City Gears Up For Busy Pride Weekend
Posted June 23, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Pride Week festivities are already in full swing and the city is gearing up for one of the largest events of its kind in the world – the annual parade.
Approximately one million people are expected to flood into the city for this year’s “Fearless”-themed Pride events that culminate with the huge Pride parade along Church, Bloor and Yonge Streets on Sunday.
While many Torontonians will be planning to spend their weekend celebrating on Church Street the massive event also draws people from around the world.
“I come from China. I go to college in Nova Scotia and I’m here travelling,” one celebrant said.
And the event always attracts many of our friends from south of the border.
“We’re from Florida, from Tampa specifically, and we’re here for Pride,” another tourist said. “Our last Pride was 2003, and we did one in 2002.”
Pride also brings in big bucks for local businesses, like Ash Bhimani’s coffee shop.
“We do about 1,000 people through the doors a day … and then we have a station outside where we probably serve maybe another 500 to 800 a day,” he said.
“We’re busy, people are getting ready doing decor, get visitors from out of town, lots of people bringing hostess gifts, and then after Pride of course we send lots of flowers as thank-yous, new friends, new loves,” said Paul, the manager of the home décor store Lady Bug.
Even local grocery stores are expecting to rake in big Pride parade profits.
“Fruit and vegetables, special watermelons and peaches. All the stuff goes over well,” said Joe Pusateri, owner of Pusateri’s said.
The annual Dyke March kicks off Saturday at 2pm. The organizers have raised a few eyebrows this year by saying only women can cover the event.
The main parade starts at 2pm Sunday. If you can’t make it down in person you can watch the action live on CP24 and Citytv.
For an overview of Pride weekend highlights, click here.
