight to bask in.
The category is Vogue!
Strike a pose for the camera.
Our fearless leader Angela Brown was thrilled to see the massive turnout to this years Pride festival.
When face with a traffic block, create a runway.
SLUG Editor Angela Brown takes to the runway to show off her badassery.
SLC SLAY put on one of the top BALL performances PRIDE has ever seen.
Right in the heart of downtown SLC SLUG puts on one hell of a show.
The SLUG crew was looking fresh in pink.
The SLUG crew was looking fresh in pink.
Parade patrons get dished up a fresh batch of SLUG Magazines.
Getting towed along by the SLUG Mag truck throughout the parade was not a bad way to celebrate.
Getting towed along by the SLUG Mag truck throughout the parade was not a bad way to celebrate.
“Exist, Ignite, Resist, Unite, Persist the Fight!”
Patrons at BAR X chanted along with the SLUG mag crew as we continued our walk through downtown
Framed in the brightly lit downtown SLC, the SLUG crew represented the magazine with smiles from ear to ear.
Even unicorns came out to walk alongside the SLUG crew!
The energy emitting from the crowd unleashed everyone’s inner dancer.
SLC SLAY taught us a thing or two about proper poses.
(L-R) SLUG Communications Coordinator Zaina Abujebarah and executive editor Angela Brown strike a pose at the end of our long journey.
Rumi is prepped and ready for his walk through Pride!
Heather Mahler was the artistic hand who designed this years Pride shirt.
The youngest SLUG walkers were thrilled to be out and about on the streets of SLC.
SLY SLAY rocked their bodies throughout the whole parade.
The many faces of SLUG Magazines killer crew!
SLUG editor Angela Brown distributes a copy of the magazine to a fellow parade goer.
Families came out to show their SLUG love and walk with us throughout
Just in case we got too hot and fierce we brought the extinguishers to put out that fire.
Before we take to the streets, SLUG executive editor Angela Brown gives us a rallying speech!
To define our walk in this year’s PRIDE parade SLUG had developed a chant to echo off the buildings of downtown SLC “Exist, Ignite, Resist, Unite, Persist the Fight!”
SLUG crew shows off the rallying chant that has adorned our signs.
Before festivities even began things were already starting to heat up.
Parade patrons were excited to get their hands on one of our print magazines as we passed them out throughout the parade.
Aj and his dog Harpua were decked to the nines for this year’s Pride parade.
(L-R) Christopher Larson, Eric Taylor and Cory Thorell were eager to start their walk with SLUG in this years parade.
Rumi Behzad tries on a SLUG shirt before the march
Leroy T’eo rocks that glitter hair like its nobody’s business.
SLUG Events Coordinator John Platt helped guide us throughout downtown SLC in this year’s Pride parade.
SLC SLAY added a burst of color to our truck.
After eagerly awaiting our turn, we finally hit the streets in full force.
As the parade began the wind picked up giving life to the streamer sails coming off the SLUG truck.
Without a doubt SLUG and SLC SLAY brought out the big guns to this years parade.
With such an eye catching display who could possibly turn away?
Starting off at 200 west SLUG began the long march towards the heart of downtown SLC.
Our parade chant decorated every board for all to see and hear.
A the beat began to kick into gear, so did the dance moves from SLC SLAY.
SLC SLAY brought down the house err umm road with their fire moves.
Robert Rogers was our courageous driver who led us throughout the parade.
SLUG writer Tim Kronenberg passes out one of our latest issues to a SLUG fan.
We hyped that crowd up something fierce as we paraded our way through downtown SLC.