INNISFAIL – Moments after Dale Dunham took to the stage to welcome guests to the 5th annual Innisfail Pride, he offered inspired words from British actress Cynthia Erivo that led to the event’s Bloom With Pride theme.
“Some flowers bloom against all the odds, like the peony,” said Erivo. “But most flowers need to be tended to and cared for before they brave the light and open up their petals to the sun.”
And there were challenges for the one-day outdoor event on June 21 that attracted up to 120 citizens at Innisfail Legion Park.
It was dark, wet, and cool in the morning, but organizers bravely went ahead, and by 1:30 p.m. everything was in place, and the rain stopped.
“Today, we live in a time of unprecedented visibility. Queer and trans voices are in schools, workplaces, television, film, and policy. Pride flags fly in public spaces,” said Dunham, the event’s chair who was an essential part of the rainbow-coloured Pride flag raising the day before at Innisfail’s administration building.
“But visibility does not always equal safety. Even here in Alberta, we are witnessing efforts to push us backward.”
However, not on this day was there a step back, or any in the foreseeable future.
The event, originally designed not just for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, was once again held for the entire Innisfail community, gay and straight, to celebrate inclusion and diversity.
“The Indigenous people and 2SLGBTQIA+ people have many commonalities, and all we want to do is exist as we are in love,” said Indigenous guest speaker Becky Beagan following her presentation.
And Innisfail Pride 2025 was peaceful and joyous from start to finish.
There was private security in place, as well as the presence of Innisfail community peace officers. They all had smiles for everyone.
Protesters, who in early years attended, stayed away.
Instead, there was a gay man and a straight man cooking up hamburgers and hotdogs together for the chilled and hungry amidst a joyous atmosphere of music, entertainment, and hope for a better world.
“It's about coming together. It's about all of us being together in one spot, and just showing everyone that we have the love, we have the acceptance,” said drag dancing emcee Angelina Starchild to the Albertan. “We have people that are here supporting everything.
“And even if people want to say otherwise it's completely fine,” added Starchild. “They have their opinions, and we know the truth.”
And the truth for Innisfail mayor Jean Barclay, who welcomed all attendees with members of town council, was that Innisfail Pride has “helped (the) community mature”, even on days with overcast skies and rain.
“As Dale says, ‘You cannot have rainbows without rain,” said Barclay.
