Pride Rainbow
I wish it were Pride Week every week!
It’s been a busy month for the Centres, to say the least. For those of you who have been living under a rock, the 2012 Saskatoon Pride Festival took place last week. And what a week it was! Jack, Natalya, and I were busy attending events around the city all week, but my favourite, by far, was the Pride Parade on Saturday.
This year's Pride Parade was the largest in Saskatoon history, with approximately 4,000 people in attendance. The number almost doubled from the 2,500 attendees of last year’s Parade. Our group was situated near the front of the Parade and behind us was a sea of positive energy and spirits outfitted in rainbows! At one point during the Parade, everyone looked up to see a rainbow circling the sun. It was spectacular! I heard someone say in the crowd, “the universe loves us!”. At that moment, I knew I was apart of something so incredibly wonderful and significant. The power of love, respect, and equality can be far greater than any hateful word or violent act. I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of pride as I continued walking in solidarity with my friends and loved ones. No wonder they call it Pride!
The rest of the day was magical. We couldn’t have asked for better weather and Victoria Park proved to be an awesome venue. The USSU Centres had a table set up at the community fair along with various other organizations. There was also live music and a beer garden. The afternoon turned out perfectly.
After a quick catnap and fresh clothes, Jack, Nat, myself, and some other friends hit up Diva’s High Energy Disco Drag & Studio 54 Party. It was packed! I’ve never seen so many sweaty bodies squished into such a small space before. By the end of the night, after dancing for hours, I was a clammy mess. It was time to call it night at 2:30 am.
The day was one of the best days I’ve had in along time. I connected with so many wonderful people and had a blast! Pride is a truly important event to encourage community, acceptance, and awareness in Saskatoon. And while its purpose is essential to the growth and betterment of our community, Pride maintains a fun, easygoing ambiance that compares to no other festival in Saskatoon. Like I said probably a thousand times on Saturday, “I wish it were Pride Week every week.”
Heather
Photo Cred: Tristan Becker
http://third-meaning.com/
