Cold temperatures and a constant drizzle didn't seem to dampen spirits at Toronto's 35th annual Pride parade, which brought together a diverse group of celebrities, politicians and people from all walks of life.

Huge crowds lined Toronto's Yonge Street to watch the parade which was themed "Come out and Play," waving flags, dressing up in outrageous costumes and proudly displaying their pride in what has traditionally been the largest event of its kind in the country. Water fights were noticeably absent at this year's event as light showers drenched crowds throughout the day.

Elton's husband David , an east-end Toronto native and filmmaker, was the grand marshal of the festivities. "It's a real honour to be asked and to come back to my home city where I grew up and to see so much change, so much positive change, and to see the whole city turning out to support people on this iconic week and particularly in light of the big decision that happened in America on Friday," he said, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that made same-sex marriage a right across the United States. "It just feels very meaningful to be here right now."

David, 52, said things have changed since his days growing up in the city, adding that he is "overwhelmed by how it's changed. If you were gay in your 20s and 30s in Toronto when I was growing up it was very much being part of a ghetto, part of a fringe society.," he said. "You're excluded, you're on the outskirts, there was no integration and when you see the way the entire city of Toronto now embraces everybody collectively it's an amazing and powerful thing."

David said Canada had a "huge impact" on the world by introducing the Civil Marriage Act, which passed exactly 10 years ago to the day, but said while the progress being made toward LGBTQ acceptance is encouraging, it was like "tipping dominos" one at a time. "We have to keep tipping them over until we have the entire world free of homophobia and we have LGBTQ people decriminalized everywhere and we can't stop until we're finished," he said. "So it's important to be here to celebrate the landmark of how far we've come but also to pay it forward and help all the people that need our support."

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