'Just Love Everyone': 'Unbelievable' Turnout For Haddon Township's Second Pride Parade
HADDON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) -- June is Pride Month across the country. On Thursday night, Haddon Township kicked off its celebrations with its second Pride parade.
Haddon Township in Camden County threw a party Thursday night and it looks like everybody who heard about it -- and then some -- showed up.
Usually busy Haddon Avenue, full of mom and pop shops and great restaurants, transformed into a meeting hub for all who celebrate the LGBT community.
"Just unbelievable. Unbelievable for our town and just lets everybody know that Haddon Township is an inclusive community," Randy Teague said.
Jim Duffy, who owns Asters Floral Shop, stressed that this parade and celebration was for everyone.
"If you notice, it's a lot of families, it's children, it's everything. It's not just gay people, it's whole families," Duffy said.
Matt Zmijewski, his wife and their two boys are one of the families who came out for the fun.
"Support the cause. Also, he loves rainbows so we had to see the rainbow parade. Just love everyone, you know," he said.
And there were people who didn't attend last year's inaugural Pride parade who wanted to see what exactly Haddon Township could pull off.
"I was actually quite surprised as well because I know Philly goes all in, but with Jersey, I wasn't expecting it at all and it's so wonderful to see," Cesih Beverley-Garcia said.
It says a lot about this town, those around it and the people who live there.
"I think it says a lot. There's a lot of support for events like this and I think it's great for the community. And it's great to get everybody out here together and celebrating," Teague said.
This is only Haddon Township's second Pride parade. That's hard to fathom witnessing the size of the crowd, the parade participation and the overall feeling of inclusivity, excitement and love here on Haddon Avenue.