The South Okanagan Similkameen (SOS) Pride Society is hosting the first Pride Arts Festival featuring live entertainment, a Pride march, artisans, food trucks and more.
The inaugural event will be held on Saturday Sept. 24, at Gyro Park in Osoyoos.
The festival is in partnership with Wide Arts National Association with the support of the Town of Osoyoos as well as many local businesses.
“This event is important in establishing safe and inclusive environments for all people living in Osoyoos and throughout the entire South Okanagan and Similkameen region,” said SOS in a press release.
“The festival is about celebrating diversity, equality and inclusion and making space for marginalized identities to shine and share their talents and gifts.”
The festival will begin with an opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on the bandshell stage including a land acknowledgement and welcome commemorating the festival’s values of diversity, inclusion and equity as well as sharing the history of Pride.
Following the opening, a walking Pride March will take place beginning at 11 a.m. leaving from Gyro Park, walking along the sidewalk beside Osoyoos lake, then up and around onto Main Street/Crowsnest Hwy 3 to follow the sidewalk back to Gyro Park. People are encouraged to carry flags, dress up, wear face paint.
Live entertainment at the bandshell will begin at 11:30 ending at 8 p.m.
Dancers of various genres, poets, singer/songwriters, drag performers and full bands will grace the stage throughout the day. A goal of the organizing committee was to highlight performing artists who identify within the 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, plus more) and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) communities.
The boardwalk will also be lined with amazing artisan vendors all day as well as food trucks.
Firehall Brewery and Stag’s Hollow Winery will also be on site serving beer and wine.
To learn more, visit sospride.ca or check out SOS Pride event page on Facebook @SOSPride.
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