Last month Pride Toronto announced it will no longer host the festival this year, but have announced that a month of exciting virtual festivities will continue with celebrations in a new, creative, and unique way that ensures the safety of residents and proper physical distancing.

VIRTUAL PRIDE

On June 1, 2020, the City of Toronto will proclaim June as Pride Month and raise the Rainbow and Transgender Pride Flag. Everyone is encouraged to join Pride Toronto online to celebrate this yearly event which brings the community together to honour the history, courage, and diversity of Toronto’s LGBT2Q+ communities with a special message from Mayor John Tory. To take part in this special event, you can help spread pride throughout your neighbourhood, fly a flag from your balcony, raise a flag in your window or hang one in your doorway!

As for the rest of the month-long celebrations, the organization is going digital with innovative online programming throughout June that showcases the best of what’s happening in our city. Virtual Pride is a celebration of our local queer and trans trailblazers, featuring a lineup of DJs, performers, drag artists, singers, and dancers, with a special spotlight on women in music and BIPOC artists.

On June 1st, in collaboration with local virtual party trailblazers Club Quarantine, the original queer &
trans online party, you’re invited to log into the online gala FEEEYASS! This event will take you back to warehouse parties and old-school glam with FEEEYASS drag queens and avant-garde spectators, anything goes! House anthems and ballroom beats from Montreal native and Toronto’s own DJ Sandy Duperval, and THE Ballroom icon- DJ Vjuan Allure. Dress to impress and sign in for a special performance from the legendary Ballroom diva Kevin Aviance, hosted by the first Canadian Ballroom house; The House of Monroe.

Throughout June the organization will continue to show its Pride with an online portal to showcase the best of
what’s happening in our city. Highlights to include, local collectives, artists, makers, and performers who work so hard all year round and some of whom have been part of Pride Toronto for 20+ years. This virtual festival will be the best representation of what you would have experienced outdoors, with a heavy focus on implementing visual arts and community-focused programming.

The Virtual Pride Parade will stay true to its political roots and reflect our community, honouring our courageous past, celebrating how far we have come and will remain vigilant to the ongoing needs of our community. It will help bring issues to light, challenge convention, support our community, and promote safety.

Stay tuned for the complete Virtual Pride Festival Line Up and updates.
ONLINE PRIDE PARADE – JUNE 28, 2020 // 2PM
For updates and more information, click here.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.