Pride is coming to North Vancouver with an all-ages dance party hosted by the Vancouver Pride Society at Shipbuilders’ Square Aug. 2 in conjunction with Pride Week.
It’s the first time that the Vancouver Pride Society has ever branched out to host an event outside of the City of Vancouver, and they’re excited to be bringing their brand of inclusive fun to the North Shore, uniting the LGBTQ2+ community and its allies for a celebratory dance party dubbed Prance on the Pier.
“It’ll have a really fun, positive atmosphere, creating a safe space for people to be in,” said Kieran Burgess, executive director of operations for the Vancouver Pride Society. “In all our events we aim to have accessible and safe events wherever we go. We want to provide that welcoming, safe, fun event.”
The Vancouver Pride Society is in charge of several major events in Vancouver, including the annual Pride Parade and the Pride Festival at Sunset Beach.
The North Vancouver event will include an all-ages outdoor dance party with DJs, food trucks and games in Shipbuilders’ Square as well as a beer garden for those 19-and-over inside the Pipe Shop.
The focus will be on fun, but the event will also serve to connect North Shore youth with resources they may not be aware of, said Burgess.
“We want to bring a lot of the community groups, the LGBTQ2+ groups on the North Shore, and show youth that there are resources available and the work is being done,” he said. “We think it’s important to raise awareness for young people on the North Shore who maybe don’t know what resources are available to them or don’t feel as confident in themselves.”
The visibility and openness of events like this helps bring awareness to communities, said Burgess. That can be important for individuals who may be struggling with their identity or feel like they don’t have any help.
“There is support out there and they are not alone,” he said. “Someone who maybe feels a bit alone – it’s great for them to know that there are other people out there and that there are resources available.”
The Vancouver group is hoping that this event will help spur the creation of a North Shore Pride Society that could eventually take over the organization of the dance party and make it an annual summer standout in Lower Lonsdale.
“Our hope is that a North Shore pride society begins and realizes there is a need on the North Shore and they can begin as an organization and take it over longer-term,” said Burgess. “We’d love to see an organization begin on the North Shore in the future. We’re really excited to get the conversation and process going with this event.”
The event will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Aug. 2, at Shipbuilders’ Square and the Pipe Shop.
Event organizers are looking for approximately 10 more volunteers for Prance on the Pier. Volunteer roles include setup and tear down, Vancouver Pirde Society information booth host, living library host, photographer, and fun zone host. Volunteers can email [email protected] or create a profile on the society's MyVolunteer Page.
