Edmonton celebrates Pride month with summer-long celebrations

Students at D.S. MacKenzie School in south Edmonton celebrated Pride on Friday. (CTV News Edmonton)

The City of Edmonton is holding its largest ever Pride celebration this year.

Friday, the Summer of Pride officially began with several events at different venues in the city.

There are more than 80 Pride events planned across 39 venues in the city throughout June, July and August. Included are a Pride Day at K-Days in July, the Edmonton Pride Festival in August and the first-ever Edmonton Drag Festival on June 17.

"One of the coolest things about Edmonton this year is that there's a whole summer of Pride," said Joshua Wolchansky of the Fruit Loop Society of Alberta.

Having so many events, organized by more than 40 LGBTQ2S+ organizations and allies, ensures there is a Pride event for everyone, he added.

"It's not just one big tent and everyone needs to fit into that Pride, there's a lot of different producers who are bringing something very unique and very special to the ecosystem," Wolchansky said. "You get a more diverse representation of what Pride is."

More information on the Summer of Pride can be found on the Fruit Loop Society webpage or at PrideEdmonton.ca.

The first week of June is also Pride Week at Edmonton Public Schools.

At D.S. MacKenzie School in south Edmonton, around 300 students spent the day outdoors at a Pride celebration featuring games, an ice cream truck and a photo booth.

The school has been celebrating Pride the past two years, and teacher Katie Griffith said the events help LGBTQ2S+ students feel valued while giving other kids the chance to help build community and create safe spaces for their friends.

"They really just get to be themselves and showcase who they are and just feel that love and acceptance, before they might not have had that," Griffith said. "So these kinds of days are just so important to keep that allyship up all year."

Grade 9 student Rorie Vanderzyde is a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance at D.S. MacKenzie. Vanderzyde said Pride celebrations are for all students and show the school's commitment to making kids feel safe regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

"This day is important because we just want to celebrate everyone, queer, allies, questioning," Vanderzyde added. "It's a day to celebrate inclusivity and diversity."