ABOUT HALIFAX PRIDE
The Halifax Pride Festival is an annual 11 day gathering in the Halifax Regional Municipality for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. It features over 150 community and Pride organized events celebrating the history, culture, activism, and perseverance of the queer community. While the Halifax Pride Society organizes a number of large and small scale events, we engage actively with various queer groups and individuals throughout the year to support them in the planning of their own events and activities.
History
Beginning in 1988 with Halifax's very first Pride March, members of the city's gay and lesbian community organized Pride Week without the benefit of legal protections. Amidst growing unrest about rampant prejudice and discrimination, that first Pride March was primarily a protest over the lack of legal protection from discrimination, and the all-too-common threat of homophobic violence.
Black and white photo of the first Halifax pride march (1988). A group of people holding signs and banners
About 75 people marched through Halifax's North End that first year. A handful wore paper bags over their heads, not out of shame, but out of the very real fear for their livelihoods and their safety. Since that time, the Halifax Pride Festival has grown into a celebration that includes numerous events that highlight the unique character of our diverse community, welcoming upwards of 120,000 participants every summer.
Aim, Purpose & Guiding Principles
In 2020, the Halifax Pride Society reimagined our Mission, Vision, and Values. Identifying a colonial narrative woven into the concept of a “mission”, we adopted a new model based on our Aim, Purpose, & Guiding Principles. They are as follows:
AIM: An equitable society free from all forms of oppression.
PURPOSE: To create spaces for persons of diverse sexual and gender identities to come together and flourish.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
Community: a sense of belonging and connection.
Self-expression: being one's true authentic self without fear or judgement.
Growth: continually unlearning oppressive social constructs and structures to reimagine and rebuild a system that will champion all voices.
