100 Photos of a Resilient, Weather-Proof Indy Pride

Saturday saw one of the largest gatherings of LGBTQ people in Indiana and one of the largest in the Midwest.

The history of LGBTQ Pride in Indianapolis did not begin with visibility from the public eye. There were no safe gay bars or places for the LGBTQ community in Indianapolis. In 1981, the first Pride event was a dinner at the now-gone Essex House Hotel, where many of the attendees wore masks upon entering the hotel so as not to be seen.

In the years since Pride first "came out of the closet," the exposure has created a massive change in the society of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. The battle is not won until everyone is equal, but the Circle City IN Pride festival and the Cadillac Barbie Pride Parade are Indiana's symbol of a growing acceptance in our cultures.

So even though the events were interrupted by rain and organizers had to evacuate an estimated 30,000 people from Military Park, no one could stop the revelry -- it was like a Pride tornado, according to TheIndyChannel.com. Attendees returned in force after the evacuation order was lifted.

(RELATED: 95 Photos of Pride In Mike Pence's Backyard)

Photography: Fine arts photographer Andrew Printer continues to shoot great event photos for Advocate.com. He can be found on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.