Here’s how Saskatoon, Victoria, Toronto, Guelph and other cities are celebrating #Pride2020.
We may not be allowed to celebrate together in the streets, but Pride 2020 is far from cancelled. Here’s your guide to all the virtual Pride events taking place online through the month of June in Canada.
Pride Toronto
Pride Toronto has a month-long schedule of virtual events taking place throughout June, culminating in the Virtual Pride Festival Weekend from June 26-28. Highlights from this year’s virtual lineup include digital bingo night on June 11 hosted by drag queen Devine Darlin; an afternoon dance party with Toronto musician Charlotte Day Wilson on June 21; weekly trivia nights hosted by The Arquives; an Afrobeat, soca and dancehall party with DJs Soulsis and Razaqeltoro.Onkoya on June 18; and a “Feature Fridays” screening series of queer and trans movies and documentaries. Check out the full schedule here.
Queens premiere event with Pride Toronto
To celebrate the launch of Queens, a new television series following an eclectic group of Toronto drag queens caught in the middle of a whodunit, the cast of the show is taking part in a Q&A panel to discuss the making of the show and all things Pride. Part of Pride Toronto’s Pride Month “Feature Fridays” series, the show will be streaming live on CBC Gem on Friday, June 19 at 9pm ET, with an intro panel at 8.30pm EST and a post-show Q&A session at 10pm EST via PrideToronto.com.
Saskatoon Pride Parade
Saskatoon’s annual Pride parade is going online this year from June 14th to 20th with a showcase of film, dance, spoken word, inclusive discussions, drag and musical performances, youth events, and more. The theme of this year’s celebrations is resilience and honouring one’s true identity.
Guelph Pride
From June 1 to 7, Guelph Pride is celebrating Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ communities with a series of online events. This weekend’s online schedule includes tarot card readings on Zoom, a dance party live on Twitch hosted by DJs M’Damn D and OrangaDang, a Pride Pop-up Poetry Slam on Zoom, and a workshop on supporting each other through tough times. See the full lineup of virtual Pride 2020 events here.
The Victoria Pride Society’s Vicarious Show
Every Saturday until July 11, Shelita Cox and Henrietta Dubet are hosting an online drag show on the Victoria Pride Society’s YouTube channel. As an organization, VPS is committed to supporting the inclusiveness, accessibility, and diversity of Pride Week events. Catch the show every Saturday at 8pm.
Fruit Loop Pride at Home
The Fruit Loop Society of Alberta, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting and promoting non-profit groups within the LGBTQ2S+ community, is taking its annual Pride celebrations online this year. On Saturday, June 13 from 8pm to 9.30pm, they will livestream an incredible cast of performers direct from The Starlite Room in downtown Edmonton.
We’re Funny That Way: The Virtual Pride Special
The 19th annual We’re Funny That Way Festival, the world’s first queer performance festival, is going virtual this year. Hosted by Maggie Cassella, the one-hour event celebrating the LGBTQ2+ community includes a lineup of comedy and music from Martha Chaves, Gavin Crawford, Lea DeLaria, Andrea Martin, Deb McGrath, Colin Mochrie, Katie Rigg, Carolyn Taylor, Shawnee, Karen Williams and more. The show will be streaming live on CBC Gem on Friday, June 26 at 8pm EST.
Queer Pride Inside: A Buddies in Bad Times Cabaret
Hosted live by comedian Elvira Kurt, this special Pride cabaret event from Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre will feature performances by Teiya Kasahara, Alexis O’Hara, Ivan Coyote, Les Femmes Fatales and more. The show will be streaming live on CBC Gem on Saturday, June 20 at 9pm EST.
SodaStream’s Virtual Drag Brunch
SodaStream is hosting a Virtual Drag Brunch fundraiser with Toronto Drag Queens Miss Fiercalicious and Sofonda Cox to celebrate both Pride month and the launch of their “For The Love Of Tomorrow” Pride Kits. The kits include SodaStream’s newest 0.5L reusable bottle, a reusable bag and a reusable straw in bright Pride colours and are available exclusively on Sodastream.ca. All profits from the sale of these kits will go to Pflag Canada, Canada’s only national organization offering peer-to-peer support on issues of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The brunch kicks off at 11am on Sunday, June 7th, on @SodaStreamCanada’s IG Live.
Global Pride
This year’s largest online event is undoubtedly Global Pride, a 24-hour stream of speeches and performances from Pride events around the world. Over 300 million viewers are expected to tune in over the course of the day, with artists and speakers like Canadian singer/actress/record producer Deborah Cox, the Dixie Chicks, and Olivia Newton-John expected to participate. Watch the global show on 27 June here.
Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal Pride events will take place in August 2020. Watch this space for more details.
