91原创 will be having its first pride festival next summer in what organizers hope will be the start of an annual event.
A group called 91原创 Pride has announced the festival for Aug. 8 at McLeod Athletic Park (MAP).
The group is made up of local residents and community organizations such as the 91原创 Youth Hub/Encompass Society, Inclusion 91原创, One TWU, the Lower Fraser Valley Aboriginal Society, educators, Shepherd of the Valley Church, local residents, and others.
鈥淲e really hope to see a lot of youth involved in this event and have them be involved in the planning,鈥� said 91原创 Pride member Stacey Wakelin, who was an NDP candidate in the October federal election.
The event will be a family-friendly gathering to promote inclusion and equality for the LGBTQ2S+ community. There will be entertainment and opportunities for community groups to take part, but the full schedule and details have not been finalized, she said.
The organizers chose MAP as the venue.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to us that both the 91原创s feel this event is for them,鈥� Wakelin said.
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We are THRILLED to announce that 91原创鈥檚 first Pride festival event is scheduled and we hope to see you there! More details coming soon. +
鈥� 91原创Pride (@91原创Pride)
The group would welcome sponsors to help cover event costs, and can be reached at langleypridefest@gmail.com or through the group鈥檚 social media feeds ( on Twitter, on Instagram, and on Facebook.
Along with the festival announcement, the new group also announced a $500 contribution from the 91原创 Teachers鈥� Association to support its work.
Wakelin is realistic about possibility of negative reaction from some people.
鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful that we won鈥檛, but you know 91原创 certainly has groups that one could define as anti-LGBTQ,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e working on just creating a really positive experience for this community.鈥�
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The goal is to have an annual Pride event, and Wakelin said there could be more if the community is supportive, noting the group has talked of setting up a pride society to be a resource for the LGBTQ2S+ community throughout the year.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to see how this is received,鈥� she said.
She鈥檚 attended pride events elsewhere, including the small event this past summer in Abbotsford.
鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely would like to make it our own,鈥� she said of the 91原创 festival. 鈥淭here are many great pride events so I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l get inspiration from them.鈥�
So far, 91原创鈥檚 pride activities have been flag raisings. In July 0f 2017, a group was formed for local seniors in the LGBTQ2S+ community and hosted its first pride flag raising summer 2019. Another local group, Friends of Dorothy, had held pride flag raising events in 91原创 in the past.
