Festival & Parade
Vancouver Pride Parade
July 31, 12PM—3PM, Robson, Denman St, Beach Ave
It’s finally time to get Together Again! Join Vancouver Pride Society, 2SLGBTQAI+ communities, queer serving organizations, and allies in marching for the first in-person Vancouver Pride Parade in two years. Witness history, make memories and share space with the friends and chosen family you’ve missed. Gather, take up space and be your full authentic selves—together.
Safeway Canada and Kwantlen Polytechnic University will be the fundraising flag-bearers for this year’s Toonie Brigade. The Toonie Brigade carries a giant rainbow flag where folks can throw in their toonies, which go towards making Pride what it is today!
Date: July 31, 2022
Time: 12PM—3PM
Location: Robson, Denman St, Beach Ave
Face covering policy: Masks are strongly encouraged at this event. There will be masks available at volunteer stations if needed. Please be respectful of everyone’s space and boundaries.
Transportation: There will be an accessible shuttle.
| Accessibility Shuttle to Sunset Beach Park | |
| Depart Waterfront Station – 9:40am | Arrive Sunset Beach Park – 9:50am |
| Depart Waterfront Station – 10:25am | Arrive Sunset Beach Park – 10:35am |
| Depart Waterfront Station – 11:10am | Arrive Sunset Beach Park – 11:20am |
| Accessibility Shuttle to Waterfront Station | |
| Depart Sunset Beach Park – 4:00pm | Arrive Waterfront Station – 4:15pm |
| Depart Sunset Beach Park – 5:00pm | Arrive Waterfront Station – 5:15pm |
| Depart Sunset Beach Park – 6:00pm | Arrive Waterfront Station – 6:15pm |
Water: There will be water stations along the route. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bottled water.
ASL Interpretation: ASL Interpretation will be provided at the accessible viewing zone at Sunset Beach.
Audio Descriptions: Vocaleye will be doing parade descriptions at the Sunset Beach Parade viewing zone. There will be a form made so people can reserve the necessary seating and equipment for descriptions.
Terrain: Attendees will view from the sidewalk. The sidewalk is relatively flat and obstructions will be marked in high-visibility tape, chalk or covered.
Tables and seating: The accessible viewing zones can be seen HERE, plus one near Robson and Nicola on the same side as the volunteer tent. These areas will be covered by a tent and there will be loose chairs as seating, except for at Sunset Beach where we will have a riser/bleachers.
First Aid: There will be staff members trained in First Aid. The first aid stations are the parade can be seen HERE.
Harm Reduction: The staff of Vancouver Pride Society will work alongside the onsite security and the volunteers to track and analyze any incidents at the event that may put any attendee, staff or performer at risk. Good Night Out Harm Reduction Volunteers will also be in attendance roaming the crowd.
Scent Reduction Policy: We ask performers and guests to refrain from wearing scented products; however, we cannot guarantee a completely scent-free space.
Sensory Sensitivities: The parade will be loud from lots of people and crowds. Amplified sound will also be used for music and announcements. Earplugs will be provided upon request.It will be hot and bright, so please bring sunscreen and water. There may be flashing lights.
Washrooms: There will be washrooms along the route.
Service animals are permitted.
| Route Section | Roads Closed | Times |
| Staging Area | Robson St. between Jervis St. and Burrard St. Alberni St. between Bute St. and Burrard St. Thurlow St. between W. Georgia St. and Nelson St. Bute St. between Alberni St. and Haro St. Jervis St Between Eihu Lane & Rosemary Brown lane | 7:00 am – 3:30 pm |
| Robson Street | Robson St. between Jervis St. and Denman St. *local access only until 11:30am, no access 11:30am-4:00pm | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| Denman Street | Denman St. between Robson St. and Beach Ave. *local access only until 11:30am, no access 11:30am-4:00pm | 8:30 pm – 4:00 pm |
| Beach Avenue | Beach Ave. between Denman St. and Jervis St. *local access only until 11:30am, no access 11:30am-4:00pm | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| Dispersal Area | Pacific St. between Jervis St. and Thurlow St. Beach Ave. between Jervis St. and Thurlow St. *Local access only until 12:30pm, no access 12:30pm-3:30pm. | 9:30 am – 4:30 pm |
Want to watch the parade in the comfort of CRAFT Beer Market? Buy tickets to our Parade Viewing Party for a chance to see our Parade Hosts in action!
If you don’t feel comfortable attending an in-person Vancouver Pride Parade, watch the live stream at vancouverpride.ca/live.
Vancouver Pride Parade Hosts
Yogi was one of the co-hosts of the Decentralized Pride Parade online edition last year and he is SO excited to do it again, this time as our first LIVE parade in 3 years! During the day, Yogi is a Broadcast Producer and Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Rethink, an advertising agency that just recently named the #3 Independent Agency Network in the world at Cannes Lion. In his spare time, Yogi is also the President of the Vancouver Men’s Chorus, the first POC to be the President in the choir’s 41-year history. Having been involved in the Queer community in Vancouver over the last 20 years in various capacity, he’s most excited to greet all the parade entries and seeing all the new and familiar faces in the crowd! HAPPY PRIDE, VANCOUVER!!!
Caryl is no stranger to the LGBTQ community as she is an out and proud recognized community member and has played a strong role in the Pride movement, locally, nationally, and globally. With almost 30 years of involvement with LGBTQ+ organizations, she has spent much of her life dedicated to standing up and speaking out for equality, human rights, inclusion, and diversity. Caryl is honoured to MC the Vancouver Pride Parade
Joan-e is the creation of Entertainer Robert Kaiser. Joan-E has been performing on stage for 30 years and enjoyed numerous residencies, including sixteen years as a founding member of Feather Boa Sundays at the Odyssey Nightclub. She appeared in the Universal picture, Connie and Carla, and continues to do film and television, with recent roles in The Good Doctor and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. Joan-E’s charity work, including serving as the MC of Bingo for Life, has resulted in a U.S. Congressional Award and the Golden and Diamond Jubilee Awards of Merit from Queen Elizabeth II. She is an inaugural inductee into Canada’s Queer Hall of Fame, a past Vancouver Pride Parade Grand Marshall, and served as Vancouver’s 28th Empress. Joan-E represents TELUS as their Future Friendly Drag Queen.
As a performer, host, model and LGBQ2+ activist, Kendall Gender is a bonafide Canadian drag sensation. With grassroots in Vancouver, she has performed coast to coast since 2014 and shows no signs of slowing down. Kendall is most known for being the queer ambassador for Fairmont Hotels, a member of infamous drag group ‘BRATPACK’ and a past winner of elite drag competition “Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar” in 2017. She has also just been elected as the “Empress of Vancouver” and will be raising money and representing the city for various charities as a part of the Dogwood Monarchist Society. In 2020 she was also the first drag performer to do a halftime performance at the Rugby 7’s game, performing for a crowd of 50,000 people. Always dressed to the nines and known for her explosive and high-energy performances that radiate positivity and ooze sex appeal, Kendall is a powerhouse that continues to leave audiences wanting more as her star continues to rise.
!Kona is a Vancouver-based artist, writer, and activist. Her creative and social justice-oriented work has spanned arts/ cultural, queer, feminist, Leather, and Black communities for over 20 years. She is a highly engaged citizen currently existing on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Skwxwú7mesh, and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ peoples. She considers herself part of a stolen people on stolen land. Historically masquerading as a lower mainland cultural bureaucrat by day, she has a history of compulsively organising and educating around the lives of a range of communities and intersections. She is the co-creator of the interactive QueeriodicTable art project; an experiential installation experienced in both Canada and the States. !Kona co-hosts BlackChat Vancouver.
Fiona Forbes has over 20 years experience both in front of the camera as a host and behind the scenes as a producer and is currently Senior Creative Producer and Host with Hubcast Media. Over the course of her career, she has interviewed A-listers to Prime Ministers, rock stars to astrophysicists and has garnered many awards and nominations along the way. Fiona has proudly been co-host of the televised production of the Vancouver Pride Parade since 2013 and is excited to be Senior Creative Producer with Hubcast Media working with VPS once again this year as Senior Creative Producer and as one of the hosts of the Decentralized Parade!
Conni Smudge has been over a quarter century in the making. She has performed on some of the most unlikely stages. From the Biker Bars of Nanaimo B.C. to the Grand Theatres of Europe. Besides her great performing ability, her wit, charm and approachable nature has afforded her the honour of being a highly sought after event host and spokesperson. Based out of Vancouver B.C., Mz Smudge has been the face of several initiatives, events and charities, including her appearance on Dragon’s Den with Haystax Financial, the North American OutGames, Qmunity, The Cities of North Vancouver & Vancouver, North Shore ConneXions, The Canucks, Whitecaps FC, Pride Vancouver, and The Q Hall of Fame Canada to name just a few. Her monikers include Mother to the House of Opulence, Entertainer of the Year, and she has been Sainted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. She is the proud Co-Founder of The North Shore Pride Alliance and will forever be grateful for the opportunity to make connections, building bridges by crossing them and fulfilling her purpose in life; To create space for everyone to belong, by spreading joy and understanding where ever she goes.
Kyra Philbert (she/her) is a settler who lives, works and plays on the unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm Nations. She is beyond thrilled to be an emcee for this year’s Parade! A registered nurse, an artist, and a scholar — Kyra is curious about disrupting the social conditions that create inequity. Kyra believes one of the best ways to enact this is through a reclamation of party, celebration, pleasure and joy. Pride is an excellent chance for us to collectively honour our past, present and futures, while holding onto the reality that the work of liberation is ongoing. Kyra challenges you to engage in acts of radical community care during this year’s celebration: Drink water! wear sunscreen and a hat. Share your sunscreen with a friend! Bring a reusable cup to avoid disposable waste. Pack your naloxone kit (or go get one! Hello, we are in an opioid crisis! Also, get your drugs checked) Wear a mask indoors -vaccinations! (Covid 19, monkey pox, etc). Dress to showcase your gender euphoria. Get Enthusiastic consent, consent, consent! After the Parade, don’t forget to bring your 5$ (or 10s, 20s, 50s & 100s!) to Hotlatch — an all Indigenous spectacle of queer fabulous existence —at ʔəyəlx̌ən-Iy̓álshn! See you Sunday at Denman & Nelson!
Born and raised on the unceded, ancestral lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, Shanique works passionately to carve out safer community spaces for marginalized folks to connect, create, and celebrate in. Shanique, also known as DJ Softieshan, is known her upbeat sets and all around radiant vibes. Shanique is the founder of LEVEL UP, Vancouver’s only QTBIPOC-centred hip hop dance part and has DJ’d all over Vancouver, with residencies at The Fox Cabaret, and East Side Studios. Shanique has opened for artists such as, Leikeli47, CupcakkKe and Junglepussy and has played to crowds of thousands, most notably at the 2019 Breakout Music Festival, with headliner ASAP Rocky and at Lululemon’s 2019 Sunset Festival, as opener for headliner Kaskade.
Jaylene Tyme: Empress 35 of Vancouver The Mother Court of Canada -Heir Apparent to Queen Mother I of the Americas-Empress Nicole the Great- Chairperson of the International Court Council. Jaylene is a proud Indigenous Two Spirit Trans human. As a celebrated makeup artist, performer and LGBTQ2S+ ambassador, she believes that it is important to celebrate the power of community by contributing to the energy of our world with passion and positivity. Together for each other, we have the opportunity to inspire and educate. Our identities, beautifully diverse and wonderfully unique.
Barb “megamouthmedia” Snelgrove is a multi-award-winning PR Specialist, TV/Radio Broadcaster, Writer, and Community Advocate based out of Vancouver, B.C. working on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Once named by Outtv as one of “Canada’s Top Ten LGBTQ+ People Making A Difference”, Barb is Co-Producer and Host of QueerFM Vancouver, Canada’s longest running queer radio show and is a contributor and host on Outlooktv/OutTV. Barb is a Principal of So Fierce Music, a LGBTQIA+ entertainment company focused solely on queer music artists a chance to reach their full potential. She is a member of the Canadian Queer Hall of Fame, has been recognized by the YWCA Women’ of Distinction Awards, City of Vancouver Awards of Excellence; and is a recipient of: TELUS Pride Legacy (Community Hero), Vancouver Pride Society (Community Superstar), BC Association of Broadcasters (Award of Excellence) Awards, to name but a few of her acknowledgements. Barb can be found on social media: @megamouthmedia
Angus Praught is an openly gay Vancouver-based business person, and co-owner of Gayvan.com Travel Marketing. Praught has been promoting Canada, Vancouver and Vancouver Pride to the international LGBTQ2+ travel segment for over twenty-five years around the globe. Angus has also been a regular volunteer reporter for OutLook TV since 2011, and has co-hosted TV coverage of the Vancouver Pride Parade since 2014.