Pride Week In Vancouver

Sunday was the annual Gay Pride Parade in Vancouver. About four years ago someone took me to this parade and I have been attending or walking in it every since.

The Pride parade seems to bring out the crazy in the city. People get dressed up in wild costumes and like the person in this picture dress in as little as possible.
They have water fights in the streets, wave pride flags and dance.
Litterally thousands of people come out to this event. The young, the elderly, families and even dogs get into the act.
There is of course a purpose to all the mayhem even though at first glance it might just seem like a city gone crazy. It is done to help all of accept the differences between us and the diversity of our city.  

I remember when this parade was consider a freak show and few went out to see it. Protesters went out with signs and pamphlets encouraging people to halt the madness and declaring that our city would go to hell ( quite literally) if we allowed this kind of behavior. Now no one in this city wants this event to end and it really is the most joyous event Fred and I attend every year.

The fun and gaiety (no pun intended there) go on all week with Pride cruises and dinners and brunches and night clubbing events.

 One of the people who caught my eye this year was Grand Marshall Nikolai Alekseev. Alekseev, a gay activist,  is considered an international hero for among other things, organizing Moscow Pride which is banned every year.

Another person who caught my eye is Candis Cayne, a true role model for the LGBT rights movement. Amongst her many achievements is her co-choreographic work for the comedy To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. She was also cast in the prime time television series Dirty Sexy Money and was the first transgendered actress to play in a recurring role on a network TV show.  She was quite a knock out! So much so that  the friend I was with did not believe me when I told him that Candis was not what she appeared to be.

I think this parade is the best event in Vancouver. It is so much fun and it seems to bring out the kid in everyone! 

This year my pictures are mainly of the crowd . I find the people watching the parade as interesting as the people in the parade.

There are more pictures of Pride day here.