Official Pride Flag Raisings
Wed., Jun. 1, 2022 – Across York Region
Raise the Pride Flag around the region with us!
Pride Launch Party
Friday, June 3, 2022 – 6:00 p.m.
Market Brewing Company
As the sun sets to the west, Market Brewery is getting fired up on the east side of Newmarket. Don’t forget your blankets and lawn chairs as we prepare to rock the hillside for the opening night of the festival. We’ve seriously drawn some wild cards for this evening packed with stellar performances. Headlining is Tangent a talented five-piece band bringing you the hits from every decade that gets you.
In the artist lineup you can expect various styles of drag, involving vogueing and untamed outfit realness, who knows you might even catch a king onsite. We go behind the intense heat and witness the deadly art of fire dancing as North FIRE Circus lash out some extremely incredible visual displays.
Anticipate wicked lighting, confetti, and pyrotechnics as we celebrate the launch of historic pride month.
Food Truck onsite: Wickedly Sinful
Interactive Zone: Fair Games, Inflatables, Lounge
Washrooms: Yes
Event Site: Accessible Upper Canada Events
Drag Queen Storytime
Date: Saturday June 4, 2022 – Time: 11:30am & 2:30pm
Location: Market Court
Inviting all friends and family! Join us for a special story time with our wonderful special guests celebrating pride and diversity with stories of acceptance, love and all the different people and families across the world. Stay tuned for a fun and upbeat lip-syncing performance after storytelling!
Face Painting, Colouring & More!
Date: Sunday June 5, 2022 – Time: 11am-7pm
Location: Centre Court
Join us for a variety of interactive family-friendly fun activities including a face painting, colouring, a unique and colourful gumball activation and prizes! Take a picture during your visit and tag #UpperCanadaPride for a chance to win an Upper Canada gift card.
3rd Annual Georgina Pride Ride
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Come one, come all to the Georgina Pride Ride where a series of decorated car goes on a ride from Keswick High School, to Jackson’s Point and back around to the ROC to celebrate the accomplishments and history of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community. To be in the ride, you must be in a car/truck/van/bike/cycle, busses are allowed if full of people! there should be no unauthorized vehicles any kind. It is a long ride so be aware of that! Decorating starts at 12 and the Pride Ride starts at 3. The ride lasts for as long as we go so there’s not an exact time it it over but we’re thinking around 6, BEFORE the Pride Ride, there will be a barbecue for all participants and volunteers! There will also be a vendor-show style gay-rage sale at 73 Biscayne Blvd. We welcome you to come out and join us or you can watch as we go by! The map will be Pinned! Thank you so much for your support! – Georgina Pride. P.S, all rules in group apply for this event.Stories Of The Alphabet Community (SOTAC) Pride Event
Saturday, June 11 – 2 p.m.
Stories Of The Alphabet Community (SOTAC) is a youth-inspried mini-parade of storytelling! Travelling along Main Street Newmarket, SOTAC will activate specific locations to portray stories of the Alphabet community. Each activation represents a color of the Pride flag.
2pm Venue – Newmarket Public Library
GREEN – Collaborative Canvas: Discover storytelling through soundscapes and visuals as you pick up a paintbrush (optional) and co-create art inspired by your surroundings. Share your own story through colourful expression with an ending integration into a short play by Dante Amo.
2:30pm
ORANGE – The Prince of Grey Island, written by 17 year old, emerging playwright Dante Amo, inspired by the song “A Gay Disney Prince,” (as we know there are no gay Disney Princes yet.) Written under the mentorship of playwright Hanlon McGregor as a part of Thatz Showbiz’s “3 Plays In 30 Days” virtual theatre festival.
CONTENT WARNING: This play contains scenes with instances of homophobia, homophobic violence, strained parental relationships, violence that results in death and premeditated harm. Audience discretion is advised.
3pm Venue – Cardinal Press Espresso Bar
PURPLE – Singlejoy: Join Karina Milech in a local café for challah bread and wine, (aka grape juice) as she guides you through a Jewish Sabbath Dinner. Be prepared to participate in the rituals as Milech shares her experience of being single in a Jewish family. Audiences will be invited to share phrases that have been said to them about their own identity through anonymous creative writing prompts. Some statements will end up in the show!
