 © Queerty Pride By Carolina Salinas The month of June marks the 39th annual Pride Festival in Toronto. Pride brings exciting programs, events, and exhibits across Toronto that seek to unite and empower people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. Art, in different forms such as theatre, music, visual or dance has served as a major platform for members of the LGBTQ+ community to express themselves, over the span of several generations. Check out FOUR of these must-see Pride Art Events in Toronto this June.  © Sharonmccutcheon | Unsplash This year, check out Gay Pride Toronto, one of Canada´s premier arts and cultural festivals, including one of the largest Pride parades of its kind in North America, with an estimated attendance of over 1 million people. During the entire month of June, this festival has events, parties, world class arts, cultural progamming and community activities dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community, across the City of Toronto. This year, the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots will be recognized at this Pride Toronto Event, honoring those that started this world-changing movement 50 years ago. For the closing weekend of Pride, Pride takes over the blocks bordered by Bloor Street, Jarvis Street, Carlton Street and Yonge Street. You can attend via TTC Stations located at Bloor or Wellesley. Another option is to attend the main parade, which will take place on Saturday, June 22nd, at the corner of Church Street and Bloor Street, all the way down Yonge St to Yonge-Dundas Square. For more information about Gay Pride Toronto 2019, check out their website or visit them on Facebook or Twitter.  © Pridetoronto Every year, the Pride Toronto Street Fair takes over the Church-Wellesley Village of this diverse city to showcase to people the local organizations, artisans, and businesses in that area that sell items ranging from clothing, to dildos, to jewellery, to food. There will be also community groups available, where you will be able to find out more information about charities and non-profit organizations, as well as trade unions and student groups dedicated to promoting pride and diversity in Toronto. For more information about the Pride Toronto Streetfair 2019, visit their website or check them out on Facebook and Twitter. Twist Gallery at Queer West Neighbourhood  © TwistGallery | Instagram In the aptly named Queer West Neighbourhood of Toronto, that is home to the largest concentration of art galleries in Toronto, is the Twist Gallery (1100 Queen Street West, Toronto). Twist is an art gallery that is known for its featured skylights, enormous windows, French Archs and long wooden beams. This gorgeous gallery has been the home of Art expositions during the month of Pride, for years. This beautiful enclosure showcases the work of emerging and established local artists. Therefore, whether you chose to attend the Twist Gallery or other art galleries located at the Queer West Neighbourhood, you will definitely enjoy your time appreciating various forms of art expressions such as music, movies, poetry and prose. That is why Queen Street West has become the centre for Toronto´s LGBTQ community, because of its artsy-alternative options. For more details about Twist Gallery visit their website or check out them on Facebook and Twitter.  © Festival of Diversity | Facebook Are you interested in celebrating the strength in diversity Canada has and maintaining this united country? Then you need to check out the Toronto Diversity Festival 2019, which celebrates Canadian multiculturalism as the forefront of civic pride from June 29-30 from 12pm to 9pm at David Pecaut Square, 215 King Street West, Toronto. This Festival will bring a sense of unity to the community, because its goal is to seek out people of all ages and nationalities, to experience the power and richness of society that makes up our communities. For more information about the Toronto Diversity Festival 2019, visit their website or check out them on Facebook. The city of Toronto is not only a multicultural place where a wide range of cultures reign, but also a city where the freedom of sexual identities prevail. Hence, this summer, whether you chose to attend a street parade, an art gallery or even a party to celebrate PRIDE in Toronto, any event will be a form of expression in support of the freedom of sexuality. |
