Fogo Island is gearing up for Pride Week celebrations starting tomorrow.

Events will be carried out by Fogo Island Pride, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing support to members of the Queer community and their allies in rural areas of the province.

Despite growing up on the Avalon, Evan Parsons and Trevor Taylor, spent most of their professional lives in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

The two are out and say they have always been accepted in their communities, but some people in rural areas do not feel they belong.

Taylor says Pride Week will create visibility and start conversations on the island for the Queer community and their allies.

He says they know from their own experiences that people end up moving away to find a community for them. He says these events will make the island more diverse and inclusive.

A 19+ meet and greet mixer will kick things off for the week tomorrow at the Scoff Restaurant in Joe Batt’s Arm from 7p.m. to 11p.m.