It’s been seven years since Edmontonians last lined the city’s downtown streets to celebrate with a Pride parade, and organizers say it’s back.
2SLGBTQ+ community members and allies are set to turn out for the Saturday afternoon parade.
Considered part of the biggest Pride event on the Prairies, the parade was cancelled in 2019 after protests and disagreements over the involvement of law enforcement, with some advocates reporting marginalized groups were being sidelined.
Trevor Watson with the Edmonton PrideFest Association said organizers are over the moon to bring it back.
“For a lot of our community members, this will be the first parade that they’ve seen,” he said.
“We have a ton of queer youth that have never been to a pride parade before, so this is something that’s going to be very exciting.”
Watson said the revamped parade is to be led by what’s believed to be the first Edmonton Trans March for Visibility and Equality, organized by RaricaNow.
The non-profit, which advocates for LGBTQ+ refugees and newcomers, said the march is to mark a stand against “ongoing attacks on the trans community.”
A trio of bills were passed in Alberta last year affecting transgender people. The government has said the legislation is about protecting children and female athletes, but critics argue it puts already vulnerable people at further risk.
One law requires children under 16 to have parental consent if they wish to change names or pronouns at school. Another stops transgender athletes from competing in female amateur sports. A third bans doctors from giving gender-affirming care to those under 16.
The first two come into effect Sept. 1, and a court injunction has temporarily halted the third.
Watson said Pride should be recognized year-round and that it’s crucial to uplift transgender people.
“Not only is it a celebration, but there are still members of our community who, still today, all over the world, are fighting for their rights,” he said.
A history of Pride flags
In addition to the parade, the Edmonton Pride Festival Association is set to host artisan markets, food trucks and live performances, with headliners including singers Fefe Dobson and Jamie Fine, YouTuber Kelly, and drag queens Willam and Alaska.
There is also to be a meet and greet with American actor and transgender advocate Angelica Ross.
