Pride Day at museum a big hit
CW Pride hosted its second annual Pride celebration on June 13
The Centre Wellington Pride Committee held its second Pride Day Community Celebration at the Wellington County Museum and Archives on June 13 with live music, vendors, crafts, food and other festivities. Pride celebration coordinator Brenda Murphy told the Advertiser said many intergenational families were among the over 300 people who had arrived within the first couple hours of the celebration, including her own daughter and grandson. Murphy said there were more vendors this year than last, including an alley of youth vendors sponsored by the Elora Centre for the Arts. Free coffee and popcorn were available to attendees. TOP LEFT: Fergus resident Jey Plourde was among the performers. TOP CENTRE: Métis Elder Diane Kilby, right, and her spouse Jan Baker. Kilby shared opening and closing remarks and prayers during Pride, including mention of a recent incident in Cambridge where a trans teenager giving a speech during a Pride event was interrupted by the mayor. It takes a lot of courage for a teenager to figure out who they are and talk about harms to their community, only to have the microphone taken away, Kilby told the Advertiser. She outlined many ways 2SLGBTQIA+ people are made to feel they don't belong, "And yet, here we are today and at every Pride event across the county, the province, the nation to show that we do belong. We are celebrating the healing power of belonging. Whether we are binary, nonbinary or two-spirit: we belong. Whether we are gay, lesbian, bi, poly, asexual, straight or some combination: we belong. Whether we are Indigenous or settler: we belong. We are resilient; we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before. Not only have we survived, we have thrived. And we will continue to do so when we come together to celebrate our belonging together." TOP RIGHT: Waterloo-based singer, pianist and composer Anat Hector performed during the celebration. ABOVE LEFT: Volunteers Ali Normandin, Kiera Clark and Max King handed out bubbles at Pride. ABOVE CENTRE: Lynx Dean was among those to perform. ABOVE RIGHT: Georgia McLaren enjoyed a game of corn hole. Photos by Robin George
TOP LEFT: Pamela Brown-Wass, left, and Christine Kerr attended Pride, representing the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation. TOP CENTRE: Zoe Davies was among those to get face paint from Julie Burtch. TOP RIGHT: This group used cardboard looms and yarn to weave pride flags during the event. MIDDLE LEFT: Ryan Weber, Victoria Gillingham and Barb-Smith Young are among the CW Pride volunteers. MIDDLE CENTRE: This custom rainbow cape was made by Trystan Wright’s mom as a specially requested birthday gift. MIDDLE RIGHT: These youth checked out Arthur-resident Alana Simpson's original work. ABOVE LEFT: Olive Wedgewood and Willow Reed were among the young vendors selling pride-themed crafts at the celebration on June 13. ABOVE RIGHT: Adrian Nero had fun dancing with a rainbow ribbon. Photos by Robin George
