The stormy weather that accompanied the 2024 Pride March at Davis Bay on June 2 only amplified the twists and turns embodied in its theme: No Place Like Home.
"It's a nod to The Wizard of Oz and all the queer culture linked to that film," said Adriana Lademann of the Sunshine Coast Pride Society. The recently incorporated society coordinated the parade and festival following weeks of preparatory volunteer work parties.
"We want everyone to know this is a place they can come home to," added Lademann. "We're a small town. You can come home to it and be who you are. You don't have to mask when you come back."
Marchers passed under an inflatable rainbow portal into Mission Point Park. The message was clear: they were entering a place of radical acceptance for the 2SLGBTQAI+ community.
Fifty-five years ago, the fight for queer rights triggered riots in New York's Greenwich Village. Today on the Sunshine Coast, it has blossomed into a family-friendly picnic exalting gender diversity.
Members of St. John's United Church also joined the parade after its congregation gathered for a Pride Day-themed worship service. Representatives of School District 46 raised a banner. Manly Nipkiss, a suavely mustachioed member of the Coast's resident drag troupe Pine 'n' Sandy, led crowds from the Davis Bay Pier to Mission Point.
The flowering of June into Pride Month on the Coast — which this year began officially with flag-raising events in Gibsons and Sechelt on May 31 — is rooted in one of its longest-running traditions. A dozen years ago, women's dances were organized at Roberts Creek Hall. "Then we started doing dances for everybody," recalled Bet Cecil, a longtime member of the Pride Dance Committee. Movie screenings followed. Pride in the Park pioneer Laurie Lesk coordinated the first gatherings at Mission Point.
The dance still anchors local celebrations. A youth dance is scheduled for June 21, followed by a 19+ dance the next day, featuring line dancing with Emily Mae and music by DJ Little D and Buzy B. Blue Ocean Golf Course hosts the annual Pride scramble the following afternoon, featuring carts outfitted with exuberant decoration.
The mix of events can be intoxicating — literally. Persephone Brewery, the Gibsons Legion, 101 Brewhouse and Tapworks are hosting Pride parties and trivia nights. Performers from the Pine 'n' Sandy troupe are everywhere, including two full-length shows on June 15. Their members will also appear at a special event hosted by the Sunshine Coast Astronomy Club. "Pride Under the Stars,” on June 7, zooms into the history of innovative research by queer scientists.
June is also National Indigenous History Month, a fact reflected in the Indigenous Pride Walk scheduled for June 16 in Gibsons. A picnic on Armours Beach will follow.
"For a small, rural community, there is a lot of really strong support [here]," said Lademann. The Pride Society is fundraising for year-round initiatives that will provide resources and support for community members. "By creating a central hub, we can find out who those allies are and highlight them to the community so we know where to go that is going to be accepting and safe."
Full Pride Month event listings are available online at prideonthecoast.com and sunshinecoastpride.com.
