Raising Flags to 30 Years Together

** _ Today’s Flag Raising Tour _ ** The Fierté dans la Capital(e) Pride festival officially kicked-off this morning with its annual Flag Raising Tour through Ottawa. Starting at this year’s Ottawa Police Pancake Breakfast, Capital Pride toured the city in their eight Capital Pride Fiats and made stops at Bylaw and Regulatory Services, Fire Services, OC Transpo, Ottawa Public Health, and Paramedic Services. The morning tour ended at City Hall, where the last rainbow flag was raised, and City of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson made his official proclamation to the beginning of Pride week in Ottawa. ** _ A special focus on Pride’s history, and it’s future at this Year’s Parade _ ** Part of the Fierté dans la Capital(e) Pride festival’s goals this year is to celebrate both how far we’ve come over the past thirty years, and also to remember that there is still so much further to go for many in our community. Leading this year’s parade will be a collection of the festival’s past Pride Grand Marshals. This year, the festival chose not to select any new Grand Marshals, but instead to pay its respects, and give recognition to the many leaders and activists who have made it easier for all of us to live our lives more freely and with Pride every day. Following the marshals, Capital Pride has reached out and invited the Trans Community to stand at the forefront of the parade and showcase itself within Pride. This will be a Trans March within the Pride Parade. Gender Mosaic has committed to a large float which will be shared with Trans Kids and their Families. Groups are free to bring banners or book a float into the parade. All Trans Groups, Individuals and their supporters are welcome to march with the Trans Community. _ “Gender Mosaic is pleased to have been asked by Capital pride to part of the planning process in preparing for this year’s Pride Week. ‎The organisation’s commitment to being inclusive of the T in LGBT is evident by the inclusion of a Trans* March within the parade.” - Kay Lockhart, representative to Gender Mosaic. _ ** _

 Tomorrow’s

Signature Events

_ ** Pride’s thirtieth anniversary celebrations will be going strong all week long.

Tuesday’s

busy schedule includes youth scheduling in the form of the Ottawa Capital Pride Coming Out Cafe: a special 18 and under event, where coming out stories, anonymously submitted over social media, will be presented by random volunteers, sharing the stories of Ottawa’s young Rainbow community (Tan Coffee,

5:00

7:00 pm

). Later in the evening, let the sequins fly at this year’s Ottawa Capital Pride -Mr. & Ms. Capital Pride Pageant. Come experience the crowning of the 2015 Royals. Kings and Queens will compete and perform once more for the coveted title of Mr. and Ms. Ottawa Capital Pride 2015.This fierce competition is a “do not miss” event hosted at The Lookout from

7:00

9:00 pm

.