THUNDER BAY -- The colours of the rainbow are set to populate Thunder Bay for the next 10 days.
Pride week, a celebration of the LGBTQ2S community, hosted by Thunder Pride, kicked off this week at city hall.
City councillors and members of Fort William First Nation were set to kick off the events taking place from June 7 to June 17. The feature events will range from an awareness breakfast, to a pub night, drag show, and much more.
“It’s an honour, it’s exciting, and it’s a marker for recognizing the great gains we’ve made in the north,” said Collin Graham, media coordinator of Thunder Pride.
Graham has been associated with Thunder Pride for seven years, and he said watching the pride grow in Thunder Bay was the most rewarding part.
“There’s been new programming in the school systems and healthcare,” Graham said. “Most importantly, the acknowledgment of creating and giving space to youth as their going to continue on with the legacy of fighting for LGBT rights.”
Joey Polhill was voted pride king for this year’s drag show and said the event has allowed him to open up to the community.
“I had never come to the public events, I was always very nervous to put myself out there,” Polhill said. “To see (Mayor) Keith Hobbs and all the different councillors… It doesn’t matter what you identify as, they will be there to support you no matter what, it’s a great feeling.”
As for the show, Polhill says in past years it has allowed him to evolve.
“I was very nervous about it, that was one of my holdbacks, I was nervous to be in the spotlight,” Polhill said. “It’s only been in last four or five years that I’ve come out and I’ve seen so much support… That’s what I love about it, I can be myself and Pride is the perfect place to do that.”
The pride king will star in the drag show that is set to take place on June 16. The week will culminate on June 17 with the fifth annual pride parade and Pride in the Park music festival.
