Halifax Pride is an
LGBT pride
In the context of LGBTQ culture, pride (also known as LGBTQ pride, LGBTQIA pride, LGBT pride, queer pride, gay pride, or gay and lesbian pride) is the promotion of the rights, self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility o ...
festival, held annually in
Halifax,
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. It is the largest 2SLGBTQ+ event in
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (), is the list of regions of Canada, region of Eastern Canada comprising four provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. As of 2021, the landma ...
,
["Halifax celebrates Pride Parade 2013"]
CBC News
CBC News is the division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC ...
, July 27, 2013. and one of the largest 2SLGBTQ+ pride events in Canada.
First held in 1988,
the inaugural event featured just 75 marchers, some of whom wore
paper bag
A paper bag is a bag made of paper, usually kraft paper. Paper bags can be made either with virgin or recycled fibres to meet customers' demands. Paper bags are commonly used as shopping bag, shopping carrier bags and for packaging of some co ...
s over their heads due to the
stigma against being openly identified as LGBT.
The 2014 event featured approximately 2,500 marchers, with 80,000 people in attendance as participants or spectators.
["Music, colourful pageantry highlight Halifax pride parade"]
''The Chronicle Herald
''The Chronicle Herald'' is a broadsheet newspaper published in Halifax, Nova Scotia, owned by Postmedia Network.
History
Early years
Founded in 1874 as ''The Morning Herald'', the paper quickly became one of Halifax's main newspapers. The same ...
'', July 26, 2014.
The event's
grand marshal in 2014 was
Scott Jones, an LGBT activist from
New Glasgow who launched the Don't Be Afraid campaign of LGBT awareness after being left
paraplegic
Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek ()
"half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neura ...
by an anti-gay attack in 2013. The event also featured a commemoration of
Raymond Taavel, a former chair of the event who was killed in a violent attack in 2012.
The 2014 parade route started on Upper Water Street, and followed
Barrington Street,
Spring Garden Road and South Park Street to the Garrison Grounds at
Citadel Hill.
In 2011, co-chair Ed Savage created some controversy by describing the event as "less promiscuous" and more family-oriented than other Pride festivals across Canada.
In 2022 Executive Director Adam Reid, and Operations and communications manager Fiona Kerr stepped down. Both had worked on the event since 2017.
The 2023 event was surrounded with uncertainty, after a planned community meeting on July 3rd 2023 was postponed. This left the community with no update regarding the event that was supposed to take place over the 20th - 23rd of July.
The parade was postponed due to the
2023 Nova Scotia floods, and was never rescheduled. In October the board was overhauled with Adam Reid returning as chair and Fiona Kerr being rehired.
Halifax Pride has been announced as the host for Canada Pride 2027. On March 17th the first annual Atlantic Pride Pageant at Spatz Theatre was held as the kick-off for the 2027 festival
with drag artist Penny Cillin winning the crown.
See also
*
Anne Fulton (activist)
References
External links
*
Pride parades in Canada
Festivals in Halifax, Nova Scotia
Recurring events established in 1988
1988 establishments in Nova Scotia
LGBTQ in Nova Scotia
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