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By Thomas Moriarty Mail Tribune October 11. 2014 5:25PM Southern Oregon Pride parade celebrates gay marriage ruling Andijane Silvey, of Ashland, "comes out of the closet" during the Southern Oregon Gay Pride Parade in Ashland on Saturday. Mail Tribune / Jamie Lusch ASHLAND — Bearing a sign and a smile like many of the hundreds of other marchers in Saturday's Southern Oregon Pride Parade, 70-year-old Ashland resident Don Buckingham said his third year marching in the parade was a little more special than past events. Like many of his fellow marchers, Buckingham is a newlywed. Following U.S. District Court Judge Michael McShane's May ruling striking down the state's gay marriage ban, hundreds of same-sex couples across the state had rushed to their local courthouses to obtain marriage licenses. "There were a bunch of us who got married on the same day," Buckingham said, grinning. "Six," a woman pipes in. "At least one of us will remember our anniversary," Buckingham said, laughing. The event, in its 11th year, was well attended, with several hundred people lining Main Street down to the Plaza to view the parade, along with dozens more gathered in the Lithia Park band shell for festivities including the marriage of Southern Oregon Pride president Gina DuQuenne to her longtime partner, Josh Willow. Floats included a cleverly designed mobile "closet" (for riders to "come out of") along with marchers bearing colored streamers, balloons and banners of all shapes and sizes.  The festivities had actually begun two days earlier with a drag pageant Thursday at Club 66, followed by a Friday night dance at the Ashland Armory. Actor Peter Frechette, who served as one of the festival's grand marshals, told attendees it's important to think of "pride" as more than a word. "I think it's a necessary and beautiful idea," he said. "Take a moment to feel where in your body you're feeling proud." Despite the carnival-like atmosphere, DuQuenne urged participants not to forget the long road ahead for LGBTQ activists. "Now we have marriage equality in Oregon, but we have a long way to go!" she proclaimed to a wall of cheers. "I will be here until the wind is gone from my body." Reach reporter Thomas Moriarty at 541-776-4471, or by email at [email protected] . Follow him at @ThomasDMoriarty . http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20141011/NEWS/141019899 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->