'Such a vibe': Churchill Square hosts first Pride festival in 8 years
Hundreds of people gathered in front of Edmonton City Hall Saturday to celebrate the first large Pride event in the city in four years, and the first one in Churchill Square in eight.
"It's just a great feeling for everyone, I think," Jo Binkley said.
"It's such a vibe," Avery Wonitowy said.
First-time organizers Edmonton PrideFest led the two-day event.
"I've never seen so many beautiful people in one place. It's incredible," said executive producer Trevor Watson.
"When they lifted (pandemic) restrictions on events, a group of people came together and said, 'Hey we have two months! Let's plan a massive festival!'"
Edmonton's last big pride event was in 2018.
That's when a parade on Whyte Avenue was stopped by protesters, who demanded more diversity amongst the organizers.
RARICANow was one of the groups protesting in 2018. Members marched to the festival on Saturday as welcomed guests.
"These are members of the community who are still fighting for their basic human rights all over the world," explained Watson.
"Having these safe spaces, it really means life or death for so many people in our community."
"I think it's the mainstream LGBTQ+'s responsibility to utilize their privilege in order to uplift those voices," said Boyd Whiskeyjack, who was dressed in drag as Cedar T.
Edmonton PrideFest in Churchill Square on June 25, 2022 (Jessica Robb/CTV News Edmonton).The event was an opportunity to celebrate new milestones.
"This is my first pride. I came out exactly two years ago as a trans woman," Andie Labelle Varias.
"Being able to like come out and do something in such a big group and in such a community that I felt like I've been cut off from for the last couple years is really exciting," said Zoe Bumanis.
Organizers hope to bring in more people from the community next year, with planning already underway.
"We are in talks of bringing back a large-scale event that stretches down a street and starts with a 'p,'" Watson said.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jessica Robb
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Saskatoon woman made checklist while planning abduction, court documents allege
A Saskatoon mother made an apparent 'checklist' while planning to vanish with her son, according to court documents
Sask. Amber Alert suspect Benjamin Moore has history of sexual offences with children: RCMP
The suspect at the centre of a Saskatchewan Amber Alert has a history of sexual offences, RCMP confirmed during a press conference Tuesday.
EXCLUSIVE
EXCLUSIVE | 'Train surfer' under police investigation speaks about his dangerous adventures
The man who claims to be one of the people seen 'surfing' on the roof of a moving subway train in Toronto is speaking exclusively to CTV News about his stunts and the looming threat of a police arrest.
FBI's search of Trump's Florida estate: Why now?
The FBI's unprecedented search of former president Donald Trump's Florida residence ricocheted around government, politics and a polarized country Tuesday along with questions as to why the Justice Department – notably cautious under Attorney General Merrick Garland – decided to take such a drastic step.
Regulator issued no fines over airlines' denying compensation for cancelled flights
Three years after new rules came into force, the regulator overseeing Canadian airlines has not issued any fines related to passenger compensation claims for flight delays and cancellations.
Afghan man charged in killing of 2 Muslims in Albuquerque
Police announced a breakthrough Tuesday in the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico, charging a man from Afghanistan – himself a Muslim – with two of the slayings and identifying him as a prime suspect in the other killings that put the entire community on edge.
Experts voice privacy concerns over RCMP's use of 'intrusive' spyware
Expressing concerns over the RCMP's yearslong use of spyware in major investigations, privacy and civil liberties experts say the previously undisclosed tools are 'extremely intrusive' and they are calling for stronger oversight and regulation of spyware Canada-wide.
Senegalese diplomat arrested by Quebec police owed former landlord more than $45,000
The detention and alleged beating by Quebec police of a Senegalese diplomat last week came as a bailiff was attempting to seize property at her residence to pay for a judgment against her.
Grand jury declines to indict woman in Emmett Till killing
A Mississippi grand jury has declined to indict the white woman whose accusation set off the lynching of Black teenager Emmett Till nearly 70 years ago, most likely closing the case that shocked a nation and galvanized the modern civil rights movement.
Calgary
-
Calgary schools, businesses improve ventilation to stop COVID-19 spread
When COVID-19 restrictions lifted in Alberta, the owner of Kaffeeklatsch decided to find a way to improve ventilation.
-
Upcoming federal import rules ban dog-import from select countries 'devastating' to Calgary dog rescue groups
Animal rescue groups that find Calgary foster placements and forever homes for dogs from international countries say a new federal ban importing dogs from a list of countries as a control measure against rabies unfairly hurts groups trying to help dogs.
-
Why do parts of Calgary seem unkempt? It’s a combination of things
If you’ve been noticing walkways, parks and other public spaces in Calgary that seem a bit less maintained than previous years this summer, you’re not imagining things.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon woman made checklist while planning abduction, court documents allege
A Saskatoon mother made an apparent 'checklist' while planning to vanish with her son, according to court documents
-
A Saskatoon man stabbed in an apparent random attack at a hospital has died
A man stabbed in an apparent random attack at a Saskatoon hospital has died, according to a close friend.
-
Sask. RCMP issue Amber Alert for 7-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy
An Amber Alert was issued Monday evening by Shaunavon RCMP in Saskatchewan for seven-year-old Luna Potts and eight-year-old Hunter Potts.
