Eleven days of events and activities under the umbrella St. John’s Pride Festival kicked off today with flag raisings at city halls in St. John’s and Mount Pearl.
This year’s theme is “Pride Is Here!” The simple phrase is a call to recognize the community in St. John’s and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Eddie St. Coeur, co-chair external for St. John’s Pride, says the community wanted them to build space to gather, celebrate, learn, share and support each other.
“We gather to put up a flag to remember that there’s people we’ve lost, people that we can’t get back, and we remember the steps they took to get us to where were are today. To defend our fundamental human right to exist.”
Two panel discussions, moderated by Rhea Rollmann, will cover the history of queer life and drag in the city.
Some other events are Quadrangle’s Drag Storytime and Chosen Family Dinner, Spectrum Queer Choir’s Pride Concert, and Quidi Vidi Brewery’s Beers for Queers.
Pride-flag raising at St. John’s City Hall this morning to mark the start of the Pride festival. pic.twitter.com/wjSeWYoJkw
— VOCM News (@VOCMNEWS) July 10, 2024