Gay Pride Toronto is not an event you can afford to miss this year. The 35th annual opening party starts on Friday, June 19th at 8PM on the BIA Stage (Church street, between Maitland and Alexander), and we welcome Youtube sensation Todrick Hall. He brings his infectious energy, parodies and remixed hits to the city along with host Ryan G. Hinds. The party doesn’t stop there, though! From the 20th through the 28th, Toronto plays host to DJs, dancers, musicians, filmmakers, artisans, chefs, and people from all walks of life with a myriad of different talents in the LGBT community. Outlined below are just a few of the many events, more information of which can be found a the Pride Toronto Official Website.
June 20th – Pride & Prejudice: Our Human Rights Conference
A one-day-long human rights conference filled with thought-provoking discussions, with panelists tackling issues of identities and experiences in the LGBT community. A must-attend for anyone concerned with your rights (so, everyone should be here!). 9AM – 6PM, located at University College at the U of T, room 140. Join us afterward for our Freedom Party for an evening of fun and entertainment in support of Rainbow Railroad.
June 21st – WE PLAY – Sweetness Pride Beach Party
Celebrate Pride 2015’s opening in style at the waterfront with one of the biggest circuit parties, featuring performances by Aron, Jodis Harsh, and Jeremy Khamked. Look for the big pink umbrellas!
June 22nd – John Waters; Flag-Raising Ceremony at City Hall
John Waters, filmmaker and cool mustache enthusiast, shows us parts of his lecture series “This Filthy World”, wherein he speaks about exploitation films, fashion, and the extremes of the contemporary art world at the Ryerson Theatre. The annual flag raising ceremony takes place at noon at City Hall – don’t miss either of these!
June 23rd – AIDS Candlelight Vigil
Join us at 9PM at Barbara Hall Park and show your support for Getting to Zero: zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths. Also help commemorate friends and family who have passed or are currently living with AIDS.
June 24th – Mado Frenches Toronto, Cabana Pool Party
Mado la bitch: provocative and extravagant drag queen, cabaret performer, queen of kitsch, and owner of the Cabared Mado in Montreal, returns for Pride with a ton of tasty goodies for you! Strap yourselves in for the performance of a lifetime at the Alliance Francaise Toronto located at 24 Spadina Rd. Don’t tire yourselves out on Mado, though: the Cabana Pool Party goes from 6pm – 1am at the Cabana Pool Bar, located at 11 Polson St. Enjoy the setting sun over the waterfront with DJ Sollors (all the way from Vancouver!) and DJ Delicious, who will keep the party going til the wee hours.
June 25th – Starry Night
Kick off the last weekend of Pride with legendary performances by Ireland’s Panti Bliss, Ru Paul’s Drag Race season 7 queen Trixie Mattel, along with Billy L’Amour, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Tynomi Banks and more! Also includes special musical guests Don Mescal, JS Leblanc, and DJ Mado Lamotte. This even is at the 519 Church St. Community Centre.
June 26th – Trans*Pride Fair & Trans*Pride March, Bend it Like Bombay, Burlesque A Go-Go, Sydney Blu
Head out to the Trans*Pride Fair from 2pm – 7pm at Norman Jewison Parkette on Isabella street and see local artisans in the Trans* community showcasing their wares. After the fair, the Trans*Pride March starts at 7pm on the North Stage (Church St. at Isabella), and is the largest annual event of the Trans* community in Canada. It is for Trans* identified people to rally in solidarity, and the march finishes at Yonge-Dundas Square for a free-to-attend all-ages showcase of Trans* artists. Celebrate our out, loud and proud Trans* community with special guests Chaz Bono and S. Bear Bergman, as well as performances by Crackpuppy, The Cliks, Buck Angel, and Mx. Justin Vivian Bond.
Also on the 26th is Bend it Like Bombay, a show of passion and color through music and dance from Bombay. Performances feature Bombay superstar Celina Jatily, along with DJ Amita, Divine Heritage Artistry, and Broken Dance Company.
Later in the evening, head over to Burlesque A Go-Go and see the sultry and sexy side of Pride with the largest burlesque revue in Canada. With up-and-comers performing alongside seasoned burlesque vets, the lineup includes hosts Belle Jumelles, Dainty Box and Johnny B Good. Taking the stage is HiM Promotions, DD Star, Boylesque TO, Nerd Girl Burlesque, Tristan Ginger, and more! Wrapping up the night is Eddie Martinez dishing out sexy beats to carry you even higher.
And if burlesque isn’t your thing, you might want to check out Sydney Blu in 50 Shades of Blu. Sydney is a Toronto-based vocal supporter of the Pride community as well as an electronic music superstar.
June 27th – Dyke March, #DYKEVERSITY, Bear Garden, Pan Americano, Drag on!, Family Pride, Fruit Loopz, Northern Lights, Community Cabaret Saturday
The last Saturday of Pride will definitely be the loudest – and the most packed. Dyke March goes from 2pm – 4pm, with pre-march sign making at Church & Bloor. The march is for women and Trans* people to demonstrate politically, and is partnered with #DYKEVERSITY, a movement dedicated to thriving and diverse communities of women-loving women. It is hosted by Deb Pearce, Kate Moennig and Camila Grey. Also features performances by DJ Irene, Ana Paula, and Ana Rezende.
