A pride festival will again take over Maffeo Sutton Park on Sunday, June 9, capping the Pride Parade in Nanaimo. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

loud and proud

Parade serving as ‘flagship event’ for Nanaimo Pride Month festivities

Jun 9, 2024 | 6:31 AM

NANAIMO — Expect downtown Nanaimo to be extra colourful, vibrant and festive on Sunday.

As part of ongoing Pride Month festivities throughout the city, the Nanaimo Pride Society are hosting the annual parade and a return of a festival at Maffeo Sutton Park on Sunday, June 9.

The Society’s Lauren Semple said the parade wraps what has been an amazing week celebrating diversity, inclusion and the LGBTQ+ community.

“The parade kicks off from Victoria Rd. at 11 a.m., it’s going to take the same parade route we do each year through downtown, up onto Front St. then down into Maffeo Sutton Park.”

Onlookers are due to line up along Commercial St. and Front St. to watch as the parade entries go by.

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The festival itself runs from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. with a wide array of activities setup.

“Food trucks, our beer gardens…we’ve got a full kids zone in the back. We also have a full main stage packed with 2SLGBTQIA+ performers, drag, musicians and we have a fully packed vendor village. The entire park is going to be just a fabulous place to be.”

Semple added the overarching theme for Pride festivities in Nanaimo it to ensure the event is a safe space for those, regardless of their background or supports.

“We really just want to ensure that everyone that is coming out feels safe and comfortable and included to be themselves, so our theme this year is ‘Be Yourself’. We hope folks will come out and feel welcome and included to celebrate their true, authentic self and just bring that out to Pride.”

A flag raising at Nanaimo City Hall on Tuesday, June 4 was attended by around 300 people, including some in neighbouring apartment buildings displaying pride flags in support.

For the first time, both the Transgender flag and the New Progress Pride flag were displayed.

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