This month Edmonton’s LGBTQ community and a host of allies will take to various events and festivals to celebrate Pride in Alberta’s capital: June 10th to 19th.

"This year’s events represent what we believe celebrating our diversity is all about," says Terry Harris, Director, Communications and Public Relations for the Edmonton Pride Festival Society. "Whether people want to celebrate in a party atmosphere or celebrate spirituality, family, youth, the arts or sport in other ways, there is an event for them."

The fun lineup of activities includes the Pure Pride Dance Party, Team Edmonton Come Out and Play Day, a SoulOUTing spiritual service, the Pride Parade, the Celebration on the Square presented by TD Bank Financial Group, a Pride Family Picnic, and a Queer History Bus Tour.

Both the Pride favourites and new events will be taking place.

"This year sees the return of the Diversity Conference, which explores various aspects of spirituality," Harris says, while, "new this year is a two-day festival called the Utopia Music Festival."

Utopia will hit the Heritage Amphitheatre in Hawrelak Park the second weekend of the festival –  Saturday and Sunday, June 17th and 18th – and feature a host of Canada’s favourite artists. These include Ani DiFranco, David Usher, Lights, Suzie McNeil, Boy&Gurl, Justin Blais and Janet Panic.

Pride is also taking pronounced measure to host events that reach out to LGBTQ youth in the area.

"This year we adopted a new three-year Pride Festival theme: Stand UP! Stand OUT! Stand PROUD!" Harris says. "The theme was born out of a desire to encourage our community to Stand UP and celebrate the richness and diversity of our lives."

"At a time when LGBTQ youth seem to be increasingly at risk due to bullying and other forms of intolerance, we also felt it was important to let them know that it gets better and we, as a community, stand with them and support them."

Specific events focused on youth will include the sixth annual Mayor’s Brunch in support of Camp fYrefly and a discussion forum called Gay-Straight Alliance – Making it Better in Schools.

"This is a community forum with students from local gay-straight student alliances discussing their efforts and challenges to make schools safer for LGBTQ, questioning, and allied youth," Harris explains.

Edmonton Pride has attracted an estimated 20,000 attendees over years past, and this year is expected to be no different. Edmonton’s festivities draw in LGBTQ and allied community members from all over Alberta, and even Canada. The nine days really offer something for absolutely anyone.

"Pride means different things to different people," Harris says. "For some, it’s a chance to simply celebrate and have fun.  For others, it’s an opportunity to reflect and explore different aspects of who they are as individuals and as part of the LGBTQ community.  That’s why the Festival events cover such a broad spectrum. "

Harris predicts that this year’s festival highlight will be the Celebration on the Square, presented by TD Bank. The celebration is held in downtown Edmonton’s core, at Churchill Square, immediately following the annual Pride Parade on Saturday, June 11.  The celebration will include several hours of entertainment on the TD main stage, a beer garden and a variety of merchandise and food vendors.

Edmonton Pride has enjoyed many years of relatively little controversy, strong turnout and positive outcome.  Though in the beginning, this was definitely not the case. The first Edmonton Pride was held in Old Strathcona in 1990, met with a rather cold reception.

"About 75 people marched along two blocks of Whyte Avenue, some with paper bags over their heads for fear of repercussions should they be identified publically," Harris says. "A few years later, the parade moved downtown and in 1993 and 1994 Mayor Jan Reimer, amid much criticism, angry letters and phone calls, declared Gay and Lesbian Awareness Day for the next eight years.  In 2004, however, then Mayor Bill Smith refused to declare Gay and Lesbian Pride."

The Edmonton Police Service and the City of Edmonton are both actively involved in planning the details of the Pride Parade and the Celebration on the Square to ensure the safety of its participants. In 1992 the Edmonton Police Service developed the Sexual Minorities Liaison Committee to promote understanding, trust, cooperation, and mutual respect between the Service and the LGBTQ community through effective communication, education, and outreach, promoting fair and effective policing.

This year, Police Chief Rod Knecht is holding a Pride Week Reception on June 14th, Harris says.

Though Pride events take place all over Edmonton, the majority of events will be concentrated in the city’s central neighbourhoods. A detailed list can be found under the events calendar on the Edmonton Pride Festival website, or in the Pride Edmonton spread in this edition of GayCalgary & Edmonton Magazine.

"We’re very excited about the diversity of events being staged this year," Harris extols. "Thanks for GayCalgary & Edmonton Magazine’s continuing support of the Edmonton Pride Festival!  Your support is very much appreciated and helps make the Festival a success."