When the first Pride Walk took place in 91原创 last year, 12 people participated, and they had to use vehicles because of the pandemic.
This year, co-organizer Ess Ravensberger explained, with COVID restrictions starting to ease, there will be two routes, one for walking, and one for driving, with a 50-person limit in effect to meet the current restriction on outdoor gatherings.
鈥淎nyone not comfortable in a crowd,鈥 even a socially-distant one, can use cars, Ravensberger told the 91原创 Advance Time.
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Set for Sunday, June 27, the event will start at noon, with the walking route circling through 91原创 across the 204th St. overpass, where organizers plan to hold a cheer, then continuing to Douglas Park.
Vehicles will follow a different route, one that includes the Willowbrook Shopping Centre parking lot, and 鈥渁 few slow laps around the mall, cheering,鈥 before ending at Douglas Park.
鈥淐ome decorate your car with homemade flags, posters, streamers or balloons,鈥 the online invitation reads.
鈥淥r if you are a walking participant, feel free to decorate yourself.鈥
In order to ensure a COVID-compliant 50-person limit is maintained, participants are being asked to obtain free tickets online through 鈥91原创 Pride Parade Walk Tickets鈥 at 鈥渏ust so we can keep track of the numbers,鈥 Ravensberger said.
鈥淭he tickets are capped at 50, [so] when they鈥檙e sold out, they鈥檙e sold out,鈥 Ravensberger said.
Drop-ins can鈥檛 be accommodated, they advised.
Ravensberger is creative director of , a Metro Vancouver grass-roots, non-profit group, with a stated aim of supporting the physical, emotional and social needs of queer youth and adults by building a diverse collective community.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: 91原创鈥檚 first Pride Fest considered a sign of progress
A former 91原创 resident who went to school in Murrayville, Ravensberger was moved to hold the first walk after temporarily moving back to 91原创 and discovering there was still a lack of resources for queer youth and adults.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very personal for me,鈥 Ravensberger told the 91原创 Advance Times.
鈥淚 grew up in 91原创, I went to school in 91原创, I have friends in 91原创. I鈥檓 the only out person I know [in the local community].鈥
While there has been some improvements since Ravensberger was growing up in 91原创, they described them as 鈥渓ittle things鈥 like the raising of a pride flag at 91原创 City hall.
鈥淚t feels performative,鈥 Ravensberger commented.
The walk, they said, 鈥渋s a way for the queer to say no, we really exist here.鈥
Ravensberger hopes it will become an annual tradition in 91原创.
Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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