Pride Festival in Old Strathcona

The Edmonton Pride Festival is coming home to the south-side in 2015. After many years downtown, the festival and parade will return to the south side of the river, where everything began 35 years ago.

One of the reasons this is occurring is the festival’s need for more space than Churchill Square can offer. Another is the many construction projects happening downtown over the next few years, impacting traffic and other uses.

The Strathcona Centre Community League is working with Pride to ensure a smooth transition to the new location, and the best possible festival and events for our neighbours. The parade will take place on Whyte Avenue, with festival-goers then invited to End of Steel Park, Strathcona Park (where our community hall is located), and King Edward School for live music, food, and celebration. More information is available in an FAQ from Pride Edmonton (PDF).

We appreciate the feedback neighbours provided at Pride’s open house in November. Many of the questions asked and concerns raised are part of ongoing discussions between Pride, the SCCL, and the City of Edmonton. If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback about the Pride parade and festival moving into our neighbourhood, please contact Pride’s Executive Director, Angela Bennett, or myself.

Jeff Samsonow, President SCCL