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Organizers of Utah's annual Pride Festival raised a rainbow flag over Salt Lake City Hall on Wednesday to kick off the 2017 event as Mayor Jackie Biskupski declared May 31-June 4 to be Pride in Salt Lake City Week. First held in 1974 by a small group of LGBT activists, the annual Pride Festival now draws 50,000 people to the city over the three days. This year's festival, themed "Pride Elevated," begins Thursday with an interfaith service at downtown's First United Methodist Church and the first-ever Youth Pride Dance for those age 14 to 20 on the festival grounds at Washington Square and Library Plaza. Activities continue throughout the weekend.