Exhausted but happy: Pride organizer reflects on 2018 celebration
Posted August 6, 2018 12:45 pm.
Last Updated August 6, 2018 12:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Vancouver’s 40th Pride Parade has left organizers exhausted, but happy.
Michelle Fortin, co-chair of the Vancouver Pride Society, says it will take a couple weeks to figure out if this drew the biggest crowd, but a fun time was had by all.
“As in other years, we’re so impressed by the energy that the public brings–the number of volunteers and performers that just gave it their all. People are really invested in this city and inclusion. It was beautiful,” she says with a raspy post-party voice.
And while there’s no figure yet, she says it certainly felt bigger than in years past.
“I can tell you as someone who’s been marching for quite a while, it felt like the numbers along the parade route were greater and that by around 3 o’clock in the afternoon Sunset Beach was just filled with rainbows and unicorns and thousands of people. I would imagine our numbers would be as strong, if not stronger.”
She adds the icing on the cake was having Justin Trudeau show up because whether you agree with his politics or not, he’s the first sitting Prime Minister to march in the parade.
“Kudos to the people to the folks who run our parade that decided exactly where and how we would bring the prime minster in so it wasn’t a gong show at the very, very beginning!” she laughs.
“When it comes to Pride and you have a leader that shows up, that’s pretty special.”
She says the day from start to finish was a joyous celebration.
