Airdrie PrideFest celebrates 2SLGBTQQIPAA+ community on Saturday
The Together We Shine festival starts at City Hall at 10:30 a.m. on June 20. Vendors, drag shows, live music and the pride flag raising at Nose Creek Park.
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Airdrie Pride will hold its annual Together We Shine festival on Saturday, June 20, celebrating the city's 2SLGBTQQIPAA+ community and allies.
The day kicks off at City Hall at 10:30 a.m. with speeches followed by a solidarity walk to Nose Creek Park. Unlike a traditional pride parade, the walk emphasizes resilience and community, with those in marginalized communities walking at the front as allies walk behind showing their support.
Once everyone reaches the flagpole at Nose Creek Park, there will be a youth speech and the raising of the Pride flag.
From 12 to 4 p.m., attendees can walk around various vendors and non-profit booths. Rhianne Fiolka, one of the executive directors of Airdrie Pride, says there will be music performances, local drag shows, food trucks and the Airdrie festival of lights train.
Fiolka says they know not everyone can make the trip to Calgary for 2SLGBTQQIPAA+ services or celebrations, which is why they wanted to give the Airdrie community accessible support and resources. "In an effort to have, find your community in your community, that's why Airdrie Pride exists," she said. "We wanted to make sure that we had a festival to really showcase Airdrie's inclusion of the queer community and also for allies and queer folks to come together in celebration."
Fiolka also notes that with recent anti-trans laws and pushback against the community in Alberta, it is important to come together and show resilience. Everyone is encouraged to join, and she hopes people come and simply have fun. Funding from vendors and sponsors supports programs Airdrie Pride hosts throughout the year — the organization is volunteer-run, and all profits go directly back into services for the people of Airdrie.