Montreal comes out with a landmark Gay Pride festival lineup

Montreal's 11th annual Gay Pride festival kicks off under the multicolored canopy as of August 11. (CTV Montreal)

When this year’s canopy of rainbow-tinted balls was suspended over the streets of the gay village, it marked a special year for both the city of Montreal and the members of its LGBTQ community.

As a result, organizers of the 11^th annual Canada Pride Montreal – a special National edition of Montreal Pride -- expect a record turnout in the second week of August, when M.C.s Gregory Charles and Marie-Mai open the festivities with an inaugural presentation, Montreal is Proud.

The festival’s full roster—made public on Monday—boasts a number of local and international pop culture stars, among them Nelly Furtado, Ria Mae, Martha Wainwright, Jonas, the Barabé twins, Elisapie Isaac, David Usher, Matt Holubowski, Elvira Kurt, Dan Bigras, country star Guylaine Tanguay, as well as former contestants of reality TV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race.

There will be 10 large-scale shows happening on as many nights at Parc des Faubourgs, Pride’s new primary outdoor venue, as well as Place Emilie-Gamelin.

Overall, more than 150 advocacy and community-oriented events will be offered during the festival—the only LGBTQ event slated to take place as part of the city’s 375^th anniversary. Besides the time-honored gay pride parade running along René Levesque Blvd, there will also be a community day, sports tournament, and conferences on issues in sexual diversity.

What else is on the menu:  

All programming details can be found on the Fierté Montreal website.