LGBT Atlanta toasts Pride grand marshals at Midtown reception [PHOTOS]

The Atlanta Pride Committee announced the 2016 grand marshals earlier this month, and on Tuesday evening the community came together to celebrate them.

“Some people ask ‘Why do you have 12 grand marshals? Why can’t you just get one or two?’ And I say no,” said Jamie Fergerson, Atlanta Pride’s executive director, at the event at Community Smith in Midtown. “Our community is too big and too amazing and too diverse to be able to represent everything that’s important to us with one or two people. So this is one of my favorite events of the year where we get to really just have fun and celebrate each other and talk about the people who are doing the everyday hard work of working for liberation and equality and justice in our community.”

The 46th Annual Atlanta Pride Festival takes place October 8-9 this year. Check out our photo gallery from the event below: