Pride weekend is finally here, Toronto! As we come to the end of Pride month the city is preparing to help the month go out with a bang! This weekend is jam-packed with events from Friday through Sunday to help you celebrate love, diversity, resilience and unity.
FRIDAY, JUNE 23
When you finish work on Friday there are plenty of different events for you to check out.
Trans Pride
The Trans Pride rally, march, and after-party is happening downtown from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The rally starts at the intersection of Church and Hayden streets. and will feature speakers and performances, with community-building activities, including sign-making ahead of the procession. Following the march, a Trans Pride Afterparty will be held at the Garden Stage, as well as a community fair that provides an opportunity for trans folks to sell their products and raise awareness for different agencies.
Colours 5.0
In Scarborough, a Caribbean-themed Pride party is going down tonight. Colours is returning for its fifth year, hosting another party that includes Caribbean music and dancing. The party will be at Fusion Restaurant & Lounge at 880 Ellesmere Road from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m.
Yalla Barra
Back for its 7th year, Yalla Barra is a celebration featuring Middle Eastern artists across various mediums, including belly dancing, DJs, burlesque and more. The event is happening at the South Stage from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m.. Organizers say that “Yalla Barra” is Arabic for “come out/get out,” which can be interpreted in a variety of ways.
“This year it means out of the closet and unchained from the boundaries and constraints that tried to define us,” reads the event’s website.
SATURDAY, JUNE 24
On Saturday, the celebrations continue across the city!
Family Pride
Starting on Saturday, 2SLGBTQ+ kids and families can celebrate their truth at Family Pride. This is the 24th year of Family Pride, which organizers describe as a “fun-filled oasis.” The event is being held on the grounds of Church Street School and will include puppet shows, face painting, magicians, and more! Family Pride runs through Sunday.
Pride Toronto is reminding people that adults are only allowed in the Family Pride space if they are accompanying a child.
Dyke Pride
Queer women will be hitting the streets on Saturday to share their Pride during Toronto’s annual Dyke March. The Saturday event includes speeches, performances and sign-making from 1 to 2 p.m. at Hayden and Church streets. before the march kicks off at 2 p.m. Following the march, participants are invited to continue celebrating with the afterparty and community fair at Garden Stage.
brOWN//out
brOWN//out returns to Toronto Pride weekend! Dubbed the weekend’s South Asian community stage, the event is happening at the Bud Light Wellesley Stage from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature “a mixtape of adventures.” The event is set to host South Asian-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ singers, poets, dancers, drag performances, burlesque artists, musicians and more.
SUNDAY, JUNE 25
Wrapping up a weekend of celebration, Sunday is a big day for Pride festivities!
Toronto Pride Parade
The city’s annual Pride Parade is happening this Sunday, June 25.
“Time to celebrate who you are, with your community, at Pride Toronto’s 2023 Pride Parade,” the Toronto Pride website reads.
Organizers say the event celebrates not only how far the 2SLGBTQ+ community has come, but “to also show the world that we’re here and our lives matter.”Over 100 groups are taking part in this year’s parade, which begins at Church St. N and Bloor St. and runs from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.!
Two-Spirit + Indigenous Pride
Toronto Pride will also be home to Two-Spirit + Indigenous Pride at the Garden Stage. The event will feature a beadline circle, sacred fire for community members, a market for two-spirit artists as well as performances from different artists! The fair is happening from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m., while performances are scheduled to run from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Blockorama 25: Legacies
Curated by Blackness Yes! Blockorama is back for another year of partying on the street. The party is returning for its 25th year, and claims to be Pride Toronto’s longest-running stage. The show spotlights 2SLGBTQI+ African, Black and Caribbean community and includes music, community, dancing, and “endless amounts of Black love.”
There are tons of events happening all across the city this weekend, giving residents the chance to show up loud and proud. You can find out more at the Pride Toronto website.
