Halifax Pride underway, tens of thousands expected to attend

Halifax Pride us underway and will attract over 150-thousand people over the 11-day festival.

Halifax Pride has officially kicked off for 2026 with a jam-packed schedule.

“We’ve got some new programming, we’ve got some new performers. Some of our regular events are getting bigger and it’s just going to be such an exciting time,” said Halifax Pride executive director Fiona Kerr.

There are about 45 events scheduled over the course of the 11-day festival, which is even more than last year. A big draw every year is the Halifax Pride Parade, which starts on Saturday at 12 p.m.

“We’re expecting about 122 entries and I think about 80 of those are floats. We expect probably close to 40,000 spectators to line the streets and I think we’ve got something like 6,000 people walking in the parade,” said Kerr.

There are lots of other highlights to look forward to over the next several days.

“My absolute favourite event to run bar none is Queer Prom, which is for youth ages 12 to 18, and they all come out. They all get dressed up. Every year we have a theme,” said Halifax Pride assistant operations manager Jennifer Waugh. “I cry a little every year. It’s just the most special night of the festival.”

While this year’s festival has only just begun, next year is going to be extra special because Halifax will host Canada Pride.

“We’re super, super excited to welcome everyone here for Canada Pride from across Canada, hopefully from across the world. We’re hoping some folks will travel from the U.S. and from Europe, and we really just want to show them how we do Pride here,” said Kerr.

Organizers look forward to seeing new and old faces during the festival.

“It’s just so important that our community and our allies show up. Obviously, we are going through some really hard times as a community. Hate is on the rise everywhere, including here in Canada, in Nova Scotia and in Halifax, and showing up is how we push back, really,” said Kerr.

Organizers say the festival has something for everyone and continues to bring people together.

“I really, really firmly believe that that pride is in many ways kind of like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. You come out and you see people you haven’t seen since high school. You see people you work with, you see everyone that you know,” said Waugh.

“It’s really, really such an incredible privilege to get to put on this event every night, stand up at those gates and watch people squeal with excitement when they see people they haven’t seen in however long.”

Halifax Pride will run until July 26.

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