Get Outside and Celebrate: Canada’s Best Pride-Themed Outdoor Events
It’s that time of year when nature is calling—and so is Pride. No sooner have we reserved our first campsite, restocked dry bags and dusted off our hiking boots, it’s time to celebrate International Pride Day (on June 28), a festive event that has evolved since the first LGBTQ Pride Festival in Canada was celebrated in 1971.
Many Canadian communities now honour Pride Month in June or August—some even earlier. And Pride activities have grown to include more than parties and parades. We outdoor-loving LGBTQ2SIA+ folks and allies can now enjoy an array of nature-based activities—from kayaking to queer ecology hikes—as part of Pride celebrations. And, yes, you can still wear your short shorts.
Pride on the Bruce Trail Hike, Niagara Escarpment
When was the last time a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve figured in your Pride celebrations? Or a walking lesson on Queer Ecology in Nature? 2SLGBTQ+ community members and allies celebrating Pride on the Bruce Peninsula, between Wiarton and Tobermory, can join the Bruce Trail Peninsula Club for a Rainbow Pride Hike that starts at Halfway Log Dump, in Bruce Peninsula National Park. They’ll be joined by a Bruce Peninsula National Park wildlife interpreter, who will share her expertise on unique ecosystems and provide examples of species that defy traditional binary definitions.
When: June 7, 11 a.m.
Cost: Bruce Peninsula National Park admission and parking fees apply
Where: Halfway Log Dump Parking Lot, Bruce Peninsula National Park
To book a spot: Click here.
Pride Paddle, Vancouver
A flotilla of rainbow-bedecked kayakers in Jericho Beach signals that Pride has arrived in Vancouver. Jericho Beach Kayak general manager EJ Lange organized Vancouver’s first Pride Paddle in 2021, at the height of COVID-19 restrictions. “As a queer trans guy, I recognized the need for an activity that would bring together outdoor-loving LGBTQ2SAI+ folks in a safe, supportive and welcoming space. Unfortunately, the outdoor space is sometimes toxic and unwelcoming for queer people. So, operating within COVID guidelines, we offered the first Pride Paddle led by a queer peer. It sold out.”
When: Tuesday, June 17, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (during Pride Month); Thursday, July 31, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Vancouver Pride Week)
Cost: Sliding scale of $30-$60
Where: Jericho Beach, BC
To book a spot: Register in advance.
Six Mile Lake Pride Boat Parade, Muskoka
Held on the first weekend of Muskoka Pride Week (July 19 to 27), the two-hour Six Mile Lake Pride Boat Parade winds its way through numerous bays on Six Mile Lake, ending with a fabulous drag show atWawautosa Marina, Port Severn. Boaters (as many as 25 some years) are urged to “decorate their boats and be fabulous,” says Muskoka Pride’s Shawn Forth.
When: Saturday, July 19, 1 p.m.; drag show at 4 p.m.
Cost: Free
Where: Trans Canada Bay boat launch, near Six Mile Lake Provincial Park, 2024 Joe King’s Road.
For more information: Visit Muskoka Pride.
Out ‘n Aboot Pride Hike in Halifax
If you’re not tuckered out from the Halifax Pride Parade (July 19), join Hike Nova Scotia and Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) the morning after for a five-kilometre ramble through Hemlock Ravine Park. The 80-hectare wooded area is home to abundant mature trees, some of which are 300 years old, as well as deer, squirrels and birds.
When: Sunday, July 20, 10 a.m.
Cost: Free
Where: Meet at the Hemlock Ravine parking lot, 40 Kent Avenue, Halifax.
To book a spot: Click here.
Mountain Pride, Revelstoke
If you prefer climbing over clubbing, trail running over tea dances, this outdoorsy Pride festival is for you. Mountain Pride is a two-day 2SGLGBTQ+-friendly event, starting with Mountain Academy on Saturday (offering introductory lessons in climbing, mountain biking, paddling, trail running and other outdoor pursuits), followed by Queer Village @ Kovach Park on Sunday (booths and stages featuring music, food, crafts, dance, yoga and other entertainment). Mountain Pride is organized by the Revelstoke-based Open Mountain Project, a non-profit which promotes inclusive 2SGLGBTQ+-positive mountain culture.
When: Mountain Academy (Saturday, June 28); Queer Village (Sunday, June 29)
Cost: $50 for day-long lessons; subsidies available
Where: In the town of Revelstoke, as well as Mount Revelstoke National Park, BC
To book a spot: Visit Open Mountains.
