Summer pride festival kicks off later this week with a jam-packed schedule

Capital Pride’s 2024 Summer Pride Festival is set to take place from August 17-25 across the nation’s capital, with more than 50 community events and a dozen signature events scheduled.

During the third week of August annually, Capital Pride hosts a nine-day festival in parks, streets, clubs and other venues across the city, celebrating Ottawa’s 2SLGBTQ+ community.

“Our mission is to create opportunities to celebrate, advocate, educate and connect people, respecting the full diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” the Capital Pride website reads.

The Summer Pride Festival is encouraging the public to ‘Listen. Learn. Act.,’ in efforts to “recognize the importance of acknowledging the diverse experiences within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, fostering understanding and empathy.”

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With the goal of enhancing solidarity, the organization is calling on the public to learn by “acknowledging the invaluable contributions and sacrifices of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, whose resilience and activism have driven progress,” it said.

While encouraging participation in advocacy, the non-profit is working to raise awareness to the ongoing battle for equality, justice and inclusion.

“Listen. Learn. Act. serves as a call to action for all individuals to actively engage with the past, listen to the voices of those who have been marginalized, and work together towards a brighter and more inclusive future,” the website reads.

A variety of sporting events, a Rainbow Party, a family picnic and the Pride Parade are a few of this year’s festival highlights.

For a full schedule of signature events, click here. A list of community events can be found on the Capital Pride website.

“We hope this festival can be a beacon for 2SLGBTQ+ folks of all ages looking to connect, find support, heal and celebrate,” wrote Capital Pride on their website.

The 2024 Summer Pride Festival’s signature events are as follows:

• Capital Pride Pageant – Aug. 17, 7-10 p.m., NAC
• Pride Pageant After Party – Aug. 17, 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., Queen St. Fare
• Family Picnic – Aug. 18, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Hintonburg Park
• Flag Raising – Aug. 19, 10-11 a.m., Ottawa City Hall
• Zaffa: A Queer Arab Showcase – Aug. 21, 8 p.m. – 10 p.m., NAC
• Capital Pride Street Festival – Aug. 24, 12 – 8 p.m., Bank Street (between Gladstone Street and Slater Street)
• Capital Pride Parade – Aug. 25, 1-4 p.m., Elgin Street & Laurier Street
• The Final Dance – Aug. 25, 6-11 p.m., Rogers Somerset Stage