HALIFAX -- One of the most colourful and diverse parades in the Maritimes took over the streets of downtown Halifax Saturday afternoon, including amidst the celebrations a very special commemoration.
Hundreds of thousands of people showed up for the 29th annual Pride Parade, and thousands more participated in it.
While the Pride Festival is a time to celebrate, it does have a more somber tone this year, especially following last month’s shootings at a gay night club in Orlando.
A memorial wreath led this year's Halifax Pride Parade, a quiet but powerful start to the celebration.
“There's a lot of people cheering it on, the fact we're representing the memory these 49 people that lost their lives,” said Patricia Vining, who carried the wreath.
The mass shooting at a gay night club in Orlando happened just over a month ago, but those at the Halifax parade say the emotion still runs deep.
"I'm really sorry for the things that happened,” says parade attendee Kaitlyn Kane. “For the people who died, and for the families. It must have been really hard."
The parade this year also included a moment of silence that organizers say is meant to show that there are still issues worth fighting for.
"I hope that one day everyone will be able to have pride, or maybe one day there won't need to be a pride,” says Kane. “Everyone will be who they are without judgement, which would be wonderful. That's my dream.”
The theme of this year's Pride Festival is ‘This Is Why’, a reminder of what the LGTBQ community has overcome, the struggles and acceptance they have yet to face.
However, as parade-goer Jason Archibald says, those who attended the celebration left with a lasting message.
"Love, acceptance, support, solidarity,” he says. “It’s really great.”
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Marie Adsett.
