joe hu/town crier Los Altos High School Gay/Straight Alliance led the Gay Pride Parade Sunday in downtown Los Altos.

Hundreds marched Sunday in a Los Altos parade celebrating gay pride and

Los Altos High School’s Gay/Straight Alliance.

Beginning at the south end of State Street downtown, supporters marched on foot and rode in classic cars. The parade wound down Main Street to the community plaza where participants gave supportive speeches. Festivities were peaceful and free of the flamboyant costumes that have marked other gay parades.

Approximately 18 groups marched, many of them locally based. They included gay/straight student alliances from Los Altos, Mountain View and Gunn high schools, Foothills Congregational Church, the Peninsula Democratic Coalition, Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills and Los Altos Voices for Peace.

Organizers Henry Roux and Mary Prochnow of the Los Altos Community Foundation, the parade’s key sponsor, rode by car, as did Los Altos High School Principal Wynne Satterwhite and Councilman Curtis Cole. Cole cast a dissenting vote in February when the Los Altos City Council elected not to issue proclamations dealing with sexual orientation. The action and subsequent controversy triggered Sunday’s event.

Guest speakers included Los Altos High School GSA member Julie Ershadi, Wiggsy Severtsen, co-founder of BAYMEC, a gay, lesbian and transgender political action group, and Shannon Turk, director of the Community Health Awareness Council’s Outlet program.

Police Chief Bob Lacey said he was pleased with the parade’s orderly conduct. Assisted by 19 police officers and hand and radio volunteers, he said, “I think it went very well. Our mission was just to maintain order and we did that.”