If you’re walking through Vancouver Saturday afternoon, you may notice hundreds of people strutting down Sunset Beach like it’s a catwalk — that’s because it’s the fourth annual Strut Walkathon.
The Foundation of Hope President Carl Meadows says the event encourages wearing your craziest high heels.
“It’s a walkathon for LGBT, lots of people have fun with it. There might be men in stilettos, women in stilettos, people in fun shoes, it doesn’t have to be stilettos.”
Meadows says their iconic stiletto shoe was chosen specifically in support of LGBTQ around the world.
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“The stiletto is a metaphor, many women in many countries of the world can’t even wear any imagery around femininity, let alone gay men in some of these countries.”
He says there are prizes for several categories from best shoes to best fundraiser.
“We basically walk from the Sunset Beach to the Innukshuk and then we turn around and come back and by that time our feet are so sore!”
The money raised will go to Canadian charities working directly with LGBT and asylum seekers, refugees and newcomers to Canada.
“Many people who do want to wear heels in 79 countries; they persecute homosexuals, so many of those people wouldn’t even have the opportunity to wear them if they wanted to.”
It kicks off at 11 am with a warm up and opening ceremony, and the walk down the beach will start at noon.
“Dress up outrageously, come and have fun and walk with us!”