Regina
-
Sask. Amber Alert suspect Benjamin Moore has history of sexual offences with children: RCMP
The suspect at the centre of a Saskatchewan Amber Alert has a history of sexual offences, RCMP confirmed during a press conference Tuesday.
-
Saskatoon woman made checklist while planning abduction, court documents allege
A Saskatoon mother made an apparent 'checklist' while planning to vanish with her son, according to court documents
-
Missing swimmer found dead in Last Mountain Lake: RCMP
The body of a 71-year-old Regina man who went missing while swimming at Pelican Pointe on Last Mountain Lake, Sask. has been recovered, according to RCMP.
Atlantic
-
Efforts underway to get food, supplies to Newfoundland towns cut off by fire
The reopening of a Newfoundland highway that had been closed for days because of raging wildfires provided hope Tuesday that much-needed supplies would finally arrive in stranded communities along the island's south coast.
-
'That’s the biggest jump I’ve seen': All Maritime provinces see doctor wait lists grow
Bernadette Landry recently lost her family doctor, someone she had been seeing for years.
-
Nova Scotia removes some restrictions for medical assistance in dying
Nova Scotia is removing the requirement that someone's natural death be "reasonably foreseeable" before they can access medical assistance in dying.
Toronto
-
Five per cent increase in ODSP funding to be available in September
The Progressive Conservative government has said that recipients of the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) will start receiving their five per cent increases in September.
-
Ontario woman scammed out of $11,000 by Texas psychic she met on TikTok
An Ontario woman says she was scammed out of $11,000 after months spent working with a Texas psychic she met on TikTok following the death of her stepfather.
-
Ontario nurse facing charges after alleged assault that left 2-year-old in hospital
An Ontario nurse is facing charges in connection with the alleged assault of a two-year-old boy with “significant medical limitations” in Niagara Region.
Montreal
-
Stricter regulations needed as Montreal sees more heat waves per year
Public health officials are warning that deadly heat waves are becoming more common and people need to learn proper ways to deal with them.
-
Quebec spending on private health-care workers up by 335% in last 5 years amid labour shortage
The amount of money Quebec has spent on private health-care workers has quadrupled in the last five years as it continues to deal with a worker shortage made worse by the pandemic.
-
'We’re standing together': NDG shop owners sign petition against city's plans for new bus, taxi lanes on Queen Mary Rd.
Queen Mary Road in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grace neighbourhood is about to get four kilometres of reserved bus and taxi lanes which the city says will save commuters six minutes and 40 seconds of precious travel time.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa area health-care workers react to Ontario throne speech
In a message to Ontarians about their plans for the province, the Ford government hinted at a 'bold' new strategy for health care, but some health-care workers in the region are still concerned for the future.
-
Six suspects wanted in Ottawa robbery
Police are searching for six suspects after they say a man was driven to suburban Ottawa, assaulted, robbed and left at the side of the road.
-
Senegalese diplomat arrested by Quebec police owed former landlord more than $45,000
The detention and alleged beating by Quebec police of a Senegalese diplomat last week came as a bailiff was attempting to seize property at her residence to pay for a judgment against her.
Kitchener
-
Victim speaks out after pickup truck stolen in string of Kitchener truck thefts
Waterloo Regional Police have issued a warning after three vehicles were stolen using relay and reprogramming technology.
-
Pedestrian airlifted to hospital following Ira Needles collision
A 21-year-old has been airlifted to a Hamilton trauma centre following a collision at Ira Needles Boulevard and Erb Street in Waterloo.
-
New self-check in system at St. Mary’s emergency department in Kitchener
St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener has added a touchscreen self-check-in kiosk into its emergency department. in hopes of streamlining patients through the triage system.
Winnipeg
-
Mother of man accused of impaired driving in fatal Transcona collision charged with obstruction of justice
A Winnipeg woman has been charged in connection with a fatal collision in Transcona this past May that claimed the life of 24-year-old Jordyn Reimer.
-
Toddler killed following crash in driveway of Manitoba home
A 14-month-old girl died on Sunday after she was hit by a car in a driveway in Shamattawa.
-
When to catch the 'best show' from the Perseid meteor shower in Manitoba
The peak of a spectacular space light show is expected to happen by the end of the week.
Vancouver
-
Keremeos Creek wildfire grows to 68 sq. km as crews fight fire with fire
The Keremeos Creek wildfire has now scorched 6,838 hectares, according to the latest estimate from the B.C. Wildfire Service.
-
B.C. Greens demanding watchdog report into Telus Health be made public
The BC Green Party is asking the province to release a health-care watchdog's report into corporate care they believe may be creating a two-tiered system in the province.
-
B.C. group calls for halt of pipeline construction to protect salmon
Construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline at B.C.'s Coquihalla River started last week and Kate Tairyan has been watching it closely, devastated by what she says it's doing to the salmon.
Vancouver Island
-
'It was just planted on the log': Cougar encounter caught on camera in Campbell River, B.C.
A Vancouver Island man has caught a rare cougar encounter on video.
-
UVic union staff push back against parking fee increases
Five unions representing more than 5,000 UVic staff have reignited a petition asking the university to reconsider a planned change from annual to monthly parking passes.
-
Greater Victoria teacher permanently banned from teaching after child porn conviction
An elementary school teacher in the Greater Victoria School District had his teaching certificate permanently banned after being convicted of possessing child pornography.