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Despite the gloomy weather, the Calgary Pride parade marched on Sunday, with some renewed hope of a brighter future ahead.
The organization put out an urgent call for $250,000 in donations last month, warning that without it, this year’s edition could be its last.
Calgary Pride, like other Pride organizations across the country, has faced a significant funding shortfall due in part to a drop in corporate sponsorships.
Director-at-large Andrea Scheelar said Calgary Pride has seen donations increase since that call went out.
“We’ve had such a great response from community, from businesses, from sponsors, and we’re definitely moving in the right direction. We’re not out of the woods yet by any means, but definitely some really positive movement,” Scheelar said.
“After the call for sponsors, or increased need for funding, we actually had some sponsors call us and say, ‘Oh, we we totally forgot to sign up and let us sign up and here’s some money.’”
About 150 groups took part in this year’s parade, including corporations, city services and community groups. (Jennifer Keiller/CBC)Damp weather doesn’t dampen spirits
The parade ran along Ninth Avenue S.W., beginning at Fifth Street S.W. and ending at Fourth Street S.E.
About 150 entries participated, Scheelar said, with groups as small as one or two people, or as large as 50 or more. About 300 volunteers also pitched in throughout the weekend of events.
And despite the damp weather, crowds lined the street to cheer on the parade.
“Nothing can really stop Pride or even dampen it, despite all of us being rather soggy. I mean the turnout is still amazing,” said Jed Kozicky, who marched with the non-profit Skipping Stone.
Drag performer Lenore Belladonna agreed.
“I feel like it’s kind of indicative of the queer community as a whole where it’s like you know, rain or shine, we’re going to tough it out because we know how much this kind of thing means to the people watching,” Belladonna said.
Drag artists Lenora Belladonna (left) and Boots the Clown (right) took part in the annual Calgary Pride parade. (Jennifer Keiller/CBC)
Fellow drag artist Boots the Clown said it’s an important event for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
“It’s amazing how people will come together for each other, and it helps, it really helps so many people feel seen and heard and to just be as you are,” they said.
Leading the parade was the newly formed Calgary chapter of Dykes on Bikes, a motorcycle contingent first formed in San Francisco 50 years ago.
Back in 1976, “a group of 25 women rode to the front of the parade because they were tired of being told what they couldn’t and couldn’t do,” said the chapter’s founding president Amy Dyck.
“Society often tells women like you can’t do things, but we’re trying to say that you can be anything and you can do anything.”
Amy Dyck is founding president of the new Calgary chapter of Dykes on Bikes, a motorcycle group that first began in San Francisco 50 years ago. The group served as this year’s parade Grand Marshals. (Jennifer Keiller/CBC)
Dyck says even if more funding does not come, Pride will continue one way or another, adding that one of the group’s members used to put Pride on for a budget under $10,000.
“So, like maybe Pride will change the way it looks, because you can’t silence the movement. Even if we don’t get the funding, we will still be here, we will still exist, we will still show up and dance and party and take to the streets and have fun,” Dyck said.
Boots the Clown agrees the spirit of Pride will carry on, regardless of the financial situation.
“We will celebrate no matter who or what tries to come in the way,” they said.
Scheelar said Calgary Pride still needs to get through this year, before it can start fully thinking about what next year might look like. She added the organization saw success this year teaming with community partners to put on events and split costs, something they will likely look to do more of in the future.