Photo Credit – Darryl Dyck, The Canadian Press – Vancouver Sun
The culmination of Pride Week in Vancouver erupts in a grand finale of short shorts, rainbows, feather boas, and lots and lots of celebration during the 38th annual Pride Parade taking place this Sunday, July 31 from 12pm – 3pm in downtown Vancouver.
Starting at 12pm sharp on Sunday afternoon, the parade will kick-off at Robson and Thurlow, run down Denman Street and along Beach avenue to end at the huge Pride Festival at Sunset Beach, which runs until 6pm.
Image from GoToVan | Flickr.com
This year marks an exciting milestone for the Vancouver Pride Parade with Justin Trudeau participating in the July 31 parade. The Vancouver Pride Society says Trudeau will be the first sitting prime minister to take part of the celebration, which typically attracts more than 500,000 spectators each year.
Image courtesy of vl04 | Flickr.com
If you want a good spot with a view of the participants and floats, it’s a good idea to get there early. Space fills up fast for this event! With the long weekend weather report looking like nothing but sun, there may be even more spectators than usual.
Not sure where to watch the parade from? Any patio along Robson Street or Denman will be the hottest ticket, but you can also grab a curbside seat anywhere along the route to get a great view. It’s actually better to be near a big crowd because that usually gets the parade participants more energetic. Try and sit near the MCs if you want an entertaining running commentary.
Image from Vancouver Pride Society | Facebook.com
From 11am until 6pm you can visit the pride festival at Sunset Beach in English Bay for an excellent pre or post-parade party. Browse through over one hundred exhibitors in our Pride Market, including local artisans, supporters and community organizations. A variety of bands, drag performers and speakers will be featured on the main stage, with DJs spinning in the beer garden throughout the day. There will also be a family fun zone with a bouncy castle, entertainment and much more.
2016 Pride Parade Quick Details
Date: Sunday, July 31, 2016
Time: 12pm – 3pm
Route: Robson Street to Denman to Beach Avenue to Pacific
More info: Pride Guide
