Residents of Port Alberni joined together in a show of love and solidarity for the town’s fourth annual Pride Fest on Sunday, July 29.
Port Alberni’s Pride celebration lasted for three days this year, with a Dance and Drag Show on Friday, an inclusive swim on Saturday and the BBQ on Sunday. The event featured vendors, kids’ activities, t-shirt tie-dying, dancing, food and more.
This wasn’t the first Pride event of 2018. Earlier this year, Alberni District Secondary School celebrated Pride Day and the School District 70 board office flew the Ally flag in support. Just last week, North Island College’s Port Alberni campus raised the Pride flag for the first time.
This year, city council voted once again to raise the Pride flag outside of city hall, but also to touch up the town’s rainbow crosswalk in celebration of Pride Week.
Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns congratulated Port Alberni on its fourth annual Pride Fest during the opening celebration on Sunday.
“You’ve come a long way in fighting the intolerance and fear,” said Johns. “That has happened by the strength and courage and the hope and love of the Alberni Valley LGBTQ+ community, but also all of the people who stood with them.”