Hibernation ends today with Bear Garden, where bears and ‘bear necessities’ (nudge nudge) can get together and enjoy entertainment by LA superstar Paulo, as well as David Audé, Nick Bertossi, and Neill MacLeod. Grab your big, hairy man candy and head on over to the OLG Central Stage at 2pm.
The Pan Americano Brazilian Ball starts at sunset on the TD Wellesley Stage, where tango dancers twirl mesmerizingly until dawn. Performers feature Amannda, Ana Paula, and Thiago Vibe.
Drag On! is going to be bigger this year than ever before! With the anniversary of Toronto’s 35th Pride celebration, Drag On! will celebrate this milestone by presenting you with 35 drag performers! Kitty Glitter returns to Pride Toronto, and joining her is Bianca Del Rio, glamorous host and winner of last year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Family Pride takes place over two days, the 27th and the 28th, from 10am – 5pm at the Church Street Junior Public School. Family Pride celebrates families, and strives to strengthen the community through vibrant, creative, and engaging activities and programs.
Fruit Loopz returns to Pride Toronto for its fifteenth year to showcase dozens of developing artists performing and exhibiting in a variety of art practices, from live music to film and spoken word. Fruit Loopz is in collaboration with Support Our Youth and Buddies in Bad Times, and takes place at Alexander Parkette at 2pm.
Northern Lights takes place at the North Stage from 2pm – 11pm and features a variety of DJs, live music and spoken word performances throughout the day. It is our non-stop showcase of Trans* and gender independent artists – don’t miss it!
Community Cabaret Saturday starts with a huge variety of live music, drag, burlesque and other cabaret acts from all over North America. The TD Village Stage gets taken over at 2pm and the party continues until 11pm with acts like the K-pop-tacular DestinAsian showcase with DJ Quinces, and the DestinAsian Dance Crew.
June 28th – LAST DAY OF PRIDE – The Last Dance, Dirty Disco, The Final Play, Blockorama, Pride Parade, Alterna-Queer, North Stars, Community Cabaret Sunday
The last day of Pride Toronto is going to be one for the books this year, with literal tons of different acts and groups and performers sending out the 35th year of Pride Toronto in style. It all starts on the OLG Central Stage with your ‘last dance, last chance!’ featuring some of the hottest DJs around. Performances feature Tom Stephan, a NYC superstar, who is joined by some of Canada’s best talents including SoundSyster, DJ John Caffery and Josh Karmin.
The party continues over at the Bud Light South Stage with Dirty Disco – originally created and curated 13 years ago by the legendary Dr. Trance. Come get down and dirty with us and acts including Miss Raquel, MC Flipside, JELO, Deko-ze, Ticky Ty, Jerome Robins, and many more!
Molson Canadian Yonge-Dundas Square is playing host to The Final Play, the end of the official Pride Toronto Parade and the festival’s blowout finale. Bring your parade costumes and energy to keep the momentum going throughout the evening. Pride Toronto International Grand Marshalls Pussy Rio and David Furnish take the stage, with DJ Dani Toro and performances from Lights, Mounties, The Mohrs, The Last Year, Carole Pope, and Melleefresh.
Blockorama takes over the TD Wellesley Stage at noon and features over 20 performances throughout the day and evening, including headliners Sharaya J and Destra Garcia. Blockorama is programmed by Blackness Yes!, a committee made up of members of Toronto’s black queer and Trans* communities.
Alexander Parkette plays host to Alterna-Queer, the annual showcase of queer-core, punk, trash-drag and indie bands. If you’re looking for something a little more off the beaten track, Alterna-Queer might be the event for you! Performances feature GASH and legendary rockers My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult.
Our non-stop showcase of Trans* and gender independent artists continues at North Stars, conveniently located on the North Stage, with headliner Lucas Silveira of The Cliks for an unplugged solo performance.
The Community Cabaret continues with more live music, drag, burlesque and cabaret acts from all over North America, feature the Queer Ceilidh, Irish Mythen, and Scotland’s own Rura and the Canadian Queens extravaganza, alongside a variety of established and emerging drag artists. Hosted by one of Toronto’s best-loved drag personalities, the lovely and talented Sylvia.
Here it is, folks, the reason we all go to Pride Toronto in the first place: the Pride Parade! Featuring over 150 participating groups, watch as Toronto communities share their stories through art, costumes, choreography and music along Bloor and Yonge. The parade kicks off at 2pm from the corner of Church and Bloor, and goes all the way down to Yonge-Dundas Square, where the party continues on into the night with The Final Play (which was mentioned above!). This is the culminating event of Pride Toronto, and our 35th year will undoubtedly be the best one yet – see you there!
Ongoing Events: Street Fair
Come check out local artisans and a selection of delicious food on Church, Wellesley and Alexander Streets on the 26th from 7pm – 1am, the 27th from noon – 1am, and the 28th from noon – 11pm.
You can check the full festival schedule for Toronto Pride 2015 at the Pride Toronto Website.
Play safe and have fun! Happy Pride everyone!
