Drivers will notice much more colour on the Albert Street Memorial Bridge this month as 22 Pride flags were installed to celebrate Queen City’s annual Pride festival which runs June 4-13.
Of those 22 flags, there are 11 different flag designs that represent different parts of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“Any community that falls outside of the majority needs visibility, needs recognition and their needs to be advocating done for them as well as amplification of some the issues as well as successes,” Regina Mayor Sandra Masters said.
“Celebrating Pride in our community is what helps make our city vibrant and inclusive. We all want a community where 2SLGBTQIA+ friends and family members can feel safe, accepted and celebrated.”
The designs represent the two-spirit, transgender, bisexual, intersex, pansexual, asexual, non-binary, genderqueer, and lesbian communities.
One of the flags on display is the progress pride flag which combines black, brown, light blue, pink, and white with the traditional six-colour Pride flag.
The flags will be on display until June 14.
Taking place June 12, the 2021 Queen City Pride parade will see decorated vehicles crossing the Albert Street Memorial Bridge on its way towards the Saskatchewan Legislative Building.
The number of parade entries will be limited this year as festival organizers work to ensure that all events meet public health guidelines surrounding COVID-19.
This parade will also be broadcasted live and will incorporate video submissions sent in by community members.
Lisa Phillipson, a co-chair of Queen City Pride, said the pandemic changed last year’s event in many ways, but people are more excited this time around.
“Everyone is stoked every year, but last there was a little bit of a wane because people were unsure about a lot of things,” Phillipson said.
“Now we have a little more certainty. We’ve done this for a year…we’ve got mask-wearing and social distancing down to a science.”
Further information about events can be found on the Queen City Pride website.