Vancouverites celebrate the city’s 45th Pride Parade
Posted August 6, 2023 3:01 pm.
Last Updated August 6, 2023 8:13 pm.
Thousands of people lined the streets of Vancouver Sunday to watch and participate in the city’s 45th Pride Parade.
This year’s event had an added focus on accessibility, with the parade route shifting to a more inclusive spot.
Read more: Accessibility prioritized in Vancouver Pride Parade’s new route
The parade started at noon and made its way over to the festival grounds at Concord Community Park for live performances, vendors, local artists, and more.
This year’s theme is “Reconnect,” and aims at amplifying the voices of marginalized communities.
Energize your Pride! We loved being with our employee Pride Network marching in the @VancouverPride Parade today! #Vancouver #YVR #VanPride pic.twitter.com/wpmQiM5Tka
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) August 6, 2023
Organizers say the parade draws in more than 100,000 people, and dozens of community groups and organizations show up to support the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Canadian drag queen Kendall Gender is back as the event’s host, and previously told CityNews that it is an honour to be in the role.
“I remember in my early 20s when I wouldn’t go to the Pride Parade because I was, like wanting to just go to parties or whatever. And then once I started going, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is my absolute favourite part of the Pride Weekend.’ It is so monumental and it’s so exciting and I just feel like there’s so much history that’s wrapped up in it,” she said.
Happy #Pride Parade! Join @vancouverpride as we celebrate, #reconnect & amplify the voices of Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and racialized communities. Let’s uphold the freedom to be true to ourselves and openly love who we love.
August 6, 12 pm – 3 pm pic.twitter.com/bBZlELvaxP
— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) August 6, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared his support on social media Sunday morning, wishing Vancouverites “happy Pride.”
“Thinking of everyone marching in Vancouver today – happy Pride, my friends! Have fun, stay safe, and keep celebrating who you are and whom you love. Today and every day, you make our country stronger,” he posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The festival is set to finish off the Vancouver’s Pride Week event’s at 7 p.m. with the DRAG-POCALYPSE.
Event-goers rejoice over Pride festivities
CityNews was on hand for the Pride Parade and festival and asked those in attendance what the celebration meant to them.
“Pride means representation. Pride means visibility. Pride means being able to celebrate who you are, wherever you are and feeling comfortable in your own skin,” said Eric while enjoying the festival.
“It’s pretty special, especially because I’ve lived here my whole life, and this is my first Pride coming out as bi,” explained Lauren.
“It kind of hit me in the middle of the parade that this is life. This is what people do and come together for.”
Nicole says she’s happy to taking in Pride festivities for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Just to be back in community I think is the most meaningful. It felt kind of isolating for a few years. And to be back and celebrating and being with everyone else and friends and loved ones and people supporting people. I like it,” they said.
Meg says Sunday’s event was the first Pride celebration she had ever attended.
“I’m from the Okanagan so there’s nothing really going on there so it’s cool to actually experience Pride for the first time,” she said.
“Even just walking by people and having them complement you or say ‘happy Pride,’ it gets you through the year and gets you through whatever you’re going through.”
For Julio, he says his favourite part of the event is seeing people be their authentic selves.
“Everyone is themselves here and it’s very genuine and everyone is super happy and enjoying their time here and that’s the best part I think,” he said.
Darien says they have enjoyed seeing the diversity represented in the celebration.
“There’s so many things to do here and so much stuff to see. And so many different cultures expressed in Pride,” they said. “It’s that energy. It’s that feeling you have freedom. It’s happiness, it’s self-expression. It’s great.”
With files from Shawn Ayers, Hana Mae Nassar, Raynaldo Suarez and James Paracy
