Kicking off the week of Pride events will be the annual Memorial Drag Ball Game and community picnic on Tuesday
Pride returns to Victoria this coming week with popular events like the Memorial Drag Ball Game and live entertainment featuring new artists and the return of Island Circus Space.
Headlining the main stage will be two-time “Princess of Burlesque” Moscato Sky, and local Bollywood drag artist Bad Shah Rukh.
Kicking off the week of Pride events will be the annual Memorial Drag Ball Game and community picnic on Tuesday, July 1 from noon to 3 p.m. at Vic West Park.
Pride in the Word will be on Thursday, July 3, 6:30 p.m. at the Victoria Conference Centre, hosting literary readings from a variety of queer authors and speakers. The keynote speakers for Pride in the Word this year are authors Tanya Boteju and Ivan Coyote.
Coyote, who has written 13 books, has taken part in Pride in the Word many times over the years and says it’s “one of my favourite all-time queer literary events.”
Coyote says that because of growing opposition to gay rights in Canada and the United States, showing up for Pride this year feels “more necessary than it has since the 1980s” during the AIDS crisis.
The week culminates with the Pride parade, which begins at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 6 with an opening ceremony at Fisgard and Douglas streets, led by the Songhees Nation and others.
Expect up to 140 entrants and more than 70,000 spectators for the parade, which starts on Government Street and Pandora Avenue, before continuing down Wharf Street toward the Pride Festival grounds at Macdonald Park in James Bay, where celebrations will run until 6 p.m. Festival entertainment starts at 1 p.m. with drag shows, live music, dancing and a variety of other performances. Festival attendees can anticipate more than 130 vendors in addition to many local food options, organizers say.
The Kids’ Stage will have a new location and feature entertainment that includes arts and crafts, drag storytime, choreographed dancing and many inflatable attractions.
Nick Luney, president of Victoria Pride Society, said attendees should look after themselves and each other by planning for what is expected to be a hot and busy environment.
“Drink lots of water, and I would recommend folks check out our website, Victoria Pride Society, for map layouts and things like that,” Luney said.
Other community Pride events are taking place throughout the week, including the Queer Film Festival, Big Gay Whale Watching and bouquet making. For more information and additional events, go to victoriapridesociety.org.
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