The organizers of Gimli’s upcoming Pride festivities are expecting an increase in the number of people taking part in the event and have asked the municipality for more street space in order to accommodate the walk this year.
The Gimli Pride Committee asked Gimli council to approve a plan to paint rainbows at the bandstand at Gimli Harbour and at Centre Street and Fourth Avenue, raise the Pride flag on Gimli Beach during opening ceremonies, and close Centre Street from the bandstand to Fourth Avenue for about an hour for the Pride Walk.
Pride committee member Teri Nicholson said council approved all the committee’s requests at its April 23 meeting.
The pride committee is expecting even more people to attend the celebration this year and they’re going to need more asphalt.
“The reason we applied for having Centre Street closed from the bandstand to Fourth Ave. is because the crowd has grown each year and last year we no longer fit on the sidewalk,” said Nicholson. “We expect it to grow again this year.”
Gimli Sobey’s donated 102 cupcakes to the event last year and they ran out, she added.
Gimli Pride began in 2018 to celebrate diversity in the community and features a solidarity walk with messages of unity and peace, the raising of a pride flag on Gimli Beach, the painting of rainbows at designated locations and special events such as art, music and entertainment hosted by local businesses. The event is also sponsored by numerous local businesses and organizations such as the Manitoba Pride Alliance.
Working in conjunction with the festival, the municipality’s tourism department booked area musician Shandra Levreault & Happy Endings to play the Harbour Stage on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
For more information about Gimli’s Pride celebration, visit pridegimli.com
