Volunteers came out on June 28 to celebrate Pride in the Town of Lashburn by painting this rainbow crosswalk. Pride Week starts in the Battlefords on July 17. (Submitted photos/Danelle Allen)

By battlefordsNOW staff

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Battlefords Pride getting ready to celebrate this month

Jul 4, 2022 | 10:00 PM

Battlefords Pride is gearing up to celebrate diversity in the community again this year.

Pride Week will take place from Sunday, July 17 to Sunday, July 24, with the annual parade planned for Saturday, July 23.

While most Pride events are held in June, the local Pride group likes to celebrate a little later to give people a chance to also attend other events in Saskatchewan.

Kelly Waters, secretary on the Pride committee, said with the pandemic restrictions now lifted, there should be a strong showing for all the activities in the Battlefords.

“Covid is still out there and we still have to be careful about it but people are a lot more comfortable going out in public now and participating in public events.”

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Leading up to Pride Week, volunteers will paint the Rainbow crosswalk in Battleford on July 13 at 6 p.m.

Then, on July 17 at 10 a.m. they will get started on painting the Rainbow crosswalk in front of the public library in North Battleford.

On July 18 a flag-raising ceremony and cake-cutting event will take place outside North Battleford City Hall at 11:30 a.m.

On July 19 an event called “Queers and Beers,” with trivia games takes place at The Downstairs Bar at 8 p.m.

Then, on July 20 a bowling night is in the works at Gutters Bowling.

On July 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. organizers will feature an arts and crafts workshop with artist Holly Hildebrand at the Lion’s Park gazebo in Battleford.

Activities for the next day include a movie night at the Capital Theatre, with admission by donation, featuring the film: “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything.”

On July 23 starting at 1 p.m. the Pride Parade will take place in North Battleford.

Then, beginning at 2 p.m., the Pride “Family Circus Day” will get underway. The event will be held at Kinsmen Park in North Battleford, and will include face painting, airbrush tattoos, vendors, and entertainment.

“There has been a lot of support with sponsors and grants, especially BATC [Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Inc.],” Waters said. “They are just amazing. We wouldn’t be having the circus or the entertainment without them.”

Battlefords Pride is excited to have singer-songwriter LJ Tyson come here to perform as the headline entertainer starting at 6 p.m. Waters said he has become quite an in-demand performer at Pride events in the area.

“He is someone who is a bit of a minor celebrity in Saskatchewan,” Waters noted. “He’s a very good musician.”

The July 24 highlights include the YXE Collective Drag Show called “The Prairie Invasion Tour,” taking place at the Cadet Hall building, just off Territorial Drive, with an all-ages show at 7 p.m., followed by an 18-plus show at 9 p.m.

For more details on all the Pride activities, visit the Battlefords Pride Facebook Page.

Waters added it’s essential for the Battlefords to keep showing its Pride spirit each year to continue to raise awareness of the need to celebrate diversity in the community.

“There is never any shortage of people coming up and telling us stories of times they weren’t treated well in this community and other communities too,” she said. “So it is really, really important.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW