Former North Battleford resident Celine Dejion performs during the inaugural Pride Week drag show. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

LIP SYNC FOR YOUR LIFE

Packed house takes in Pride Week drag show

Aug 22, 2019 | 5:12 PM

It was an evening of music and entertainment.

For the first time, Battlefords Pride hosted a family-friendly drag show as part of Pride Week festivities.

Mika Kahnapace was one of the performers. She said she often performs with friends and partakes in plenty of cosplay so getting up on stage was an easy task.

She was very surprised and excited at the size of the turnout for the initial event in North Battleford.

Mika Kahnapace was one of the many performs on the bill Wednesday night. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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“It is always important,” to hold events like these, she said. “The LGBTQ+ community is always usually a minority so it is nice to have family-friendly events like this as there are not a lot.”

Kahnapace said she works in a very public job and since the community has started to celebrate pride, she’s found the acceptance level has grown.

“There is a lot more people coming out, which is nice. Before pride, there wasn’t a lot of support and it was a very isolating place,” she said. “We are in a small town in the middle of Saskatchewan.”

A number of drag queens showed up to be part of the inaugural Pride Week event. (Tyler Marr/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Battlefords Pride President Bobbisue Thompson was overwhelmed with the turnout, saying there were more people who attended the drag show than turned out for the organization’s entire inaugural pride festivities.

“I am beyond ecstatic,” she said. “People are starting to realize we are out here and we are here for everybody.”

Other events planned for Pride Week include music in Battleford Lion’s Park under the gazebo, a parade on Saturday alongside a Pride Festival with live music in Library Park.

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cjnbnews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow