Saul Porto/top news
Enza Supermodel will join Christina Cherneskey in hosting CFRB 1010 AM radio’s Pride Parade coverage this Sunday.
Canadian Press
The Cliks, left to right: Jen Benton (bass), Morgan Doctor (drums), Lucas Silveira (guitar/vocals), Nina Martinez (guitar).
Now let the real party begin. Pride weekend has arrived. With over a million people expected this weekend, there’s no shortage of events to keep you entertained for the next three days.
Tonight, the official party starts at 6 p.m. at the Centre Stage, located outdoors on Church Street at Maitland Street.
But what’s a Pride party without an official drag queen competition. The Ms. Polar Ice Vodka has queens working it for the title. This queen will be doing the honours as judge. Then it’s dancing to the beat of Toronto’s hippest DJs from 7 to 11 p.m.
Still outdoors … the South Stage at Church Street and Wood Street (opposite Maple Leafs Gardens) gives you more of that humping and bumping from 8 to 11 p.m.
But it’s the Sixth annual Women’s Pride Dance, Moist, that will get you wet. This female dance party is a fundraiser of women’s participation in the Gay Games. Catch it at the Opera House, 9 p.m. Call 416-929-9912 for tickets.
Don’t party too late; Saturday morning will have you kick starting your heels in the BMO sponsored five-kilometre Pride and Remembrance Run. This 12th annual sprint to the finish gets hopping at 10 a.m. at the corner of Church and Wellesley.
By afternoon, things begin to get political. Women of all stripes take over the streets (more like Yonge Street) in the annual Dyke March. The feet start stomping at 2 p.m. from Church at Hayden.
Relax to spoken word as Word On The Street presents Proud Voices. Hear your favourite writers, the likes of Mark Tewksbury and Sandra Alland, speak from their written works, 1 to 6 p.m., across from the 519 Community Centre.
Queen of music Martha Wash brings the stage down with her cult classic “It’s Raining Men” at the TD Canada Trust Stage, 6 p.m., across from the Wellesley subway station. Following her show, the band that has the queer community buzzing, the Cliks, led by trans-singer Lucas Silveira, hits the stage at 8:30 p.m. The Indigo Girls close off the night.
Hold on, Sunday is just as packed.
You’ll want to make it the Marketplace on Church (before you make your way through the Community Fair on Wellesley) to get to the Pride Parade that starts hitting Yonge Street at 2 p.m.
If you can’t make it to the parade, then let the parade come to you. Now in its eighth year, CFRB 1010 AM radio will be providing listeners with live Pride Parade coverage. Join hosts Christina Cherneskey and myself, as we perch ourselves on the balcony of Salon Solis at 659 Yonge St., between 1 and 4 p.m. for some hot parade talk.
After the parade, take a relaxing quencher at several of the beer gardens along Church as you make your way to the Labatt South Stage to catch Kinnie Star and Carol Pope, starting at 6 p.m.
End the night at the VIA Village Stage where the queer community’s biggest drag queens and drag kings put on the craziest show from 5 p.m. to close. Want more to do? Then visit www.pridetoronto.comfor more festival details.
Have a happy and safe Pride!
Supermodelly yours, Enza…
