Sacramento's Rainbow Festival returns amid heightened security

SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) -- The Rainbow Festival returned to Sacramento's Lavender Heights neighborhood for its 38th year, drawing large crowds to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community amid heightened security and recent attacks. Security was a key focus at the festival, with multiple security gates surrounding the event and additional personnel on standby. Terry Sidie, the owner of Faces Nightclub and creator of the Rainbow Festival, said, "I have to have a security guard for every 100 people, plus 8 police officers today. About 30 more security. It's sad we have to have so much, but we do." Sidie expressed his vision for the neighborhood, saying, "I need more people, more gay businesses in Lavender Heights. I want it to be notoriously gay and we accept everybody." The festival comes just a week after a Sacramento man reported being targeted and attacked alongside his friend for being members of the LGBTQ+ community. Multiple victims described a group of four men shouting homophobic slurs before attacking them. "My face hit the ground and they were still trying to get at me," one victim said. Sacramento police have not yet made any arrests in connection with the incident. Steven Murphie, a Sacramento resident, shared his concerns about safety at the festival. "I've gotten to the point where I'm carrying a taser and pepper spray. A friend of mine said, is that where we're at right now? Unfortunately, we have to protect ourselves," he said. Murphie also expressed his hope for a safer environment. "I don't want to feel like I need to come to this community armed, because people who don't respect us want to attack us," he said. As the festivities continued under the Sacramento sun, attendees enjoyed performances, fundraisers, and celebrations. The event is scheduled to run until 11 p.m. Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.