7 August 2015 / #festivals #pride Fierté dans la Capital Pride announces plans for 2015 festival_ ** Get Ready to Come Out and Celebrate 30 Years Together! ** _August is finally upon us, and the Fierté dans la Capital(e) Pride festival is ecstatic to be able to share this year’s programming for our 30th anniversary celebrations, running from August 17th to the 23rd, 2015. The Capital Pride organization has been working hard from within this community to bring Ottawa pride back to its roots in the Bank Street Village, and create a festival that we can all be proud of!_ ** Parade Route and Festival Highlights: Bringing it back to the Village! ** _This year Capital Pride is coming out with a whole new parade route that brings the festivities back on Bank St. in the Village! Starting at Gladstone and Bank, the parade will march up Kent, turn on Laurier and land on Bank for the big finish, drawing it into the heart of the Village and this year’s Community Fair (see Pride Guide p.8 for full visuals).The Fierté dans la Capital(e) Pride Festival is honored to be working with close to 40 wonderful community partners to present over 30 inclusive and exciting events for this community during Pride Week. Some highlights include: * The Flag Raising Tour, August 17th, presented in partnership with the City of Ottawa; * The Coming Out Café August 18th, sharing the stories of Ottawa’s LGBTTQ* youth; * Picnic in the Park & Healthy Pride, August 18th, presented in partnership with Ten Oaks and Loblaws Rideau; * Rainbow Youth Film Night, August 19th, presented in partnership with the Ottawa International Animation Festival; * Human Rights Vigil, August 20th, presented in partnership with Amnesty International; * Pride Boat Cruise, August 20th, presented in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD); * The Fresh Zone, August 23rd, presented in partnership with the Community Addictions Peer Support Association; * TD Main Stage, August 23rd, Presented in partnership with the BIA and hosting uniquely local talent. ( _ See our Pride Guide for complete listings of events leading up to and during Pride Week 2015) _ _ ** Pride Parade Marshal Project: Paying Our Respects ** _Forit’s30th anniversary, the Fierté dans la Capital(e) Pride Festival has embarked on a special project to track down and honor those leaders and activists who have been roles models within the community and acted as Pride Parade Marshals in years past.“We felt it was paramount that we find a way to honor and remember where this community came from, and the many people who helped bring us from there to here” said Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Chair Tammy Dopson. “We wanted to give recognition to the many brave community members here in Ottawa who have helped make it easier for all of us to live our lives more freely and with pride every day. Hopefully their names, experiences and stories will help to inspire a new generation of activists to come forward and to continue the fight for equal rights and dignities, as our work is not over both at home and abroad.”_ ** A Special Thanks to the City of Ottawa and our many generous sponsors ** _After the recent approval of the all new Parade Route, the Fierté dans la Capital(e) Pride Festival would like to take an opportunity to thank the City of Ottawa and our mayor Jim Watson for their hard work and generous support in helping us bring Pride back to the Village forit’s30th anniversary.We would also like to take a moment to thank our many sponsors listed here: ** Presenting Sponsor: ** TD Bank ** Rainbow Sponsors ** Loblaws Paul Rushforth Real Estate ** Event Sponsors ** TJX Canada OPSEU Fiat of Ottawa ** Festival Partners ** CLV Group LIV Ottawa Timbercreek Communities Zipcar UFCW 175 Mod Box ** Media Parters ** HOT 89.9 FW Xtra OUTv PROUD FM UsedOttawa.com Metro Dorothy’s Closet ** Tourism Partners ** Delta Ottawa City Centre ARC Hotel The Radisson VIA Rail