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Edmonton Pride Parade Returns After Seven Years With Trans March at the Forefront

The revival unfolds as two Alberta laws affecting transgender people take effect Sept. 1, with a court injunction pausing a third.

The 2016 Edmonton Pride Festival Parade in Old Strathcona.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek walks with some other city councillors during the Pride Parade in 2022.
The Edmonton Pride Parade is back in action starting at 1 p.m. Friday.
Love Object’s last hurrah in Little Italy is Saturday and Sunday.

Overview

  • The Saturday afternoon parade returns to downtown after the 2019 cancellation tied to disputes over police involvement and representation of marginalized groups.
  • Organizers say the procession will be led by what is believed to be the first Edmonton Trans March for Visibility and Equality, organized by RaricaNow.
  • The policy backdrop includes a new requirement for parental consent for under-16 name or pronoun changes at school and a ban on transgender athletes in female amateur sports starting Sept. 1, while a ban on gender-affirming care for under-16s is temporarily halted by court order.
  • Festival programming features artisan markets, food trucks, and performances headlined by Fefe Dobson, Jamie Fine, YouTuber Kelly, and drag artists Willam and Alaska, plus a meet-and-greet with Angelica Ross.
  • Police are expected to march without uniforms, reflecting adjusted participation policies that have previously limited enforcement vehicles, lights, and sirens.