Rain doesn’t stop Halifax Pride’s sexy fun

Thousands of revellers and spectators take part in Atlantic Canada's largest Pride


The Halifax Pride parade, which organizers boast is the largest Pride event in Atlantic Canada, went off without a hitch Saturday. It capped off a week of festivities with hundreds of marchers and thousands of spectators lined up along the route from the naval docks to the Garrison Grounds.

Despite a controversy that sprang up in June when Halifax Pride co-chair Ed Savage told Metro Halifax that the organization was trying to promote a “less promiscuous” image than other Pride festivals – the Pride board later apologized and clarified their statement – participants in the parade seemed united under the parade theme this year, Better Together.

Possibly alluding to the controversy, Halifax Pride’s lead float kicked off the parade by blasting Nelly Furtado’s 2005 hit “Promiscuous” as shirtless men in Speedos and cutoffs danced.

The parade did indeed feature less nudity than Toronto Pride – there was no local equivalent of TNTmen participating – and there were far fewer scantily clad women and men, but that may have had to do with the inclement weather. Although the forecast had called for highs of 29 degrees and sun, marchers were greeted with overcast skies, fog and a brief spell of rain right at the tail end of the parade.

The rain didn’t stop the Halifax Society of Kink, who brought up the rear of the parade (so to speak). Their entry included two people being flogged and a giant rainbow cat o’ nine tails.

The parade route followed Upper Water St and Barrington St to Spring Garden Rd and across South Park St to the Garrison Commons. No fences separated spectators from marchers along Halifax’s narrow streets.

Xtra was on hand snapping pics of the parade. Check to see if we caught you in the slideshow below.

Rob Salerno is a playwright and journalist whose writing has appeared in such publications as Vice, Advocate, NOW and OutTraveler.

Read More About:
Culture, News, Canada, Pride

Keep Reading

In “Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt,” Brontez Purnell balances on a knife edge between hilarity and despair

Purnell's new memoir turns heaviness into humour, and exposes the bleakness under what seems silly and light

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 16, Episode 12 power ranking: Designing women

Who among our top five will fall short of the finale?

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 16, Episode 12 recap: Bathroom babes

The infamous room design challenge returns, this time with … restrooms?

Bollywood flair quickens the tender heart of ‘The Queen of My Dreams’

Filmmaker Fawzia Mirza discusses her feature debut and how the intergenerational drama echoes much of her own life