Heather Peters and Josephine Kroeker (a.k.a Baeker Kraeker) speak of Saskatoon Pride Parade and Festival as a gathering made up of people from many parts and phases of their lives. Heather remembers gathering for the parade one year and running into people from her hometown where she grew up, people who she went to university with, and people that she works with now – all there to celebrate Pride.
The festival brings together many facets of our community – our librarians, our teachers, our sports team, our health care workers, our coworkers, our friends, and of course our family. As one of our city’s main events where everyone intersects, mingles, and makes new connections, the Saskatoon Pride Festival is a prime opportunity for businesses and organizations to show their support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Any school, university, business, sports team or community organization that supports 2SLGBTQ+ rights is welcome to join the Saskatoon Pride Parade as a marching group or with a vehicle or float.As Heather and Josephine mentioned, being in the parade is a very special experience as the route is totally lined with supportive fans, cheering and applauding. A lot of groups in the parade hand out trinkets, beads, or candy along the way so watching the parade can be just as exciting as being in it!
The route of the Saskatoon Pride Parade has been the same for the last few years, starting at the foot of the University Bridge, winding through the heart of downtown, and ending at River Landing, where the Pride Parade turns into the bustling Pride Festival with local entertainment that lasts all afternoon and into the night. The outdoor stage is set against the backdrop of the South Saskatchewan River and Saskatchewan’s famous living sky. The dance floor is lined by concrete risers and grassy slopes for sitting, and there is even a spray park directly next to the stage so the kiddos can be just as entertained as you are and also in eyesight.
Stretching across the river on the Victoria Bridge, the Pride Market is full of local vendors selling clothing, jewelry, and art and of course the food trucks with everything from Alpha Dog Waffles to Soom Soom’s falafels.
The Saskatoon Pride Beer Gardens is a fenced off portion of Spadina Crescent East that can still look down on the stage below, with room for you and all your friends, both the long-time ones you came with and the ones you just met!
Saskatoon Pride Parade and Festival is truly a coming together of many facets from our community and beyond, making it the perfect opportunity for businesses and organizations to get their name out there and show support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community as an official entry in the parade, as a vendor, or as a sponsor. Visit www.saskatoonpride.ca for more information.