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Truro Pride ready and set for parade and a week full of activities
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TRURO, N.S. — “It’s an opportunity for everyone to come together and showcase acceptance and show folks that this is a place for people to live and thrive, have families and grow. Everything you want a community to be.”
That’s how Truro Pride Society’s board director, Laura Whiteland, described the purpose of Truro’s annual Pride Week festivities.
Taking place from June 23 to 30, Truro Pride and its partners (including the Town of Truro and the Downtown Truro Partnership) have designed a full week that Whiteland believes will potentially be their biggest Pride celebration yet.
“It’s not as polished as Halifax Pride. It’s a little more ‘duct tape and glitter,’” said Whiteland. “It’s that grassroots, community expression of inclusivity. It’s very beautiful in its own way.”
The week will start with flag-raising ceremonies across the county on Friday, June 23. This will be followed by a vigil later that evening for those impacted by violence against 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
The next day will be the Truro Pride Parade – the first pride parade of the season, as well as their Fun Day. Live performances and entertainment will be hosted at Civic Square starting at noon, with the parade itself starting at 1 p.m.
Registration is currently open for governments, businesses or organizations interested in taking part in the Truro Pride Parade. The registration form is available on the Downtown Truro Partnership website.
Also happening that week is the Pride Afterparty on the night of June 24 (must be 19 years or older to enter), a Drag Brunch Extravaganza the following morning, and a free skate at the RECC from noon to 2 p.m. on June 25.
Later in the week will see Truro Pride hosting education sessions, a hike, dog walking, free yoga, a barbeque, and a free swim at the RECC. A full list of dates can be found on their website, truroprice.ca/events.
The last event for Pride Week is an Arts and Culture Fair, hosted at the RECC. Whiteland spoke briefly about this event, in particular.
“(During) the Fun Day, we usually have bigger performers where it’s a bigger space,” said Whiteland. “For folks around the community that are a little more up-and-coming, (the Fun Day) is an opportunity for them to perform, and also an opportunity for artists to showcase their work.
“It’s an opportunity to showcase the cultural vibrancy that queer and trans people bring to Colchester County.”
Promoting inclusion
Whiteland stressed that 2SLGBTQIA+ pride is not just limited to one week of the year – rather, Truro Pride Society promotes inclusion and community building through year-round programming.
“This will be the eighth year of the parade,” said Whiteland. “We’ve had the benefit of history and building up some institutional supports along the way.
“The society tries to have activities throughout the year and connect that community because, outside of pride, there is a large community, and finding ways to feel connected and seen is important.
“After the parade is over, we want people to still feel that feeling of acceptance and let it echo throughout the year.”
To Whiteland, this philosophy of inclusive pride programming is especially important in the face of anti-trans movements that have cropped up across the country.
“Being a trans person, it’s something that I’m thinking about and concerned about,” said Whiteland. “It’s unfortunate that it’s happening right now, and I really hope the community embraces acceptance and inclusivity, and not the politics of exclusion.
“Acceptance and the power of inclusion is far stronger than derision can be. You’re always going to have a few folks who have their certain beliefs, but I think, largely, the community is accepting, and pride is an opportunity to showcase that and talk about the gains that still need to be made, and where we’ve come so far.”
