By battlefordsNOW

Local Pride celebration planned for August

Jun 14, 2018 | 6:00 PM

The Battlefords community will come together once again this year to celebrate Pride Week.

This marks the second year of the local LGBTQ celebration t in the Battlefords, and the region joins hundreds of communities across Canada hosting similar celebrations over the summer. The local pride event is once again being organized by the Battlefords and Area Gender and Sexuality Alliance.

Kelly Waters, one of the organziers who is also a teacher at North Battleford Comprehensive High School, said the local Pride Week is planned to run from Monday, Aug. 20 to Sunday, Aug. 26. The Pride walk is expected to take place Saturday, Aug. 25 in North Battleford.

“We did that last year, and people had flags and noise-makers and a route that was approved by the city,” she said. “Most people were really positive, honking and waving and being supportive.”

Waters said it’s important to have a Pride event in the Battlefords each year to recognize inclusiveness in the community. She said many events for this year’s Pride are still being planned, and a new Battlefords Pride 2018 Facebook page will launch this week with more details.

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“There are still a lot of things in the works, but we are looking at having a flag-raising ceremony again and arranging for the first rainbow crosswalk,” Waters said, adding that organizers are working with the city on the initiative. “It’s building on the success from last year, with more people interested and more people wanting to help.”

She said the group hopes to have a street fair with vendors and family-friendly activities, as well as a stage with live music as part of the event.

“We’re working with the city to get the permits,” Waters added.

Organizers are also looking into the possibility of having guest speakers visit Aug. 26.

Waters said the group plans to enter a float in the North Battleford Northwest Territorial Days parade and the Town of Battleford parade as well, to help increase awareness. She said volunteers are also welcome, and encouraged people to connect through Facebook if they want to help with the Pride events.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW