GRANDVIEW-WOODLAND
"Wear what you want and feel free to be fabulous," is the message from the organizers of the third annual Trans & Genderqueer Liberation and Celebration event, which begins with a march down Commercial Drive starting at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2.
Participants are asked to gather at 5:30 p.m. at Clark Park, located at East 14th Avenue and Commercial Drive before marching to Victoria Park on Grant Street. It was in 2010 when members of the trans and genderqueer communities marched prior to Pride weekend as a political protest and celebration of gender diversity. Later that night, the all-ages GenderTRASH party takes place at Gallery Gachet, 88 East Cordova.
The next day, Aug. 3, the annual Dyke March begins at noon at McSpadden Park on East Fifth Avenue near Commercial before meandering to Grandview Park for the annual festival. Former city councillor Ellen Woodsworth will be the first-ever parade grand marshall of the march.
It was 10 years ago when the Vancouver Dyke March and Festival Society was founded in response to a growing grassroots movement to create a family and child-friendly event with a focus on queer women who often felt overshadowed by the gay men participating in the annual Pride Parade.
Entertainment at the festival includes soul/Motown band Queer as Funk, singer-songwriter Melissa Endean, DJ Kasha Kennedy, the drag performances of Fake Moustache, Eirene Cloma, Leaping Thespians and Boyfriends.
WEST END
The Celebrities Stage: Davie Street Party takes place Friday, Aug. 2, from 7 p.m. to midnight with special guest Jinkx Monsoon, winner of season five of RuPauls Drag Race. Other performers include Jerome Mandrake, Ada Burger, Symone, Mandy Kamp, Lux Dance Company, Sienna Blaze, Kiki LaWhore, Destineak, various DJs and more. The party will be hosted by drag diva extraordinaire Joan-E.
No Pride weekend would be complete without getting your pancake on Saturday, Aug. 3 and Im not talking makeup.
The annual hangover-friendly, Terry Wallace Memorial Breakfast takes place Aug. 3 beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the corner of Bute and Davie streets in the new permanent community space created as the result of a recommendation included in the Davie Street Revitalization Report created and compiled by the City of Vancouver LGBTQ Advisory Committee.
The 35th annual Pride Parade, which was recently deemed an official civic event by the City of Vancouver, begins at noon Aug. 4 at the corner of Robson and Thurlow streets before heading west to Denman and finally along Pacific to Sunset Beach.
Spectators are urged to arrive early to ensure a good spot to catch the action and to bring their spare change for the Toonie Brigade, collecting cash in support of the Vancouver Pride Society.
Then theres the annual Sunset Beach Festival and Market, which takes place Aug. 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to coincide with the Pride Parade.
The only issue Ive ever had with this festival is that its just too darn popular and finding a cold beer or even just getting on to the festival grounds can be a wait. But a new addition this year will solve those problems. Festival-goers wont miss a minute of the parade, while still grabbing those coveted seats in the beer garden, thanks to the installation of a high-resolution LED screen where the action will be broadcast from start to finish. On tap will be Vancouver Pride GAle beer produced in conjunction with the Vancouver Pride Society and R&B Brewing.
twitter.com/sthomas10
