Break out the lawn chairs, Kootenay Pride 2016 is coming to Nelson
By Nelson Daily Staff
The annual Kootenay Pride event kicks off this Friday in Nelson, and is shaping up to be one of the biggest ever.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event, which started in 1996. Although the parade these days involves locals lining the streets and joining in the fun, it wasn’t always so.
MLA for Nelson-Creston Michelle Mungall has attended the event every single year since it began, and told The Nelson Daily that the big celebration we will see this weekend is a far cry from the first one she attended in 2002.
“I’ve attended every single one since I moved to Nelson,” she said.
“I remember my first Kootenay Pride, it was small but mighty. Unfortunately a gentleman followed our parade with a hate message.”
Mungall said that despite the rocky start, the parade is now something celebrated by the entire city.
“Now, today what we see are people lining the street cheering, they’re excited, it’s a huge parade. It’s really changed in a short period of time and it’s just a fantastic event to be a part of.”
Mungall won’t be the only local politician in attendance, as Nelson Mayor Deb Kozak will also be joining the celebration once again.
“I participated last year and it’s a really positive event,” Kozak said in an interview with The Nelson Daily.
“I think that each year it grows. There are more people that join in and it’s a really happy time in our community. All different kinds of people are in the parade, I find it to bring the community together in a positive way.”
Nelson in particular is certainly known to be a city that welcomes people of all walks of life, and the Kootenay Pride parade, which has spectators lining Baker Street for the event, is a shining example of this kind of acceptance.
“I think Nelson is a very accepting community for all people, and we celebrate who we are; we celebrate our people, and this is one of the ways that we do it,” Kozak said.
Unfortunately, Kootenay-Columbia MP, Wayne Stetski, is unable to attend this year due to a hectic schedule involving cross-country flights and other business.
“I was there last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, it’s so much fun; especially the parade” Stetski said.
Stetski said that although Nelson may be smaller than cities like Toronto or Vancouver, the Pride Parade is still comparable.
“I think it’s fairly similar when you look at how colourful it is and how much fun people have, how enthusiastic everyone is. It’s virtually the same as what you see in Vancouver or Toronto except on a smaller scale,” he said.
“But certainly the enthusiasm, the caring and the real interest people have in one another is certainly as evident if not more evident in Nelson.”
The craziness begins Thursday at the Nelson Public Library with Making a Scene with Author in Attendance at 7 p.m.
Friday will include a Trans and Queer potluck down at Lakeside at 3 p.m., the annual Kootenay Pride meet & greet at Finely’s at 6pm with The All Canadian Rogue Show at 8 p.m. and a night of banging beats at Bloom with Deep Pride 2016 at 10 p.m.
Saturday carries on the fun with Coffee House 2016 at Expressions Café and the One Love Gala Drag Show & Dance at Noon and 10 p.m. respectively.
Sunday is the big day beginning with the Pride Parade itself at 3 p.m. on Baker St. and a Burger and Beer Fundraiser at Finley’s at 5 p.m. and a showing of the films In Particular and Conceiving a Family showing at the Nelson United Church at 7 p.m.
Monday will give everyone a chance to mellow out a little bit with the traditional Mimosa Monday at The Hume Hotel and a showing of Paris is Burning at Reo’s Video.
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