Note: this venue is NOT accessible.
3:45pm Venue – Parking Lot 240 Prospect St
RED – Home Again – Mosey over to a parking lot as actors perform al fresco! ( in and around a car.) A woman reunites with her high school bestie as they begin to process past trauma during a road trip. Written by Edmonton playwright, Calla Wright, this play deals with strong themes, ages 14+ recommended.
CONTENT WARNING: This play uses strong language and themes. Audience discretion is advised.
4:30pm Venue – Cachet Supper Club
YELLOW – In Conversation with the Alphabet Community at the York Regional Police.
4:45pm
BLUE – I Wish I Were A Penguin: While visiting an aquarium where a pair of male penguins are raising their young, a gay couple is accosted by a woman for holding hands. The woman is called out for her homophobia. In the end, we discover that humans are not only gay, but animals are as well! This piece is presented as an interactive playreading where anyone can read a part alongside the Shadowpath team.
Apollo Saraga wrote this play in 2020 during middle school. They are now an author/songwriter at Earl Haig Secondary School. They are honoured to present this play at SOTAC.
NOTE – A Videographer will follow the route to capture footage. Please let us know if this is an issue for you.
You may attend ALL programming or choose your own creative course.
(Though this event is youth-led, ALL AGES are welcome:)
Hillcrest Mall Events
Drag Queen Story Time
Date: Saturday June 11, 2022 – Time: 2:30pm
Location: Centre Court
Inviting all friends and family! Join us for a special story time with our wonderful special guests celebrating pride and diversity with stories of acceptance, love and all the different people and families across the world. Stay tuned for a fun and upbeat lip-syncing performance after storytelling!
Face Painting, Colouring & More!
Date: Sunday June 12, 2022 – Time: 11am-7pm
Location: Centre Court
Join us for a variety of interactive family-friendly fun activities including a face painting, colouring, a unique and colourful gumball activation and prizes! Take a picture during your visit and tag #HillcrestPride for a chance to win a Hillcrest Mall gift card.
Pride On Riverwalk
Saturday, June 18, 2022 – 12:00 p.m.
Riverwalk Commons
Total Downtown closure, PRIDE ON RIVERWALK takes over the streets.
Live stage entertainment featuring local emerging artists.
Throughout the afternoon right into the evening of the same day of the York Pride Parade join us at Riverwalk Commons, in Newmarket for the annual Main Stage Concert, Community Fair, Home Depot Interactive Zone, Grizzly Gardens Beer Garden, Pop-up Shops and lots of food options
Enjoy picnic areas, street buskers, art installations, rock-climbing, picture-perfect moments. Plenty of beautiful and charming restaurants and bars to hope around from with varying parties and events to stop by in.
The event will close with a secret special performance with a pyrotechnic display.
All of our events are outdoor, open to the public and free to attend.
Pride Parade
Saturday, June 18, 2022 – 3:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
Unite in the streets with thousands of people in Newmarket on this special day to celebrate over 100 community groups, businesses, supporters and 2SLGBTQ+ advocates doing the very important work in York Region. Come cheer on nearly 2000 colourful participants with creative floats, marching groups, and interactive displays of rainbow awesomeness.
Divas and Drag Queens
EC Pride Edition: Divas and Drag Queens ft. Estelle, Kiesza, Adassa, Brooke Lynn Hytes and more!
Saturday, June 25, 2022 – 4:00 pm
Improve Canada, 7250 Keele Street, Vaughan
Toodle-Pip Party!
Thu., Jun. 30, 20226:00 p.m. Fri., Jul. 1, 202212:00 a.m.
Location TBA
Dazzling performances under the night sky.
Reserve your FREE picnic table under the twinkling night sky in the middle of road in a special pride lounge setup and experience one of Ontario’s wildest outdoor catwalk concerts in York Region.
Building a platform for identifying artists is a key component to our programming. We’ve set out to promote the unseen talents of local 2SLGBTQ+ artists within and beyond York Region. The various art forms have unique ways of bringing communities together.
Enjoy art installations, food vendors and more
Food onsite: Yes (Food Trucks, Vendors, Restaurants, Bars)
Interactive Zone: Fair Games, Lounge, Art installations
Washrooms: Yes
Event Site: Fully Accessible
