The raising of the Pride flag outside City Hall has marked the start of Saint John Pride Week celebrations.
A few dozen people gathered on Tuesday morning for the 19th annual flag raising in the city.
This is the first year that Saint John Pride will host in-person events since the start of the pandemic. Last year, Pride NB — a new group comprised of pride committees from Saint John, Fredericton, and Moncton — teamed up to host a series of virtual events.
Michael Cummings, president of Saint John Pride, said it is important for members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to be able to come together.
“Not all individuals are living in safe spaces and are living with roommates and parents that are accepting and supportive so to be able to get out with the community is a big deal,” Cummings told reporters after the event.
A number of events will take place over the coming days, including an art show, a variety show, a history panel, and a drag showcase.
Saint John Pride will also welcome Mark Tewksbury, Canada’s first openly gay Olympian, who will share his story at the Imperial Theatre on Thursday night.
“It’s a big deal for Saint John Pride to bring in someone of this caliber,” said Cummings. “To have him come and share his story with the city is great.”
A few dozen people gathered at Saint John City Hall this morning for the 19th annual Pride Flag raising to kick off Pride Week in the city. Among the highlights this week is an event with Mark Tewksbury, Canada’s first openly gay Olympian. pic.twitter.com/uyqmlgSu93
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) August 3, 2021
This year’s schedule of events does not include the annual Pride parade. Cummings said the board decided to forego the parade because of COVID-19.
“Even though we’re back in the green, the parade does draw quite a large crowd and we’ve just opted not to proceed with that this year and hopefully we’ll be back to having a parade next year,” he said.
Cummings, who has been part of Saint John Pride for the past seven years, said they are pleased to see support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community continue to grow each year.
“There’s just more and more people and businesses that want to get on board and join in on the celebration, whether it’s attending events in person or contributing financially,” he said.
“Some people may think that Saint John isn’t progressive, it isn’t accepting, but in actuality, Saint John has a lot of support and a lot of people in the community that are here and who are open and welcoming.”
You can find the full list of events on Saint John Pride’s website.
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