PALMERSTON – The Minto Pride committee is hosting Pride in the Park 2023 on June 11 at the Lion’s Heritage Park pavilion in Palmerston.
“This family-friendly event is a celebration of diversity and inclusion in our rural communities,” committee officials state.
The event runs between noon and 3pm with lunch and dessert available from food trucks.
“Get your face painted, and participate in a variety of community-run tables with crafts, educational/learning activities and more,” organizers urge.
“Browse local craft vendors, play games, and join us on a celebratory march through the park.”
Pride committee member Rosie Krul said the event is free to attend, including all games and activities.
“The only thing that would cost money is if people want to buy a T-shirt or yard sign or a sticker,” she noted.
“This is an event for everybody, not just those who identify within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community,” states a press release from Minto Pride.
“Pride in the Park is about celebration, inclusion and visibility,” said Krul.
“The visibility portion is because there are so many more queer-identified folks in small towns than a lot of people realize and having an event like this not only helps people that are a part of that 2SLGBTQIA+ community to have a sense of community and find other folks to come and hang out with, but also perhaps lets our straight neighbours know that there are many of us around and we’re happy to be part of a small town community just like everybody else.”
Krul said previous Pride in the Park events have received strong support from the local community.
“We’ve always been really happy with the amount of support we’ve had. Usually, a few hundred people come out,” she explained.
“And it’s people from the Minto area, but we’ve also had people from further afield come that maybe don’t have Pride in their small towns.
“We tend to kind of draw from the larger radius as well, but we are happy now that a lot more neighbouring small communities are having their own Pride groups and doing their own Pride events.”
The Crown Harriston Cultural Centre is also hosting a Pride event.
On June 10 the local theatre is presenting a Minto Pride Drag Night, as a fundraiser for the local Pride committee.
“Messy Margaret Productions presents some amazing drag talent from southern Ontario, and is excited to share some of these magnificent entertainers with you,” organizers state.
“This is a PG13-plus event with parental discretion advised.”
Doors open at 7:15pm for the 8pm show. Tickets are $30 in advance or $35 at the door.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite, or email thecrownharriston@gmail.com for more information.
“Part of the proceeds will go towards the Minto Pride Committee and we are grateful to the Crown for organizing this annual fundraiser,” committee officials state.
The committee is also looking for sponsors to enhance Minto Pride in the Park and other events and initiatives.
The group offers various levels of sponsorship, ranging from donations of $20 to $500. Sponsors receive stickers, lawn signs, T-shirts and other means of acknowledging their support.
“It’s a new program to both to help us continue running events and run bigger, better events and initiatives,” said Krul
Sponsors are asked to commit to a pledge “to keep our communities safe and welcoming,” organizers note.
The pledge states: “We commit to all 2SLGBTQIA+ people having the freedom to be safe, included, healthy and visible and we will use our voice(s) to actively support, uplift and celebrate members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.”
“We’re really hoping to encourage businesses especially that if they do want to put up a decal saying, ‘Everyone welcome here’ with the rainbow flag and the Minto Pride logo, for them to really think about what allyship is and how to best be an ally to people,” said Krul.
More information on sponsorship can be found on Minto Pride social media or by emailing mintopridecommittee@gmail.com.
