The rain let up long enough for the Dyke March to parade across Bloor and down Yonge without everyone getting wet. Lots of colour and sparkle was on display along with lots of enthusiasm and fun! This year’s theme was Resist as seen on this crocheted banner.
The usual cast of characters, plus or minus a few.
Floats, marchers, and crowds.
Flags, banners, and signs.
Flamboyance, body paint, and tutus.
Unicorns, fruit, and super soakers.
It’s Pride weekend here in Toronto with its many activities including the usual parades. Yesterday was the Dyke March.
below: As in previous year, the motorcyclists led the parade.
July is almost over – yes, summer is flying by.
So far, it’s been a good one!
below: Staying cool and having fun in the Yonge Dundas square fountains
below: A giant bite from a giant watermelon slice
below: A Bay Street hug and kiss.
below: An impromptu serenade
below: Watching the entertainment at the waterfront – it’s magical
below: Making comfort at Afrofest, Woodbine Park
below: A Canada Day kiss.
below: Leave your message by the outdoor facilities!
below: A mother and daughter stroll on the waterfront
below: Posing, Pride fun
below: Blowing bubbles by the lake.
Happy August everyone!
Or rather, pre-Pride parade. The parade route is usually very crowded and this year I decided not walk it. Instead, I mingled with the parade participants who gathered on Bloor Street in preparation for the event. What you’ll find in this blog posts are a lot of pictures of people, people laughing and smiling and enjoying the day. I hope I have captured some of the energy and spirit of the occasion.
below: A temporary rainbow LOVE sign
below: The orange guy from the fruit group!
below: One of the floats parked on Rosedale Valley Road. Toronto in balloons, ready and waiting for the parade to start. The calm before the storm.
below: When I first approached this group, the man in the middle had a rainbow flag in front of him. As I took the picture he flung the flag to his back and hammed it up for the camera. Thanks!
below: These boots are made for walking, but that bike sure looks great!
below: Apparently, wearing large amounts of feathers on your back is quite warm. Not so good on a hot day!
below: The solution – water of course. Super soakers and the spraying of water is a big part of the pride parade.
below: The three coloured Transgender Pride flag – the stereotype colours of light blue for baby boys and light pink for baby girls with a white stripe in the middle for those who identify as neither.
below: #ShareLove wash the hashtag used by Telus and the people on their float. I love the glitter and the purple hearts!
below: Puppets from Kids Help Phone Line make an appearance at the parade with a little help from some friends. The one T-shirt reads “Tell us about your #firstpride”
below: Well, what can I say? It’s Pride.
below: Nonchalantly blowing bubbles. Someone looks unimpressed.
below: I managed to find the saddest person on Bloor Street.
below: Thanks to these two women who showed off their T-shirts for the camera. #ProudBecause was Fido’s campaign for Pride. Each person on the team had a T-shirt like this, and each person had filled in the white rectangles with their personal messages.
below: Spectators waiting. One is keeping cool.
below: The Liberals had a large presence, most of them in red T-shirts. They congregated on Asquith Green early on and there were many in the staging area on Bloor Street. As the world knows, Justin Trudeau walked in the parade with Toronto Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. As an aside, I may be the only person who didn’t get a photo of Trudeau!
When the parade started, I left Bloor Street, heading south on Ted Rogers Way then back towards the Hayden Street entrance to Bloor subway station. Somewhere along that route (and I can’t remember exactly where) I saw a small group of PC/Tories with their signs walking towards the parade.
below: Tomodachi is Japanese for ‘friends’.
below: The Federation of Canadian Naturists were also walking in the parade.
This year’s Dyke March (the 20th!) was an energetic, supportive, and positive celebration once again. It was led as usual by motorcycles and then Dykes on Bikes. Numerous groups and individuals walked and there was a good turnout that lined the sidewalks to watch the parade pass by. Colourful. Joyful.
