Guelph spring Pride will celebrate in-person this year after a two-years of Pride events online.
The last time Pride was in person was winter Pride in February 2020.
Out-on-the-Shelf (OOTS) runs pride through their Guelph Pride, which is part of Pride month, organizing committee.
“The Pride committee had very been on top of trying to come up with creative new ideas as well. It definitely shaped a lot of the programming just having to be online,” said Barry Moore, OOTS board of directors chair. “There are definitely some programs that may have not existed in the same way if that had never happened.”
There will still be three online events, an event they call Gaymes Night, BIPOC Speed-friending and Youth Craft Social.
Moore said they focus on more family-oriented events since many students from the University of Guelph are not in the city during the spring and summer.
Some of the in-person Pride events which will run from June 10 to 19 are Pride in the park, karaoke, queer prom, BIPOC dance party and a Nighthawks Pride game.
The Nighthawks game was an event they were planning for June 2020 but had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
“It’s an event that people are pretty excited for,” said Moore.
The queer community in Guelph is a very dedicated and passionate community explained Moore. A lot of the same people who attend queer events also are involved in volunteering in the social service sector that serves the queer community in Guelph, they said.
“People have really been craving some of these in-person social events. So I think it’s going to be really exciting this year.”
Pride in Guelph started on June 14, 2003 by members of the queer community who hosted a Pride picnic. By 2006 instead of a picnic a dance was hosted for Pride. By 2008 Pride in Guelph became more than dance, instead it hosted many events in June for Pride. In 2013, the first winter pride was created to engage university students in pride events.
The purpose of Guelph Pride is to celebrate diversity and visibility of the LGBTQIAA+ community.
Here is the schedule of events for spring Pride 2022:
- Queer-eoke on Friday, June 10 starting at 7:30 p.m. at Wellington Brewery
- Pride in the Park on Saturday June 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Sweating Glitter on Saturday, June 11 at 2:00 p.m. at CrossFit 1827
- Big Gay River Hike on Sunday, June 12 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. starting at York Road Park to Radial Trail Line
- Speed Crafting on Sunday, June 12 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the University of Guelph’s Creelman Green
- Bingo on Monday, June 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Evergreen Seniors Community Centre
- Gaymes Night on Monday, June 13 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. online via Zoom
- Nighthawks Pride Night on Tuesday, June 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sleeman Centre
- Pride Job Fair on Wednesday, June 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 10C
- BIPOC Speed-friending on Wednesday, June 15 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. online via Gather
- Queer Prom: Starry Night on Thursday, June 16 from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at Onyx
- Queer Trivia on Friday, June 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Wellington Brewery
- For the Culture (BIPOC-only dance) on Friday, June 17 from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. at Red Papaya
- Youth Craft Social on Saturday, June 18 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. via Zoom
- Pride Fundraiser Market on Sunday, June 19 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 10C
