What’s up: Pride celebrations

Pride Winnipeg

• Various locations
• Saturday and Sunday
• Visit pridewinnipeg.com or the Pride Winnipeg app for a detailed schedule

This year’s Pride Winnipeg theme is “Rise in Pride, Stand in Strength.”

The organization’s annual festival kicks off at The Forks from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The festivities include three stages of live entertainment, family-friendly activities, an artisan market and an LGBTTQ+ community zone. Food trucks, beer gardens and a substance-free area will be on site.

Main stage performers include Ami Cheon, Bannock Babes, Sebastian Gaskin, Bicycle Face, Hera and Bobby Dove.

Gather in front of the Manitoba Legislative Building at 10 a.m. on Sunday for a rally, followed by the Pride Parade, which begins at 11 a.m. on Memorial Boulevard with marchers and floats travelling eastbound on Portage Avenue to The Forks.

The parade will be livestreamed on CTV Winnipeg with accessible indoor and outdoor viewing areas inside and in front of Canada Life Centre at 300 Portage Ave. ASL interpreters will be on hand during the rally.

— Eva Wasney

 

Saturday Night Pride

• Canadian Museum for Human Rights, 85 Israel Asper Way
• Saturday, 9 p.m.
• Tickets $30 at rainbowresourcecentre.org

Iiiiit’s Saturday Night Pride! With Jaylene Tyme!

The veteran Vancouver drag artist — who was crowned Miss Congeniality in Season 5 of Canada’s Drag Race — is headlining Rainbow Resource Centre’s Pride Weekend party at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Tyme, a Two-Spirit Indigenous trans woman and advocate, uses her platform to empower her community and raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women, the ’60s Scoop (of which she is a survivor) and truth and reconciliation. Canada’s Drag Race fans will no doubt remember her show-stopping finale dress inspired by the Every Child Matters movement.

Joining Tyme on Saturday is Cake, Rainbow Resource Centre’s drag-artist-in-residence, and local performers Kymera and Jamie Allwood. DJ Princess Die will keep the dance floor packed all night.

The event is 18+.

— Jen Zoratti

 

Rainbow Rave – A Pride Celebration

• Club Happenings, 114 B, Osborne St.
• Tomorrow, 8 p.m.
• Admission $30

Dig out your dancing shoes for the ultimate Friday night Pride party; there’s no better place to be.

Dance your heart out to sets by an all-queer DJ lineup and feast your senses on electric drag performances.

The night of queer joy, fierce beats and dazzling self-expression features headliner DJ Sydney from Toronto with local powerhouses NotMyAuthority, KvLTBABY, Dov and Inflo.

Promising genre-defying sets that move from house and techno to bass, bounce and beyond, make sure you’re prepped for the long-haul during this seven-hour rave extravaganza.

— AV Kitching

 

Winnipeg Queer History Walk

• Meet at Upper Fort Garry, 130 Main St.
• Tonight, 7 p.m.
• Free

For the next month, nearly every corporation, police service and level of government in Canada will be flying the rainbow flag, but less than 40 years ago, when Winnipeg had its first pride parade in 1987, participants still felt compelled to mask their faces with paper bags to protect their identities.

It’s a reminder that Winnipeg’s queer history is one of persecution as well as celebration, a legacy represented in the city’s queer walking tours.

Join local cultural historian Britt Bauer tonight for the Winnipeg Queer History Walk, a free tour from Upper Fort Garry through downtown and the Exchange District. No registration needed — just show up with comfortable walking shoes.

The Winnipeg Architecture Foundation also has a self-guided Winnipeg Queer History Tour, which covers resource and health centres, clandestine cruising spots, early gay bars and social clubs (did you know that Gio’s was originally called the Winnipeg Gay Community Centre?). Visit winnipegarchitecture.ca for more information.

—Conrad Sweatman

 

West Broadway Pride

• Various locations, Sherbrook Street
• Today through Saturday
• Free admission for most events

Vintage threads, comedy, a queer-themed beer garden and drag queen karaoke: Sherbrook Street businesses have come together to throw a host of events as part of this year’s Pride festivities.

The West Broadway Pride block party kicks off tonight with a drag party at Good Neighbour Brewing Co. starting at 6 p.m. and a free Fruit Roll-Up Comedy Showcase at 8 p.m. at The Handsome Daughter. The crew at Chips Vintage are promising a special guest performer at 8 p.m., as well as 20 per cent off all in-store goods plus some limited-edition merchandise, with all proceeds going to Sunshine House.

End the night back at The Handsome Daughter with live band karaoke and local drag queens. Tickets are $10 plus fees at wfp.to/iPd.

Brightly coloured beers will be flowing today through Saturday at the Good Neighbour/Next Door patio, dubbed the Queer Gardens in honour of Pride. Beat the heat with the new quartet of Good Neighbour’s Gaytorade sour brews featuring Slay Queen Orange, Electric Bear-y, Fruity Punch and Fierce Grape flavours. The Queer Gardens also hosts an acoustic set by Snackie on Friday and a sold-out Saturday brunch in collaboration with the Winnipeg Humane Society.

— Ben Sigurdson