#pride | #prideTO | #prideToronto
The Trans Rally and March, first of the Pride parades was last night (Friday).
below: If you were driving on Yonge street last night, perhaps you got stuck in traffic. Northbound cars on Yonge were stopped to allow the parade to cross from Bloor to Yonge. The parade continued in the southbound lanes which gave the stuck drivers and passengers a front row seat.
Last year it rained for the Trans March and in previous years the turn out was low. Whether it is because trans issues have been in the news a lot lately, or because the trans community is more visible, or because of other reasons, there were more people walking than usual.
below: Dave holding ‘Pulse’ a memorial artwork in honour of those who died at the Pulse nightclub Orlando. The piece was crocheted by Dave and the Craft Action Collective.
#loveislove | #lovealwayswins
Toronto Pride Parade,
Bloor St. and Yonge St., June 2015
fun & games,
smiles & laughter,
community involvement
pride parade pics in no particular order
Toronto mayor John Tory walks in the parade armed with a super soaker.
Actress Cyndi Lauper rides on the ‘Kinky Boots’ float.
Spiderman makes an appearance too.
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Elizabeth May, leader of the federal Green Party.
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Anonymous characters because #HIVanonymous
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Fruit having a wonderful time in support of Communityone Foundation
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“The Heat”, Peel Regional Police
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You don’t need clothes to take a selfie!
Shooting the pride parade was a lot different from shooting the dyke march! The pride parade is much bigger and by necessity much more tightly controlled. I was able to walk alongside the women in the dyke march but the streets were barricaded and non-participants kept off the route for the pride parade.
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looking west on Bloor towards Yonge.
I walked the first part of the route, along Bloor Street, just before the parade started. Lots of crowds were behind the metal bars; a few police were watching/ignoring me. When I turned the corner at Yonge St., I realized just how controlled the crowds were! I chose not to continue walking south on Yonge. A policeman opened the barricade enough to let me out. After that I walked amongst the crowds….. and saw nothing of the parade! Too many people! But they were interesting people and I enjoyed walking amongst them. …. until Dundas when there were so many people and no one could move. That’s was my cue to exit stage right.
So here’s a salute to all those who joined the fun. A little raunchy and a little over the top at times but all good.
Kudos to these two ladies who showed up in banana costumes! I asked them if they were part of a group, but no, they’re just fruity they said. I hope they joined the parade had fun (and didn’t get too hot!… unless they peeled…. )
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timeless
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pink, with smiles, waiting for the parade to begin
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Before the parade started – They were actually posing for someone else… but I suggested that they look a little livelier, wave their hands or something…. thanks for obliging!
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viewable, & captured, from all angles
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boys just wanna have fun
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keeping the sun away. These umbrellas were great – very photogenic!
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big grins! The one in blue was more game than his partner…. you could almost say that one in grey is grimacing more than grinning. Thanks guys!
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He had such a wonderful smile and he seemed so happy that I couldn’t resist taking his picture.
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ninjas, mostly unmasked
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a better view!
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The crowds at Yonge and Wellesley just as the parade reached that part of the route.
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How does one even start to calculate how many people were there?
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A quick shot – he saw my camera, turned and quickly posed, and I got the shot. It wasn’t until I downloaded the photos that I saw the marvellous juxtaposition!
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almost their own little parade!
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stopping the parade to let the College/Carlton streetcar through
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She doesn’t seem to be having fun – standing in the window of Starbucks at College & Yonge.
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I walked the parade route at about the same speed that the parade went. An hour and a half later, I reached Yonge & Dundas where the crowds were so thick no one could move.
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At the corner of Yonge & Dundas – by the time I made it to this intersection, I was beginning to agree with the boy in green!
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posing with the body painters – Body Art by Tania was the booth on Church St., near the start of the parade.
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actoronto – AIDS Committee Toronto
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….continued from the previous post
Here is the second sample of the photos that I took at the dyke march yesterday.
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as I walk Toronto 