A small Irish town is reported to have the smallest LGBT Pride parade in the world. Sligo, Ireland, has about 100 participants in its annual parade. Texada’s Rock in Pride parade on Saturday, August 19, will have that number beat, with only a couple of dozen participants expected to take part.
Not only does Texada have a Pride parade, which its mainland neighbour does not, organizers have more weekend events planned than the recent Pride celebrations held in Powell River.
Texada’s small population of 1,200 results in its Pride celebrations being different than those taking place in cities, not just due to its size, but because of its sense of community, according to organizer Joseph Scott.
In Toronto and Vancouver, which attract hundreds of thousands of people, members of the LGBT community are active participants and everybody else comes to watch. On Texada, it is more of the community at large coming together, said Scott.
Powell River Regional District Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick moved to Texada 11 years ago from Vancouver, where Pride celebrations are among the largest in the world.
“On a small island we should be open and flexible to whatever people want to do,” said McCormick.
Rock in Pride 2017 marks the fourth year the annual event has been held.
“It grew a little bit last year, but not exponentially,” said Scott. “It’s been getting a little bit bigger each year.”
Scott said he knows of four people flying in from Edmonton this year and about 12 coming from Vancouver who have made Texada’s Pride celebrations part of their vacation plans.
When Scott moved to Texada in 2003, he did not know if any members of the LGBT community lived on the island.
“I expected none,” said Scott. “I expected to be the gay in the village.”
Much to his surprise, he was not.
“Some people said, ‘Whew, good, we’re not alone,’” he said.
According to Scott, only the inaugural year of Rock in Pride faced any kind of opposition. The action was as quirky as Texada, he said.
“One poster the first year got taken down and crumpled up,” said Scott. “A couple of days later it was flattened out and pinned back up again. Remorse got to them.”
After a casual meet and greet on Friday night, Texada’s Rock in Pride parade winds its way through Shelter Point Regional Park on Saturday, August 19, starting around 12 pm.
“We were going to change it this year to have it on the main drag, pun intended,” said Scott, “but we ran into some logistical things and decided to stick with the park.”
A gender-bending drag race follows the parade.
“We have all kinds of clothing, bling, shoes and undergarments,” said Scott. “People have to get dressed up in drag and then do the three-legged race with their ankles tied together with brassieres and do an obstacle course. Try doing that wearing six-inch heels on grass.”
After drag-racing during the day, Dragaoke at Texada Community Hall in Gillies Bay stars three female impersonators. Audience members can also live their own diva dream by wearing drag and bling on stage, starting at 9 pm.
A Shelter Point campsite has been booked for Pride guests on a by-donation basis for Friday, August 18, and Saturday, August 19. The weekend winds up with a pride breakfast and brunch on Sunday morning.
For more information, go to Texada Rock in Pride 2017 on Facebook.
