Chatham-Kent will be a little brighter next week with rainbow colours displayed in several areas to celebrate Pride Week.
Events to celebrate Pride Week will officially start on August 11 with a Youth Pride Drag Kick Off Party and a long list of festivities are set to follow throughout the week.
Members of the community, municipal officials, and members of the Chatham-Kent Gay Pride Association will come together for a flag-raising ceremony on August 12 at the Civic Centre in Chatham.
Marianne Willson, vice president of the CK Gay Pride Association, and president Chris Couture said they have been planning for this upcoming week since Pride Week ended last year. Although the week has been celebrated within Chatham-Kent for years, last year was the first time an actual Pride Parade had been held. To keep the tradition going, the second annual parade is set for August 17.
Willson said those involved with the CK Pride Parade will gather at 11 a.m. in front of the Civic Centre in Chatham. Residents who would like to participate in the parade are encouraged to contact the association as they could use a few extra hands to help carry the pride flag. The parade will start at 12 p.m. and will go down King Street and finish at Tecumseh Park, where activities are planned until 4 p.m.
"In the park, we'll have all kinds of inflatables and things for the kids [to do]," said Willson. "Home Depot is bringing over 200 building kits for kids to be able to have an afternoon of building things under the big tent in the park. We'll have a bubble machine with an inflatable unicorn sprinkler. We also have a lot of vendors and a big food truck."
Willson also mentioned that there will be a watering station at the park if people would like to bring their dogs.
There will be a short break on Saturday afternoon, but celebrations will start up again at 8 p.m. at the Chatham Banquet Hall for a Pride Dance.
Pride Week will come to a close on August 18, with a Pride Diversity Service at 1 p.m. at St. Andrew's United Church in Chatham.
"We have a lot of different denominations that are going to participate this year," said Willson.
Couture said all of the Pride events scheduled throughout the week are free to attend, with exception to the Pride Dance. However, there is no set fee for the dance, organizers are instead asking people to pay by donation.
A detailed schedule of events planned for Pride Week in Chatham-Kent can be found at ckpride.com.
