The Halifax Pride parade, which organizers boast is the largest Pride event in Atlantic Canada, went off without a hitch Saturday. It capped off a week of festivities with hundreds of marchers and thousands of spectators lined up along the route from the naval docks to the Garrison Grounds.
Despite a controversy that sprang up in June when Halifax Pride co-chair Ed Savage told Metro Halifax that the organization was trying to promote a “less promiscuous” image than other Pride festivals – the Pride board later apologized and clarified their statement – participants in the parade seemed united under the parade theme this year, Better Together.
Possibly alluding to the controversy, Halifax Pride’s lead float kicked off the parade by blasting Nelly Furtado’s 2005 hit “Promiscuous” as shirtless men in Speedos and cutoffs danced.
The parade did indeed feature less nudity than Toronto Pride – there was no local equivalent of TNTmen participating – and there were far fewer scantily clad women and men, but that may have had to do with the inclement weather. Although the forecast had called for highs of 29 degrees and sun, marchers were greeted with overcast skies, fog and a brief spell of rain right at the tail end of the parade.
The rain didn’t stop the Halifax Society of Kink, who brought up the rear of the parade (so to speak). Their entry included two people being flogged and a giant rainbow cat o’ nine tails.
The parade route followed Upper Water St and Barrington St to Spring Garden Rd and across South Park St to the Garrison Commons. No fences separated spectators from marchers along Halifax’s narrow streets.
Xtra was on hand snapping pics of the parade. Check to see if we caught you in the slideshow below.
Why you can trust Xtra
