This event continued to grow until they ended in the early 1990’s. In 1983, attendance doubled to nearly 1,000 people. Over 500 people attended this event, making it the largest LGBTQ event during the early 1980’s.
In 1982, The Greater Indianapolis Gay Business Association (GIGBA) hosted another LGBTQ community event, a Labor Day Picnic in Westlake Park. These events were held at the Essex, the Atkinson (where the Hyatt is today), the Hilton on The Circle (now the downtown Sheraton Hotel), and where “Pride” was held in 1987, Riley’s Pub, 650 N. Through the mid-1980’s, Justice, Inc., a local social services organization, was one of the early organizers holding a variety of indoor banquets, brunches and events featuring speakers. 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. There were no safe gay bars or places for the LGBTQ community in Indianapolis. The history of LGBTQ Pride in Indianapolis did not begin with visibility from the public eye.
