Winnipeg to spotlight Fierte Canada Pride

The pride festival in Winnipeg will be front and centre on the Canadian stage, this year Winnipeg is set to host the second Fierte Canada Pride, a national collaboration of pride associations across the country.

Volunteers are working hard setting up tables, chairs, sound systems and lights to get ready for the thousands of people who will attend this years Pride festivities over the weekend.

“We have performers from all across Canada, the provinces and territories, that will be performing at the Canada stage,” said Micaela Reeve, festival director of Pride Winnipeg.

Reeve says this year’s pride is special for a few reasons. It’s the first time in two years that people are allowed to gather in person and support and celebrate 2SLGBTQ+ communities after pandemic shutdowns.

It also marks the second national pride celebration with Fierte Canada Pride which held its inaugural festival in Montreal in 2017. Reeve says this is the 35th year for pride festivals in Winnipeg which is something to be proud of considering how pride events first got their start.

“Pride started as a protest and at that time people couldn’t really be themselves in the parade. There were people that covered their faces due to fear of threats from people they knew. Their family, their employers, just violence from strangers, so the fact that pride has come as far as it has is a wonderful thing.” said Reeve.

Jule Nobert-Demarchi grew up in a small town and as the president of Fierte Canada Pride, she wants to help smaller rural communities like the one she was raised in grow their own pride festivals.
“I remember folks saying, “I never thought we would ever have a pride.”

Nobert-DeMarchi says having a pride festival in her home community of Timmins Ontario was a transformative moment in her life.

“So, I want every small community to have the opportunity and I want individuals from small remote communities to be able to come out and celebrate, and hold their partner’s hand, and kiss their partner.”

Mikayla Hunter is a pride volunteer helping set up for the weekend that will feature live music, drag shows, beer gardens, food trucks, and family-friendly zones that are substance use free. Hunter says pride festivals are an opportunity to advance 2SLGBTQ+ rights and awareness, as well as help people meet what she calls “found family.”

“As a queer person, it’s really important to be able to support each other and doing things like this really helps you to walk the walk instead of just talk the talk.

“Found family is a huge thing, sometimes we don’t have the support of blood family members and we come together with other people in the community and…celebrate and bring awareness to who we are and how important it is that we validate our experiences its so important and I’m very excited,” explained Hunter.