In preparation for WorldPride, June 20-29, Toronto has literally laid out a welcome mat in the form of rainbow-painted crosswalks for the hundreds of thousands expected to attend the celebration. WorldPride Toronto is an event that “incorporates activism, education and the history and culture of global LGBTTIQQ2SA* communities.”
According to Andrew Weir, vice president of Tourism Toronto, “WorldPride is an opportunity to submit Toronto as an LGBT travel destination.” Toronto has many qualities that attract the LGBT traveler: “It is the location of the first legal same-sex marriage in modern times, it is the first WorldPride in North America, and it is a destination for the luxury traveler,” he describes. Previous years have seen WorldPrides in Rome and London. “[Toronto] will set a standard for what WorldPride should be”, says Weir.
The nine days of fun starts at the opening ceremony June 20 in Nathan Phillips Square. The ceremony will include the official proclamation of Pride Week by the city of Toronto, the raising of the rainbow flag at City Hall and music performances by hit talent like Grammy winners Melissa Etheridge and Deborah Cox. WorldPride also jumps off with events like the Commemoration of the 45th Anniversary of Stonewall and the WorldPride Gala and Awards Fundraiser, June 25, which will feature artists like k.d. lang and Lea Delaria. June 27 will be the day for the trans community to celebrate at the Trans Pride March and After-March Showcase, a free to attend event and all-ages showcase of musical talent. Other events taking place include a reading series at the historical Glad Day Bookshop (the first gay bookshop in Canada), the Manifesto Music Festival at Allan Gardens, Community Cabaret at Air Canada Village Stage and spoken word in Paul Kane Parkette.
The following day, a dozen exciting music events are scheduled, including MTV’s Pop Goes the Pride music performances, I Know You Got Soul on the TD Wellesley Stage, Gay Ol Opry country music showcase, and North Stage Saturday (Trans and Gender-independent communities). Cultural events like the Dyke March and Fruit Loopz Youth Stage festival of arts are also planned, and the largest women’s party (Cherry Bomb Pride) will be held that night at the Mod Club. The closing day is June 29, and the final WorldPride parade arrives and marches from Church to Younge Streets. The Destinasian event at the Air Canada stage will celebrate the Asian members of the LGBT community, while music performances are brought forth on the Air Canada and OLG Central Stage. Don’t miss the closing party, which takes place at the Yonge-Dundas Square Stage and features performances by artists like Tegan and Sara and Cece Peniston.
Can’t get enough of the official WorldPride events? There are also over 100 partners in the community that are doing special programming for WorldPride. For example, the Ryerson Image Centre presents an exhibit from June 18 to Aug. 24 called What it Means To Be Seen: Photography and Queer Visibility. The exhibition addresses the importance of LGBT visibility in the media, long tied to the campaign for greater acceptance of those in the gay community. Another partner event is Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, where June 22, Ugandan writer Adong Lucy Judith presents a play titled Just Me, You and The Silence which portrays the anti-homosexuality laws that divides her country. For light-hearted fun, June 27, the Royal Ontario Museum will allow visitors to explore their galleries after hours, partake in food from pop-up vendors, and dance to tunes by LGBT performance artists.
Already home to one of the first same-sex legal marriages in modern times, to one of the world’s largest Pride parades and renowned for its diversity and dynamism, Toronto will bring a 10-day extravaganza that will unite members of the LGBT community in song, parties and showcases. The headliners will produce a jam-packed environment due to the free entertainment program that will be presented on 10 open-air stages.
“We always hear from our LGBTQ visitors how welcoming, surprising and exciting Toronto is, which makes it the ideal host for the first WorldPride to be held in North America. It’s a chance for people from every corner of the planet to celebrate what has been achieved and strengthen their resolve for the future – in a multicultural city that wears its commitment to equality, openness and diversity with pride every day,” says Kevin Beaulieu, executive director of Pride Toronto.
To learn more about WorldPride Toronto, visit www.worldpridetoronto.com.
*LGBTTIQQ2SA is an abbreviation used to represent a broad array of identities such as, but not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirited and allies.
