Because of the pandemic, this week’s Saskatoon Pride Festival is being transformed into a virtual festival.
Co-chair of the event, Mike McCoy says they thought about rescheduling for the fall but then figured June is Pride Month and people could use a little connection right now.
The only non-virtual event was Sunday night’s drive-in.
Throughout the week the festival will showcase film, dance, spoken word, discussions, drag artists, music and youth events.
The biggest event is always the Pride Parade.
It will also be virtual this year and will begin at the same time as it would have if it were on the streets of Saskatoon, at noon this Saturday on Facebook Live.
It won’t be the same, McCoy says, but the hope is that the festival will bring connection and unity for the 2SLGBTQ communities, their families and their allies.

Another event during Pride Month is a portrait and digital storytelling project by and for trans and non-binary people called ‘Stories That Move You’.
Project participant, Cat Haines, says trans narratives are often misrepresented because of unconscious bias, so having the opportunity to write, voice and and record their own narratives and decide what the mood of their portrait would be, means a more authentic story.
The photos are being displayed at the Woods gallery in Regina for the rest of the month.