CARBONDALE Ill. — Carbondale's downtown Strip will be filled with rainbow flags, music, and celebration this Saturday as the Southern Illinois Pride Collective hosts its annual pride event with an all new name and location.

Pride on the Strip is kicking off Saturday morning at 10 a.m. continuing to the night with a lineup of ageless activities such as performances and protests. In a shift from previous years, the event has now moved from Washington Street o South Illinois Avenue, locally known as the Strip. This change is practical as well as symbolic in order to bring the celebration to the heart of the city.

Events begin at 10 a.m. with the Walk of Pride, starting at the Gaia House on the corner of Grand and South Illinois Avenue. Participants are encouraged to wear their brightest pride gear as they walk along the Strip. A ceremonial blessing from the SOIL Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will precede the initial event, and those who prefer not to walk are invited to decorate their vehicles and drive the loop along Illinois Avenue.

Celebrations will shift at 11 a.m., Booby's Sub Sandwich Restaurant will host its first ever drag brunch, featuring local and regional drag talent in the beer garden. The show is free to attend, however donations are accepted. DJ Nan will follow with a dance set from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Following initial celebrations, the event will lead into the No Kings Day Protests, which focus more on community activism. The protests, organized by Indivisible Shawnee, will be at the Carbondale Civic Center and will begin with remarks from Nancy Maxwell and continue with music and sidewalk demonstrations.

While there are many more fun plans on the agenda, the all-ages portion of the event will officially end at 8 p.m., but with celebrations continuing for adult audiences past 10:30 p.m. The weekend will close with Raise Your Voice, an annual Pride worship service hosted at First Christian Church on Sunday, June 15 at 10:30 a.m.

Organizers say the day-long event highlights the joy, resilience, and diversity of the queer communities in Southern Illinois, and the importance of caring for each other as a community.

More information about Pride on the Strip can be found on the Southern Illinois Pride Collective's Facebook page .