The city of Columbus will host its annual Pride Festival this weekend to celebrate LGBT culture, progress and activism.

The festival will take place Friday and Saturday. According to the Facebook pages of organizations such as GetEQUAL Ohio and Freedom to Marry – Ohio will collect signatures to get marriage equality on the ballot for voters in 2013. The group is accepting volunteers to fill two-hour time slots for signature collection.

In addition to setting a stage for political activism for the LGBT community, festivalgoers will also honor politicians who have been proponents for change both locally and nationally.

According to the festival’s official site, a Pride brunch will honor straight-identifying allies of the LGBT community, including Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and others who have “been instrumental in furthering (LGBT persons’) pursuit of equality.”

The main event of the weekend is the annual parade. Step-off is from the intersection of Board and High Street at noon Saturday, and the march will end in Goodale Park. More information about all of the weekend’s events can be found on the festival’s official site

Contact Justin Lagore at [email protected].