By Cyd King

Eureka Springs Times-Echo

The respect was palatable – and audible – as a contingent from Eureka Springs rounded the corner onto Dickson Street during the NWA Pride Parade on Saturday, June 29, in Fayetteville.

In a field of more than 100 individual groups marching or riding a float in the parade, “Pride of Eureka Springs” remained a crowd favorite among attendees.

Zeek Taylor and Dick Titus have been organizing and leading the group since its first foray in 2015. The pair has been at the front of the pride movement since they became the first gay couple to legally marry in Arkansas a decade ago. They were featured recently in an extended Pride special that aired during Pride Month (June) on ABC.

“It is important for Eureka Springs to be represented in the parade, the largest in the state,” Zaylor said. “We are a shining example of how a town should be — accepting and loving. And from the reaction of the crowd, Eureka Springs is very loved.”

NWA Pride weekend drew an estimated 40,000 people this year, said director Richard Gathright. The parade crowd included an array of corporate sponsors such as Walmart, Tyson Foods and the Tyson Family Foundation, as well as clubs and church groups.