Victoria celebrated the start of its 2026 Pride Festival by raising the Pride flag outside city hall, as a symbol of support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said the annual flag raising is about making a visible statement that everyone belongs. “To make the deliberate decision to raise that flag in front of city hall is to say, yes, we know you’re here, we welcome you being here. You’re part of our community, and that’s important to us,” Alto said. For Victoria Pride Society president Nick Luney, the flag is also an invitation to reflect on the community’s history and how pride continues to grow. “I hope that they think about what the different stripes mean, and why and how the pride flag has evolved over the years, including more groups within the queer community, diversity and inclusion.” With the flag now flying over city hall, Pride celebrations will continue across Victoria. Book lovers can gather at the Victoria Conference Centre on July 4 for an evening of Queer Literary Readings, where writers and speakers will share their work with the community. The event will include ASL interpretation, and tickets are available on a pay-what-you-can basis to help keep the event accessible. Animal lovers will have their turn to celebrate on July 8, when the popular Big Gay Dog Walk returns to Banfield Park. Along with a group walk, the event will feature a dog costume contest, trick competition, local pet vendors, food trucks and a memorial space where people can remember beloved pets. The festivities will build toward the largest public celebration on Sunday, July 12, when the Victoria Pride Parade kicks-off at 11 a.m. Over 80,000 people are expected to attend, making it one of the most anticipated events of the year. The Pride flag will remain outside city hall until July 13, serving as a visible reminder of the city’s support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community throughout the festival.
