The Auckland Pride Parade 2017 is kicking off along Ponsonby Road on Saturday night, as crowds arrive for the loud and colourful carnival.
The parade commenced at the north end of Ponsonby Road about 7:30pm before progressing south along Ponsonby Road, and ending just past Western Park.
The parade is the highlight of the Auckland Pride Festival which has been running for two weeks.
Over 50 floats were expected to join in the parade, and organisers expected 3500 individual participants to take part.
A contingent of off-duty police participating in the parade will be in uniform and supported by friends and family marching with them.
Assistant Commissioner Allan Boreham says the parade provides an opportunity for police employees to support the communities they serve and march, regardless of their gender identity or orientation.
Organisers say the parade will celebrate achievements Rainbow communities have notched up.
However, it will also look at the challenges they still face - as homophobia continues to be a problem, health equity is an issue and HIV/AIDS has still not been beaten.
Organisers say women don't have pay equity and gender identity isn't included in the Human Rights Act, and reassignment surgeries are woefully underfunded.
Newshub.
