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STORY: Pride Frisco Block Party was held at the Grace Avenue Methodist Church in Frisco, a city north of Dallas, and featured food trucks, live music, vendors and resources for the LGBTQ community.

On the sidewalk outside the event, about a dozen protesters carried signs reading “Stop Grooming Children”, prayed aloud, and shouted obscenities and insults at attendees, accusing them of "protecting pedophiles”.

The protest was organized by the anti-LGBTQ group Protect Texas Kids, which has demonstrated at several LGBTQ events in Texas. The group’s leader Kelly Neidert said the events aren’t suitable for children.

“They claim that there's not going to be a drag show inside, well, it's still a Pride event and they're celebrating their sexual preferences. So how can that be appropriate for kids?” Neidert said.

Inside the event, families played games like beanbag toss, took photos in a pumpkin patch and danced to music.

Jake Harris and his partner Martin Soliz came to the event from nearby Plano, Texas. Harris said he supports the protesters’ right to demonstrate, even if he doesn’t agree with them, as long as they did it respectfully.

Harris said. “I kind of expect that in Texas to see some protesters to a LGBTQ+ event. But yeah, it's a shame. I feel bad for them that this is how they want to spend their time.”

Mischa Jordan attended the event with her daughter, who identified as non-binary and pan-sexual, saying it was important for her daughter to see there are other people like her in the world. "Because when you're younger, like you're in a tiny fishbowl and it's really hard for you to realize that there are more people out there," Jordan said.

Pride Frisco co-founder Justin Culpepper told Reuters the turnout spoke to the community's support for the event, saying the first two parking lots at the church filled up in 20 minutes, prompting organizers to divert attendees to spillover parking areas.