PORTLAND, Maine — Final preparations are underway for Maine's largest Pride month event.
Celebrations kick off Saturday with a festival at 1 p.m. and a parade a half-hour later.
"This really gives people in our community a space to be who they are and to feel accepted," Bri Lane, chair of Pride Portland, said. "I think it's a really wonderful thing when Portland is a community that can really encompass everybody."
It's an event Lane and thousands of others look forward to each year. But the mass shootings in Lewiston back in October and recent threats made to local drag queens are raising safety concerns at a time of continued anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.
"The Portland Police Department will be out in full force," Maj. Jason King said. "We always treat these events very seriously. We've ramped up our security on this event, especially in the last few years."
King told NEWS CENTER Maine the department has been planning for months.
“There will be officers with cruisers doing intersection control at major intersections," he added. "There’s also volunteers that staff some of the minor intersections along the parade route. [Spectators] will also see some dump trucks up to help provide a safe venue for different spots.”
The Portland Police Department is working closely with Pride Portland to ensure everyone's safety, according to Lane.
Click here to learn more about Pride Portland.