Downtown Owen Sound came alive yesterday with the annual pride parade.
People lined the sidewalks of 2nd Avenue East as parade participants danced, cheered and played music, making their way to the Owen Sound Farmers’ Market.
Grey Bruce Pride Communications Director and Co-chair of the Owen Sound Pride Parade Rachel Paterson says the event was great.
“We had about eight schools, we had a lot of different agencies, we had 500 people roughly that had registered to walk or march or roll or strut all the way through the main street. It’s one thing when you are getting all set up, you don’t see the crowds gathering, so it’s always so lovely to be able to see the mass amount of people when you are actually out on the street,” says Paterson.
Owen Sound Pride Parade (Photo by Nathan Shubert)
She says in addition to a vendors market being held at the Owen Sound Farmers’ Market following the parade, they also took over the area in front of the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library.
“We have got a whole youth zone, we have got some inflatables, lots of activities, we have got a gender affirmation station and stuff. I think we are just really happy with the turnout,” says Patterson.
Owen Sound Pride Parade (Photo by Nathan Shubert)
The pride parade is set to to hit the streets of Kincardine and Dundalk next week.
A full list of Pride events happening this month can the found on the Grey Bruce Pride Facebook page here.