EqualityFest

Hundreds of adults and children celebrated a day of acceptance at EqualityFest Feb. 9 at Intuition Ale Works in Riverside.

One goal of the family-friendly festival was to highlight folks' awareness of efforts being made to pass an expanded Human Rights Ordinance providing protection to the LGBT community. In August, the Jacksonville City Council voted 10-9 against a bill to add discrimination protections for gays and lesbians.

The city’s Director of Downtown Engagement Tony Allegretti and NPR “State of the Re-Union” host, poet and playwright Al Letson, a Northeast Florida resident, were the featured speakers. The bands Mama Blue, Tropic of Cancer, Shawn Lightfoot, Tough Junkie, Ritual Union and Real Job played. Proceeds benefited LGBT nonprofit youth services agency JASMYN.