Montréal Pride shows its colours

The 2.1 km long Pride parade route along René-Levesque Boulevard from Metcalfe to Atateken streets symbolically begins in the former Gay Village in the downtown west end on Sunday, August 10, at 1 pm and winds down in the heart of the current Village in the east.

This year’s theme is “Blossom here, now!” Do not forget to observe the minute of silence during the parade at 2:30 pm, to honour those lost to anti-LGBTQ+ violence and HIV/AIDS.

The story of Pride in Montréal over the past 47 years has been a long and winding road. The festival remains a favourite of many well-known Montréalers.

This year Fierté Montréal Festival hosts two Community Days on August 8 and 9. During Community Days, kiosks for the many exciting organizations, community groups and sports teams catering to the LGBTQ+ communities will line the Sainte-Catherine Street pedestrian mall between Saint-Hubert and Papineau streets in the Village, daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fierté Montréal Festival celebrations will be held downtown on the Esplanade Tranquille in the Quartier des spectacles from July 31 to August 3.

The Loto-Québec Stage on the Esplanade Tranquille at the corner of Sainte- Catherine and Clark streets will present Lumière des nations spotlighting Indigenous artists on July 31, followed by Transcendance, celebrating trans excellence. 

On August 1, FeminiX celebrates queer women. The much-anticipated Mundo Disko on August 2 pays tribute to dance music, nightlife and queer revolutions, and on August 3, the signature show ImmiX presents artists such as Lisa LeBlanc, Gabrielle Destroismaisons, Martine St-Clair, Calamine, Safia Nolin and Lennikim.

Also onsite is the Pride Has Its Flags exhibition (La Fierté a ses drapeaux) about the various identity Pride flags since the creation of the Rainbow flag in 1978. Runs July 30 to August 3 on the Esplanade Tranquille, then relocates to the Esplanade of the Olympic Park from August 7 to 10.

The French-language comedy show Katherine Levac et invité·e·s : L'été de ma Fierté! headlines Théatre Maisonneuve on August 1.

Nightlife lovers will enjoy the official after-parties at Club Soda and the Société des arts technologiques (or called “the SAT”): Supernature, L'After FeminiX, KinX, L'After Mundo Disko Dôme, Louche XXL, Pleasuredome, Bear Playground, TeQCno and Unikorn.

Also, at the neighbouring MEM - Centre des mémoires montréalaises museum (or called “the MEM”), do not miss the Keeping our memories alive! Tracing lesbian history in Montréal exhibition by Archives lesbiennes du Québec (Quebec Lesbian Archives) from June 25 to October 12.

Throughout the Fierté Montréal Festival, the LGBTQ+ Village will shine with Pride from July 31 to August 10.

The Dovato Stage, a roaming stage that will travel through the neighborhood during the festival, will spotlight emerging queer artists and members of racialized communities. 

From August 1 to 3, the first edition of the Rainbow Market will showcase LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and artists in pop-up spaces. 

The comedy night Des gags et des paillettes returns to Le National for a double feature on August 5 and 6, hosted by Phil Lacroix and Yann Aspirot — aka Greg and Tom from the web series Mon Bro — with guest local comedians including Tranna Wintour.

The aforementioned Community Days is back on August 9 and 10.

The Jardins Gamelin will celebrate Pride with shows on July 31, and August 1-2-6.

Fierté Littéraire returns with a series of events celebrating queer literary creation, and the festival will wrap up with L’After T-Dance at Sainte-Catherine Hall on August 10.

Beginning on August 7, the Olympic Park’s Esplanade becomes the Festival’s main venue and home to the TD Stage where free outdoor shows attract tens of thousands of festivalgoers. 

The festivities kick off with Soirée 100% Drag, the world’s largest free drag show hosted by Barbada and Rita Baga, featuring local drag royalty alongside drag artists from different RuPaul’s Drag Race franchises.

DistinXion showcases queer women on August 8. Starring Fefe Dobson, Charlotte Day Wilson, and G Flip.

Xcellence on August 9 celebrates racialized LGBTQ+ communities and their allies with performances by Iniko, Bilal Hassani, and Puerto Rico’s Queen of Reggaeton Ivy Queen. 

Then Montréal’s biggest dancefloor comes alive for the Mega T-Dance on August 10 featuring DJs Black Flamingo and Marti Frieson. The dancefloor really fills up after the Pride parade.

Also happening during the Fierté Montréal Festival, Le Monastère downtown presents their Pride Circus Cabaret with a cast of circus artists from Québec’s LGBTQ+ communities. Click here for updates.

The Fierté Montréal Festival runs from July 31 to August 10. Click here for a complete listing of all Fierté Montréal Festival events and activities.