Thousands of people packed the streets and sidewalks of downtown Annapolis on Saturday to celebrate being “Anchored with Pride.”

A parade with dozens of groups — including a boisterous drumline, dancers, politicians searching for votes and many, many people waving rainbow flags — crawled up Main Street and West Street before ending with a festival at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts.

The grand marshal was fashion designer Christian Siriano, who grew up in the area and washed hair at an Annapolis salon before getting his big break as the youngest winner of “Project Runway.” He launched his own fashion brand and has dressed some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry.

For Annapolis Pride board chair Joe Toolan, landing Siriano was a coup.

“We’ve been wanting him to come for years and it’s never worked out,” Toolan said. “And so to have him here this year is really, really exciting because this year the theme is ‘Anchored with Pride.’ And if he doesn’t show people how to be themselves, then nobody does.”

While Siriano waved to fans along the parade route, the affair was kicked off by Gov. Wes Moore and a boisterous group of staffers and supporters. Annapolis Pride boasted that Moore is the first sitting governor to march in the parade, which passes just steps away from the governor’s mansion and the State House.

Moore, a Democrat, said he was thrilled to participate as a way of showing “how important all Marylanders are to the future of our state.”

“This is a community that is making remarkable contributions, and contributions that the state needs,” Moore said. “There’s no place I’d rather be than right here.”