Halifax Pride parade brings out the love in downtown Halifax

Tens of thousands of people were in downtown Halifax Saturday afternoon to watch the 30th annual Halifax Pride parade.

A colourfully-dressed crowd of onlookers, which included many children, cheered participants as they made their way along the parade route.

The event began at around 1 p.m. and went along Barrington Street, Spring Garden Road, South Park Street and finished at the Garrison Grounds.

CBC News also streamed the event through our Facebook page.

Last year's Pride parade attracted an estimated 100,000 people.

Organizers anticipated this year's parade would have strong numbers because of the sunny forecast and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau taking part. It was the first time a sitting Canadian prime minister has participated in the event.

'Happy Pride!'

The prime minister waved and yelled "Happy Pride!" to thousands of people along the parade route, pausing to raise his fist in the air during a moment of silence held in honour of the victims of an Orlando nightclub shooting last year.

Trudeau became Canada's first sitting prime minister to march in a Pride parade last year in Toronto. He attended the same event last month.

Trudeau told reporters on Friday that he thinks politicians should be "expected" to participate in Pride parades as a show of support for Canada's LGBTQ community.

A number of other officials from various levels of government also took part in the day's festivities, including Halifax Mayor Mike Savage and Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison.