The annual Gimli Pride celebration last Friday and Satursay saw an increase in the number of participants taking part in parade to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
This town has held a Pride event since 2018. This year’s event attracted over 150 people to the walk.
Teri Nicholson, who sits on the Gimli Pride board and oversees the walk, said it was a great event with strong support.
“By what I saw, everything was very successful,” said Nicholson, who was in the midst of meeting with the board. “We have quite a few new committee members and volunteers, which is always great, along with strong support from sponsors.”
The two-day celebration on June 13 and 14 included opening ceremonies with the raising of the Pride flag on Gimli Beach, the lighting of the Viking statue in rainbow colours, a screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, a Pride coffee house, a women’s event at the Ship & Plough pub, a party on Interlake Brewing’s rooftop patio and musician Shandra Levreault and the Happy Endings on the Gimli Bandstand.
Nicholson said the municipality blocked off Centre Street this year so that people could have more room for the parade. Every year the number of people taking part in the walk increases.
“This is the first year we have had Centre St. blocked off by the RM so the 150-plus participants could have more room while following the lead of the always popular FAF Marching Band, who visit from Winnipeg,” said Nicholson. “This worked really well.”
Board member Tammy Axelsson thanked the RM’s mayor and council for their continued support of Pride.
“On behalf of the Pride Gimli Committee I would like to express sincere appreciation for the continued support of our event. The Pride Gimli event as you know, has grown each year from very humble beginnings and this would not have been possible without full support of our mayor and council and with the assistance from RM staff,” she wrote in a letter to council. “The rainbows at the bandstand and Centre, and the raising of the Pride flag to fly for the month of June add so much to the Opening Ceremonies on Friday and it speaks volumes about the inclusive and welcoming community Gimli is and has always been.”
