We are so excited to come together again for the Victoria Pride Festival in the Park on June 26, 2022. As always, this is an all-ages event with something for everyone.

 

The past two years have provided many learning opportunities for us to better foster community connection as we return to in-person Pride events. Here are 11 new things to look forward to or be aware of at this year’s Victoria Pride Festival in the Park.

 

 

Extended Hours

 

The Pride Festival in the Park will be open from 10:00am until 8:00pm on June 26. Opening ceremonies will happen on the David Tillson Main Stage at 1:00pm with live performances beginning shortly afterwards. 

 

The beverage service will open at 11:00am with a variety of drinks from Lighthouse Brewing and Straight and Narrow. Last call will be at 7:30pm.

 

New Festival Experience

This year’s Pride Festival in the Park has been re-imagined to create an experiential multi-faceted queer themed, family-friendly festival with music, fun activities and drag story time. There will be more space to move around and to social distance. You’ll find dedicated areas for vendors, food trucks and a large main stage. There will also be a kids’ corner with a dedicated stage and fun activities like a virtual reality simulator, soccer activation, bouncy castle and more!

 

 

Fully Fenced and Licensed Venue

The entire festival grounds will be fenced and fully licenced so you can move around and take in the full experience while social distancing. Those wishing to drink will need to provide appropriate ID and will be issued a non-transferable wrist band. 

 

Entrance through Pride Lane at Oswego and Niagara

Attendees of all ages can enter through Pride Lane in the southeast corner of the park, close to the intersection of Oswego and Niagara. Nearby streets around the festival will be blocked off for pedestrians. Please be aware that the liquor license requires water bottles to be poured out and bags to be checked prior to entry. There will be free water stations in the park to refill your water bottles. 

 

Please note that smoking and drugs are not permitted in the park and dogs must be kept on a leash (please pick up after your pet!). You are allowed to leave and come back to the park at any time.

 

Secure Bike Parking

Ride to Pride! We are excited to be offering secure bike parking by donation (no one turned away). Cyclists can enter near the baseball diamond in the southeast corner of the park. You will be able to lock up your bike in this area and a volunteer will give you a bracelet that you can use to claim your bike when you leave. Only those with this bracelet will be able to access the bike lock up area. While volunteers will be in the area at all times, Victoria Pride does not assume liability for lost or damaged bikes. All bikes must be picked by 8:00pm. 

 

Main Stage + Kids’ Corner Stage

The David Tillson Main stage will feature the best local 2SLGBTQIA+ talent. We will also have a smaller stage in the Kids’ Corner that will include entertainment between 1:30 and 4:30pm.

 

Vicious Poodle Pride Lounge (19+)

We are excited to be partnering with the Vicious Poodle to offer the Vicious Poodle Pride Lounge as part of the Festival in the Park. The lounge will be open to our Friends of Pride partners and ticket holders. The lounge will offer a special experience within the Festival including a covered stage viewing area, games, fast-track entry to the festival, premium drinks for purchase, priority washrooms, comfortable seating and meet and greets with many of the main stage performers. Tickets for the Vicious Poodle Pride Lounge are $40 in advance available through Eventbrite or $50 at the door. Access through the passholder entrance (see map above!). 

More Vendors to Explore

Our new layout has allowed us to increase the number of vendors in the park so there is so much more to explore! Among these, both a merch and queer history booth will be at Pride House near the festival entrance. 

 

More Food Options

There will be more than 20 food options at the festival to satisfy whatever craving you might have! 

 

Focus on Accessibility

The festival includes a volunteer team dedicated to accessibility. Those with accessibility needs will be able to be dropped off and enter through a dedicated entrance off the Montreal Street Alley. Once in the festival, assistance will be available to get to the accessible viewing platform and calm zone. There will also be lots of seating available throughout the park.

 

Suggested Donation: $5+

Victoria Pride is a primarily volunteer-led organization and we have worked extremely hard to keep the Pride Festival in the Park accessible to all. Like all festivals, we have seen an extremely large increase in our logistics costs compared to 2019. A donation of any amount can help keep Victoria Pride accessible to all. However, no one will be turned away.

 

We can’t wait to welcome you to Victoria Pride Festival in the Park on June 26th! For the latest information, check out the Victoria Pride Society’s Pride Festival in the Park webpage.