Grey Bruce is coming alive this month with activities to celebrate Pride.
Rachel Paterson of Grey Bruce Pride says there are several events planned throughout the month and recognize they share the month with Indigenous History Month.
“We always try and make sure that we are always working in close partnership with our Two Spirit and Indigiqueer communities as well throughout the month,” says Paterson.
Saugeen Shores, Georgian Bluffs and Owen Sound have already raised their pride flags and the first events are coming up this weekend with a hike at Halfway Log Dump in Tobermory and a movie night in Kincardine.
Paterson says the most notable events this month are the Pride Parades which are scheduled on the 21 in both Owen Sound and Kincardine.
The Owen Sound parade will follow the same route as last year, starting at the Metro grocery store and ending at the Farmers’ Market. This year, however, they are adding onto the event.
“We have outgrown the market space there and we are actually partnering with local queer-safe businesses of Parkwood and Rumpus Room and are hosting a giant block party along 9th Street in front of the Roxy Theatre between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. So we have got that road closed from when the parade ends at about 2:15, it will be closed until 11 that night,” says Paterson.
As part of the block party, there will be family friendly inflatables, local tattoo artists, a vendors market, food trucks, and a stage featuring various bands and drag performers.
The parade also falls on Indigenous Peoples Day.
“We had initially hoped to go and extend and have it not in June this year. We were actually planning to initially go and have it be in September and in order to go and combine it to be a whole weekend of observation with Georgian Bay Two Spirit Powwow, but they have actually since decided to no longer run the Powwow and they are currently in works to try and figure out a different option for it, however, a large part of our community is also Indigiqueer as well,” says Paterson. “We wanted to make sure that they can show up either at celebrations at Nawash or Saugeen. There is also the Reconciliation Garden that has the Sunrise Ceremony as well.”
Throughout the month, there will be crafting and sporting events, and well as a film screening.
“I hope that it will be really well attended. I think everyone had a really long hard winter, so I think everyone is feeling really joyous and really looking forward to being able to go and celebrate and enjoy the year. It is so nice to see that there are so many different events happening throughout the month that are not just run by local communities such as Kincardine Pride and Grey Bruce Pride. It’s nice to see there are more events happening because it just means that there is more and more acceptance,” says Paterson.
More details about all the Pride events this month can be found on the Grey Bruce Pride Facebook page here.
