As I wrote in my PEI Guardian article published last Thursday, we've been enjoying the more low-key, family-friendly Pride week festivities out here on the island this summer. And, as we sat eating our cones from Cow's ice cream on the steps in front of the Confederation Ctre for the Performing Arts, waiting for Saturday's parade to begin, we wondered what it would be like, this little Island parade.
"It's not like in Toronto," our LGBTQ friends on PEI had warned us, laughing at the prospect of our "coming early to get a good seat" as I had suggested when one of them told us the best place to catch the parade! But little did I know just how little (tiny, really) this parade would be... our first clue was that no roads were closed off on the way to the parade route. Indeed, the route itself was rather unclear, having been published on the morning of the actual parade, and then changed at the last minute.
An easy target with our festive rainbow flags and bandanas, several locals and tourists approached us to inquire if we knew where the parade was going to be!
But -- despite the surprising lack of rainbow paraphenalia wielded by the general public -- we did see a few other suspiciously "gay-looking" folk and allies gathered out front of the Confed centre when we got there, and therefore assumed we had found the route. So, we settled in and waited for the parade to begin.
"It's not like in Toronto," our LGBTQ friends on PEI had warned us, laughing at the prospect of our "coming early to get a good seat" as I had suggested when one of them told us the best place to catch the parade! But little did I know just how little (tiny, really) this parade would be... our first clue was that no roads were closed off on the way to the parade route. Indeed, the route itself was rather unclear, having been published on the morning of the actual parade, and then changed at the last minute.
An easy target with our festive rainbow flags and bandanas, several locals and tourists approached us to inquire if we knew where the parade was going to be!
But -- despite the surprising lack of rainbow paraphenalia wielded by the general public -- we did see a few other suspiciously "gay-looking" folk and allies gathered out front of the Confed centre when we got there, and therefore assumed we had found the route. So, we settled in and waited for the parade to begin.
Begin it finally did, though Alex had to be convinced that the one police motorbike escort and the few cars that followed really were the parade... it didn't take long for the boys to recognize the benefits of a smaller crowd, though: Less competition for the swag that gets thrown to the bystanders from the paraders!
Simon runs into the street to grab a handful of candy thrown out of one of the parade vehicles!
After the very short, cute parade (in contrast to Toronto's 6-hour World Pride parade last month, PEI's version took about 12 minutes to pass by!!!), the boys gathered their loot, and then we walked over to Victoria Park to meet some friends for a post-parade Pride picnic in the park.
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At the picnic, we met some new friends and friends of friends. This resulted in an "after-picnic session" on the deck of one of said friends, enjoying a few refreshments while the kids jumped on a trampoline that was set up in the backyard. (Sorry, no photos.)
So, it turns out that we're not the only queers on the island, and that Alex and Simon's is not the only "unusual" family here!
A little Pride is kind of a fun thing. Here's looking forward to next year's event!
A little Pride is kind of a fun thing. Here's looking forward to next year's event!
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