2024 Pride Parade

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Rise Up Pride Parade & Fest

PRIDE MONTH HAS LAUNCHED!

2024 Pride Parade and Festival Planning is underway! We are working with the City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Police Services and Funding to get everything all planned.

Volunteers are needed!! Please apply here

FESTIVAL

This year we will be holding the festival at Waverly Park!

Vendors sign up form here WHOHOO We Are at FULL CAPACITY !!

Event Timing: Saturday, June 15, 2024 beginning at 12 noon and concluding at 5pm

SET UP MUST BE DONE BETWEEN 9AM and 11AM 

Booths are to be a MAXIMUM of 10 feet x 10 feet

Event Address: Waverley Park
Contact for questions to info@rainbowcollectiveofthunderbay.com

PARADE

Start time: 11am

Staging area: Hillcrest Park

Cost: walkers (strollers, scooters, bicycles, wheelchairs – Free

Non-for Profit / Community Group 35$

Regular Float 45$

Sponsors Fee included in your sponsorship tier

Registration form Here

Parade Participant Information

  • Walkers, Wheelchairs , scooters, bicycles are Free to attend!
  • Vehicles: Non-for profit entry is 35$, All other businesses 45$ (sponsors please sign up but your cost is covered within your tiered package) Cars, Motorcycles (groups of 6 max), Vans and regular sized trucks.
  • Float rider drop off location: 10 am till 11:15am. Parents and car-poolers can drop off people at the side of High street of Hillcrest park with your hazards on . drop off passengers and their gear: and then leave to find parking elsewhere. Please observe a 10 minute maximum time limit. DO NOT PARK OR USE PRIVATE DRIVEWAYS.
  • Walkers are suggested to hang out in the green space while drivers are getting arranged and when parade starts you may line up between vehicle floats.
  • Follow all street parking rules for the local area.
  • ABSOLUTELY NO VEHICLES except those in the parade will be allowed in the Hillcrest parking designated for floats. If the float needs to be completed come BEFORE 11:00am. Please make sure to use all garbage and recycling for excess decorations. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS.
Float Driver Information
  • To ensure the parade begins on time, all floats must be in position at Hillcrest Park by 11:00 a.m.
  • To prevent traffic congestion, all floats are to arrive on High street entering Cornel Keene drive south entrance (where the cross walk is).
  • If your entry has more than one vehicle, they must all arrive together for assembly purposes.  SPACE WILL NOT BE HELD FOR ANY PART OF ANY ENTRY THAT ARRIVES SEPARATLY.
  • Please shut-off vehicle engines prior to Parade start. Reducing exhaust fumes at this site would assist our environment and the health of the public.
  • The float driver must remain with the vehicle and be familiar with the organization for whom they are driving.
  • During the parade, please maintain approximately 10 metres (30 feet) between you and the float ahead of you, no closer – no further. This must be adhered to in order to keep the parade moving along safely.
  • Please have someone on the float to replenish walkers’ supplies in order to avoid any unnecessary delays.
  • If you have mechanical problems with your vehicle during the parade, please pull over and wave others to pass. Should the problem be resolved, we will attempt to re-enter your float at a proper interval.
  • At both Hillcrest park and Waverly Park, please do not leave any garbage or materials from the floats.
  • To exit Waverly park site, please refer to the map and follow directions from the personnel on site for timely departure onto City roadway.
  • Please ensure at end of parade that your vehicle is moved and find parking at the parkcade or other public parking lots within the area.

General Parade Information

  • Parade Theme:  Rise Up! Feel free to express your rainbow spirit in your own way! We encourage getting creative with costumes, music, lights, etc.  
  • Parade time is 11:30 a.m. sharp, departing from the Hillcrest Park, traveling north along High street, turning east down Red River rd, turning south on Algoma st and west at Waverly ending at the festival in the park. Each entry must be decorated well with a seasonal theme.
  • Entries not decorated will not be allowed to participate.
  • Floats with animals – please remember the “pooper scooper”. If you are incorporating animals in your float, please obtain separate insurance.
  • We strongly encourage queer iconic music as apart of your float. Our goal is to have every entry with music – the audience is asking for it.  
  • Please remember this is a family event. While we appreciate everyone’s efforts in promoting or displaying their product or cause, please consider the small children who view this parade. We ask that everyone ensure a proper code of conduct and personal attire is in place. Please refrain from alcohol consumption. Our goal is to make this event a fun-filled enjoyable experience for all those involved.
  • Floats allowed are motorcycles, cars, vans and trucks. No large vehicles such as school buses or transports/truck and tailers allowed. 
  • The ratio of adult chaperones to children will be no less than1:10 for ages 6 to 12 or 1:5 for preschoolers.
  • Any parade unit that performs exhibitions en-route must be a moving demonstration as not to cause gaps in the parade. Unsafe motorcycle demonstrations are not allowed and the motorcycles must maintain the pace of the parade.
  • Participants may not jump on and off floats once the parade had started. Riders will not be allowed to leave their float once their float is in motion. 
  • The parade Safety Inspection Committee will be checking each entry at the staging area for compliance to the rules.
  • Candy Distribution: If you wish to hand out candy along the parade route you must provide “walkers” along the route.  
  • Candy: Absolutely no candy is to be thrown from the floats. There are approximately 1,000 people lining the parade route.  We are very aware of the difficulties to fairly determine or distribute your gifts of kindness to thousands of tiny faces along the route.  As past parades indicate, the majority of these candy items are being dispersed to those who are located at the beginning to middle of the parade route. Although we greatly appreciate your efforts, if possible, please remember that smiling faces are anxiously waiting near the end of the parade route and would very much appreciate your kindness there too.
    No candy is to be handed from horse riders. Groups riding on horses who want to hand out candy must have walkers to handle the distribution.
  • All Drag queens and Kings will be around the festival to meet with fans of all ages throughout the day.