As PRIDE week wraps up, the events keep getting bigger and bigger

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Austin PRIDE Festival is the largest LGBTQ event in Central Texas. It's a rainbow of colors, representing unity.

"It's nice to just be around people with similar values as yourself. Love is love, that's all there is to it," says Jessie Saemrow, festival goer.

The 25th annual Austin PRIDE Festival took place at Fiesta Gardens. The Austin Gay and Lesbian Pride Foundation says that nearly 125,000 people came out last year. They believe this year topped that, and with each year comes change.

"Twenty-five years ago in 1990, in Austin, it was still a liberal city for all intents and purposes. But the attitudes and the outlook or the view on the LGBTQ community has changed drastically, even in just the last couple of years," says Paul Huddleston, Austin Gay & Lesbian Pride Foundation.
   
This Summer the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality. Many non-profit organizations use this festival as a platform to inform the public about these type of changes. Now that our country is becoming more accepting, it's motivating others to be themselves. Drew Carson came out as transgender to family and friends this past week.

"Life gets better because people are all around you, that understand you and want to help you. I know I can always turn to my best friend, or my other friends, or just some random people here at PRIDE. It's just very exciting to know that we live in a time where everyone can be accepted and everyone can be loved," says Drew Carson, festival goer.

She was nervous to tell her best friend and roommate Andrew Bannon. He supports her 100 percent. 

"Leading up to it, I never really thought about it or really knew. She came out and told me and to me, it doesn't change anything," says Andrew Bannon, supporter.    
   
It's events like this that help the LGBTQ community grow stronger.