Fierté Sudbury Pride officially kicked off pride week today with a Rainbow Flag Raising Ceremony at Tom Davies Square.
The theme for this year's festival is "Rooting for our Futures.”
Twelve-year-old Kennedy Waterman was invited to be a youth speaker at the event and shared her story with the crowd of supporters.
Growing up in a queer household, Waterman said it was easy to come out to her family, but she felt betrayed when a friend shared her secret with the rest of the school.
"I told this girl I trusted at the time that I had feelings for my best friend and then all of a sudden the whole school knew." Waterman said. "People were not very nice about it but I didn't let it bother me."
This will be Waterman's second pride festival.
"It's fun," Waterman told Sudbury.com. "My favourite event is Pride Prom. It's a dance, there's a DJ, free food and drinks."
Fierté Sudbury Pride runs until July 14 and includes events like:
A Pride Barbecue in support of Rainbow Camp takes place at the entrance to YMCA Sudbury from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 10.
The Big Gay Cabaret at Sudbury Theatre Centre starting at 7 p.m. July 11, and features some of Sudbury's most daring and outrageous performers.
The Pride Breakfast and Discussion at the Clarion Hotel at 7:30 a.m. July 12.
The main events of the week take place July 13, with Pride Day in the Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Memorial Park, and the Pride March, which starts out at 1 p.m. from Memorial Park.
Dynamic Earth is also getting in on the pride week fun — all week long, the Big Nickel will have a rainbow projected on it at night.
Dynamic Earth Pride Day takes place July 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with two-for-one admission pricing. Use the password “Rainbow Obsidian” with the front desk staff to get the deal.
Visit the Fierté Sudbury Pride festival website for more details and the full schedule of events.
