The Brandon Pride Committee, with help from the Sexuality Education Resource Centre (SERC), Knox United Church, and the Neelin Gay-Straight Alliance, are ready to present Brandon Pride 2012, a celebration of sexual diversity to take place from June 15 till June 17.
Brandon Pride events kick off with a ‘Lunch and Learn’ session presented on Friday, June 15 by Tara Lambert from the SERC at Central United Church, emphasizing the impact of Gay-Straight Alliances in schools.
Friday evening, the Neelin GSA is going to be hosting an all-ages retro-themed bowling night at Thunderbird Bowl from 7-9 p.m.
“This is the first time we’ve coordinated with the GSAs around Brandon for Pride events, so it’s a new area for us,” said Ken Jackson, Brandon Pride Committee Chair.
“This is incredibly important because the LGBT youth and GSAs are the future of this community.”
Saturday, June 16, kicks off with a Pride Rally at Princess Park from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., organized by SERC and the Brandon Pride Committee. Featuring a free barbeque, guest speakers from Winnipeg’s Rainbow Resource Centre, booths from various organizations in support of Pride, and musical entertainment by Misty Street, the afternoon offers entertainment for everyone.
While there is no Pride Parade in Brandon, organizers of Brandon Pride have put together a group to march in the Traveller’s Day Parade for the Brandon Summer Fair again this year.
“This is our fifth year holding Pride events in Brandon,” said Jackson.
“The goal of our group is to make Brandon a more tolerant and well-informed city. We are still a relatively new committee, so we are still learning what we can do and what we can do better. Brandon has been great to us; I personally have not experienced any negativity about the Pride events, and last year we got a great reaction from people in the Traveller’s Day Parade.”
Saturday evening will feature a special social, themed as a ‘Grad re-do,’ giving everyone in Brandon a chance to experience their high school graduation a second time. The social starts at 9 p.m. at the Valleyview Community Centre.
The Pride events close the weekend with a Pride worship service at the Knox United Church at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 17.
The theme of the Brandon Pride celebrations this year is one of looking backwards while moving forward.
“Our theme this year encompasses two important points,” said Jackson.
“One is looking back at what Brandon Pride has accomplished in a very short time. The other is looking towards Brandon Pride’s future as we invite people of all ages to become involved to promote a tolerant and diverse community here in Brandon.”
Tickets for the Saturday night social and the all-ages bowling night are available at the SERC office (161 8th Street) and Smitten Adult Boutique (658 18th Street).For further information, or to get involved in the Brandon Pride, contact brandonpridecommittee@gmail.com or check them out on Facebook by searching for Brandon Pride.