Saskatoon Pride Parade Bigger Than Ever Set to Return in 2024

More than 100 floats from institutions across Saskatchewan participated in the 2024 Pride Parade, Saskatoon’s largest annual parade event.

The parade started with cloudy skies and light rain, but after each storm a rainbow appeared as the clouds gave way to sunshine and high temperatures.

Blake Tait, the event’s spokesman, says this year’s parade is estimated to draw 1,000 more people than the 2023 parade, which drew more than 9,000.

“It’s one of the 10 largest pride parades in the country,” Tait said.

(Hayatullah Amanat/CTV News)

Because Tait was a member of the community himself, pride was an important outlet for him to be accepted.

“Pride was very important to me as a child. It made me feel safe and supported in my community,” Tait said.

This comes at a time when the community is resisting provincial legislation that they believe infringes on their rights.

Members of the Saskatchewan Party were banned from joining Saskatoon Pride due to a controversial new law that requires schools to notify parents if their child wants to use a different name or pronouns at school.

Critics have said the law effectively requires teachers and school administrators to “out” their gender-nonconforming students, regardless of whether they feel safe sharing that information with their parents. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has said it will be up to school divisions to discipline teachers who choose not to comply.

Pride organizations in Regina, North Battleford and Prince Albert have also decided to ban Sask. Party MLAs from events in their cities this month.

“It feels like everything is black and white, it’s really hard to be a queer person in society. It feels like we’ve been going backwards for years, but now it’s really come to the forefront,” Tait said.

(Hayatullah Amanat/CTV News)

While the Pride parades held around the world each June are made possible by decades of hard-won political struggle, for the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies, it’s also simply a time of joy.

“It’s a real celebration. I’ve enjoyed walking this year. Everyone is accepted, no matter who they are or what they are,” said Darren Woff, who was with the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation float.

Police were invited to participate in this year’s parade in Saskatoon in uniform, breaking with last year’s agreement, as some were spotted wearing pride emblems on their uniforms.

The parade route ran along Spadina Crescent into the city center, ending at River Landing, where the festival grounds had been set up.

Speakers, food, beer gardens and a market were part of the post-parade festival, which continued for hours after Saskatoon’s largest pride parade ever concluded.

-With files from Rory MacLean