Costumes, contests and brunch: Pride Month kicks off in Edmonton this weekend
Flags can be seen at the 2024 Edmonton Drag Festival two-spirit powwow in Churchill Square on May 31, 2024. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton)
The Edmonton Drag Festival kicked off in Churchill Square Friday.
The event is designed to celebrate the art and culture of drag through family-friendly and adult-only attractions over the weekend.
Friday started with a free two-spirit powwow which runs until 6 p.m. A two-spirit Indigenous showcase will run later between 7 and 10 p.m.
"In the face of adversity, of what our community has come through, we are celebrating," said Sianna Bulman of the Edmonton 2-Spirit Society. "We're here to focus on the joy and the power of our community."
"Being seen is really important these days," Bulman said. "We definitely need to take up space and be heard."
Saturday, a free Drag Extravaganza will bring drag performances, panel discussions, contests and giveaways to the square. Kids will be allowed between noon and 6 p.m., with adult programming taking over until midnight.
Several former RuPaul's Drag Race contestants will make guest appearances, including Plasma, Kimora Amour, Nearah Nuff and Edmonton's own Melinda Verga.
On Sunday, ticketed adult-only brunch will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets and more information can be found on the Edmonton Drag Festival website.
In Old Strathcona, Fruit Loop will hold two events over the weekend at the Grindstone Theatre: a free all-ages Pride Street Festival on Saturday, and two drag makeup workshops on Sunday.
For more information, visit the Fruit Loop website.
Correction
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Sianna Bulman was an organizer of the event.
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