Blogger: Cynthia Bragg

Last year was my first time attending Halifax's Pride Parade, but it won't be the last.  It was just such a great time!  I loved the crowd. They lined the streets, families and friends, all ages, all walks of life. I loved the energy, everyone in a great mood.  The sun was shining and the vibe was fantastic.

As the parade began there was plenty of excitement to go around.  Halifax Regional Municipality Police began the parade looking very proud indeed marching with flags and riding on horses.

But it was group of drummers that really kicked off the parade for me.  You couldn't help but get your groove on to the beat of those drums.  The crowd was already on their feet, all we needed was a reason to dance.

To me this is what the Pride parade is all about, people celebrating who they are and enjoying life.  As the parade progressed, the dancing continued, with a rainbow of colourful people and floats as far as the eye could see.  Community organizations, local companies, radio stations and officials joined in the festivities and one could hear "Happy Pride" echoing throughout the streets!  I think my favourite part of the parade came at the end when a float with DJ Sonny D paused with just a few people on a flat bed.  All of the sudden a small crowd ran up and hopped on board and the float turned into a party with more people joining further down the road. 

After the parade, we headed over to Garrison grounds for some more of the festivities. There were some bouncy castles for the kids and some performances by local musicians.  It was a great day.

Halifax Pride Week runs from July 18-25.  Be sure to check out the events throughout the week.