The Collingwood Pride festival is days away, and the team behind it is ready for it to finally come to fruition.
Originally planned for 2020, the festival will get its chance to shine this weekend (July 15-17), beginning with a party on Simcoe Street, then a parade, and an educational panel discussion, all following the theme "celebrate, educate, innovate."
"I'm so excited, this is going to be so special," said John Miller, president of the Rainbow Club of South Georgian Bay and team lead for Collingwood Pride. "I really feel it's Collingwood's pride."
In his eyes, this weekend's festival is the start of something big.
"For this generation, I think it's really what we need," said Miller. "I think we're going to be known as the best Pride after Toronto."
The weekend begins with a street party, which will be on Simcoe Street. Dubbed unofficially the "creative district", Simcoe Street is the location of the rainbow crosswalk, and the Low Down restaurant, which Miller said, has become a centre of activity for the LGBTQ+ community.
A panel discussion, featuring speakers representing a cross-section of identities, will take place Saturday at the Simcoe Street Theatre. Miller said it was important to the committee to have an education component in the festival.
"To the people who ask why do we need a festival ... what we don't talk about is the amount of hate mail we get on our social channels," said Miller. "If we're getting it, then individual people are getting it too. The fact that we have to defend having a parade and festival speaks to the reasons why we need it."
The weekend lineup includes several events and activities beginning on Friday, July 15 with a town flag raising at the Collingwood Public Library and the street party and vendor market running for most of the evening.
The Low Down Pride Patio Party, which runs simultaneous with the vendor market on July 15, will feature 12 drag performers, DJs, and a licensed beer garden.
There will also be ticketed after-party events. For more information on those, visit the pridecollingwood.com website.
Collingwood Pride will be hosting a panel discussion called Pathways to Belonging, which will explore identities among the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Panelists include Dr. Rehan Lakhani ND, Myles Sexton, Camille "Flex" Ricketts, Kurtis Gabriel, and moderator Leslie Roberts. The educational event is free, but registration is required. It will take place at noon on July 16 at the Simcoe Street Theatre.
The Pride parade begins Saturday at 5 p.m. and Miller said it's shaping up to be bigger than the annual Santa Claus Parade. The route begins at Hurontario and Hume Street and will end at Side Launch Way (end of Hurontario St.).
Also on Saturday, there will be a family-friendly drag show at the Gayety Theatre featuring kid-friendly performances by Katinka Kature and Baby Bel Bel and the all-female funk/soul band Grace. There are several drag shows planned for Saturday at various venues. Visit pridecollingwood.com for ticket information.
Other events organized and hosted by local businesses include a Rainbow Run by VO2 Sports and Press Market at 8:30 a.m. on the waterfront, a community workout with Primitive Patterns at 9 a.m. at Sunset Point, and the Saturday Farmers' Market at the Pine St. parking lot.
"It's really a festival for everybody," said Miller. "I think this is the beginning of what will be the development of something greater in the town."
Part of what is to come is a reorganization of the Rainbow Club of South Georgian Bay to include more events outside of the Pride festival and services for the community.
"We're looking to give back to the community," said Miller.
The club led a fundraising effort to cover part of the costs of the rainbow crosswalk installed at the Simcoe and Ste. Marie Streets intersection in June, 2021. The online campaign raised more than their share of the crosswalk costs in 24 hours.
Miller, who is also on the BIA board, said the downtown will be "activated" during the weekend and through events, activities, and entertainment, those attending the festival will be encouraged to visit local businesses.
"We're trying to make an effort to have an economic impact on the town," said Miller.
For more information on Collingwood Pride, a full event listing and ticket information, visit pridecollingwood.com.
