Portland Pride about 'living our lives with joy' amid 'amped up security'

People running the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade have been setting up since Wednesday in preparation of 250 vendors and exhibitors who will be part of the celebrations.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Amid what federal law enforcement is calling "A heightened threat environment during the 2024 Pride Month" nationwide, Portland organizers are making sure safety is a top priority one day ahead of the Rose City's festival celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.

People running the Portland Pride Waterfront Festival and Parade have been setting up since Wednesday in preparation of 250 vendors and exhibitors who will be part of the celebrations.

Debra Porta, the executive director of Pride Northwest, said she and her team were just completing the "final touches, tenting and all the stuff" on Friday.

"It's time for Pride!" Porta said. "We just get excited because it's a joyful place."

"This is our first Pride here in the Rose City and we're so excited to be here," said Brian Aranda, the business development manager of Badlands, a downtown Portland nightclub that has been booming in the days leading up to the festival.

The festive spirit isn't the only thing on people's minds. The FBI has warned Pride events across the nation have a heightened threat level this year.

"The FBI closely monitors potential threats to public safety," an FBI spokesperson said. "As we continue to communicate and share information with our partners, we also urge the public to practice good situational awareness and to call law enforcement if suspicious activities arise."

This year, as in festivals past, safety is a number one priority, Porta said.

"We have ongoing communications, strong relationship with the local law enforcement, we have private security, other measures that are in place."

The Badlands has also seen a security overhaul ahead of the festival.

"We amped up security, we have a full camera system, that's constantly capturing people that are coming in and out," Aranda said. "But so far we've had nothing but great experiences. The community here is very peaceful and we'd like to keep it that way."

For Porta, Pride is all about feeling safe to be yourself.

"We know that the world is hard, we know that all these things happen," Porta said. "But that's the biggest revolutionary part about being Queer, is still living our lives with joy and going about our business."

In terms of the forecasted hot weather this weekend, Pride organizers said they'll be offering plenty of misters and water to festival-goers. And there's always a cold beverage to be found at the Badlands.