INNISFAIL – Dale Dunham is a man with a mission.
For the past five years he has led a determined and committed team of volunteers to celebrate the diversity and courage of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community with a grand entertaining and informative event in the province’s conservative heartland.
The 5th annual Innisfail Pride, a free event for the entire community, is proudly going ahead, despite ongoing political and social resistance, with a one-day event from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 at Innisfail Legion Park.
“We're back doing Pride in the park, and we feel, as we always have, that visibility is very important, and we do not want to be pushed back into the closet and have to hide anywhere,” said Dunham, chair of Innisfail Pride.
He said his committee opted to have separate venues for Pride events in both 2023 and 2024 due to growing concerns within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community over increasing and disturbing backlashes across the country.
“We need to be out there and be present,” said Dunham. “And pretty much everyone that we had talked to regarding our decision last year said they didn't want that to happen again this year, they were comfortable with us being back where we were previously.”
This year Innisfail Pride has been scaled back to one full day of activities with a “Bloom with Pride” theme.
Dunham and the committee have instead seized on positivity, and the power and growth from the community to move forward with chins up, never down.
“It's our fifth anniversary, and it comes from the ideas we planted five years ago, and we're now seeing it flourish. It's grown,” said Dunham. “As a group and as an organization and as a community we are thriving, and we are showing what it means to nurture each other and help each other be the best that we can be.”
However, nothing will be taken for granted.
Dunham and the committee have taken measures to ensure everyone is safe.
A private security firm has been hired once again to supplement an Innisfail RCMP presence at the all-day event.
“It’s the same organization we use every year. We trust them. They are very, very supportive,” said Dunham. “And I've already been in contact with the RCMP and bylaw (community peace officers), and they're all aware, and they're putting their pieces into place.”
Gates for the event, which includes a Pride Market, will open at noon at Innisfail Legion Park.
Following a land acknowledgement, smudge and blessing there will be a performance by the Abraham Lake Singers, a drum and singing First Nations group from the Bighorn Indian Reserve on Treaty 7 territory.
There will be a Pride opening from Mayor Jean Barclay and members of Innisfail town council.
The day will feature musical performances, a drag show and free barbecue.
From 1 to 10 p.m. Field & Forge will be hosting its first ever beer garden at the event.
In the meantime, Innisfail town council unanimously approved a proclamation at its regular meeting on June 9 to designate June as Pride Month, and to raise the Pride flag at the administration building from June 20 to June 23.
