Together Again: Vancouver Pride planning for in-person signature events for 2022 festival

As COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift across BC, a popular summer festival in Vancouver is planning a return to in-person programming for its signature events.

The Vancouver Pride Society (VPS) announced today that the theme of its 2022 festival will be “Together Again.” The theme was partially inspired by community organizer Shanique Khalil who hosted an event of the same name last summer.

 

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According to Lee Keple, VPS Interim-Executive Director, “Together Again” aims to celebrate the joy of reuniting and uplifting the diverse 2SLGBTQAI+ communities in the city and beyond.

“Each year in Vancouver, the Pride festival offers an opportunity for our community to come together in inclusivity and unity,” said Keple in a release. “For the past two Pride seasons, we’ve had to adapt the festival in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, curating and delivering virtual and at-home programming. As public health restrictions lift here in British Columbia, a safe return of public events is highly-anticipated.”

VPS shared that it’s planning for “business as usual” with events and activities this summer, including the return of the Sunset Beach Festival and the annual Pride Parade, which draws an estimated 400,000 spectators to downtown Vancouver.

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The society is currently wait-listing applications for the Vancouver Pride Parade, which is scheduled for Sunday, July 31. Nominations are also open for this year’s Pride Grand Marshals, who historically have been 2SLGBTQAI+ serving groups or individuals who have made a positive difference in their communities.

“As we celebrate Vancouver Pride 2022, we recognize those whose activism contributes to the betterment of our communities while inspiring others to join,” said Michelle Fortin, Chair of VPS in a statement.

Vancouver Pride’s Sunset Beach Festival at the end of the Pride Parade route. (LeonWang/Shutterstock)

VPS also announced that they will continue to offer virtual programming throughout this year’s festival and that the organization is committed to ensuring everything they create and deliver is as accessible and inclusive as possible.

A beloved annual Pride event making its long-awaited return this spring is the Unicorn Ball on Friday, May 13 at the Imperial. The in-person 19+ event is an “unconventional and outlandish” dance party that raises funds for VPS’s Community Bursaries, a program giving back to equity-seeking communities.

Tickets for the Unicorn Ball will go on sale on April 1 at vancouverpride.ca/tickets.

Daily Hive is a proud media partner of the Vancouver Pride Society