Miss. group holds city's 1st gay pride festival

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Hattiesburg Unified Southern Fried Pride — a weekend of events including music, a march and a tea dance — marks the city's first gay pride festival.

City police did not have crowd estimates when The Associated Press asked Sunday.

The Hattiesburg American reports (http://hatne.ws/1LprvMb ) that events kicked off Friday with discussion forums and a wine and cheese tasting at which sexual health information was offered.

Saturday, there were speakers, musical performances and a peaceful march downtown. Sunday's events included a service and a chicken-and-waffle brunch at Joshua Generation Metropolitan Community Church, and an afternoon and early evening tea dance at Brewsky's.

WDAM-TV (http://bit.ly/1MpLfQu ) reports that the Rev. Ray Peacock led some counter-demonstrators on Saturday.

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The Gayly - 10/11/2015 @ 4:40 p.m. CST