MONTRÉAL, July 24,
2024 /CNW/ - In collaboration with over 300
organizations supporting progress for 2SLGBTQIA+ people's rights,
Fierté Montréal Festival, presented by TD Bank Group in
collaboration with Loto-Québec, has brought together
2SLGBTQIA+ communities and their allies to join in the festivities
from August 1 to 11, in Montréal. The
Fierté Montréal Festival invited festivalgoers to celebrate the
creativity and resilience of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities by taking part
in over 150 artistic, cultural and community activities over the
course of the 11-day festival.
"In a world where resurgent hatred towards 2SLGBTQIA+ people
is progressing at an alarming pace, Fierté Montréal once again
creates a safe, supportive, and celebratory space where everyone's
dignity is respected. More than ever, we believe in the importance
of coming together to make our struggles more visible, to rally our
allies, to defend the progress we've made and stand up for the
expansion of our rights," said Simon
Gamache, Executive Director of Fierté Montréal.
The Pride Parade on August
11
True to its mission of amplifying the voices of the 2SLGBTQIA+
communities, Fierté Montréal marshalls the Pride Parade on
August 11, starting at
1 pm, when a
recording-breaking number of over 17,000 people will take to
René-Lévesque Blvd., between Metcalfe and Atateken Streets
to demonstrate for the recognition and respect of 2SLGBTQIA+
communities' rights, and to celebrate the progress our struggles
have earned us. With "We are the Rainbow!" as this year's theme,
the Pride Parade conjures a potential future, free of
discrimination and injustice towards 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
Community Days, an 2SLGBTQIA+ family reunion
Community Days, presented by Air Canada, will be back on August 9 and 10 on Sainte-Catherine Street East in the Village,
where nearly 200 (more than ever!) 2SLGBTQIA+ community
organizations, national and international public institutions,
labour unions, and businesses, all actively involved with the
2SLGBTQIA+ communities will take part.
A Festival where the diversity in queer communities is
reflected
The Fierté Montréal Festival will unfold around three Hubs:
Urban, Olympic and Village, bringing the diversity of our
communities to ever-growing audiences.
"With close to 240 artists taking to the stage, the majority
of whom are people of sexual and gender diversity, including those
from racialized communities, the Festival's shows celebrate the
creativity of our communities that our city is known for,"
added Chris Ngabonziza,
Director of Programming and Artistic Development.
Urban Hub: for that downtown Montréal big-city vibe
As the heart of Montréal's cultural life, the Quartier des
spectacles will be the venue for free outdoor shows on the Scène
Loto-Québec on the Esplanade Tranquille. Entre
nous (August 1,
5 pm) will pay tribute to the martial
arts; Afro Drag (August
1, 8 pm), presented by
Ubisoft, will showcase Afro-descendant Drag artists;
Pikete (August 2,
5 pm), presented by Four Seasons
Hôtel Montréal, will showcase LatinX effervescence;
Bloc Bollywood (August
2, 8 pm), presented by
Skip The Dishes, will celebrate the South Asian
diaspora's queer cultures; and Transcendance
(August 3, 5 p.m.) will spot our trans communities. Also on
August 3, we will welcome
rising French star Lucky Love in concert with Marilyne
Léonard (8 pm). Programming on
the Loto-Québec Stage will conclude on August 4 with an evening dedicated to women
of sexual and gender diversity: FeminiX (5 pm), presented by Rogers, featuring
Montreal legend Misstress
Barbara.
Another first, Fierté Montréal Festival will also be featured at
Place des Arts. A critical and public success when it
premiered in 2022, Ciseaux, presented by Fugues, a
hilarious, no-holds-barred play that uses documentary theatre to
revive memories of the lesbian past. Ciseaux will be
presented in the Cinquième Salle from August 5 to 7 (8
pm). Also in the Cinquième Salle, Lumière des Nations
will invite festivalgoers (August
1, 7 pm) for an evening of
Indigenous art and music. On August
5 and 6, the film program 11 Demands = 11 Shorts
(6:30 pm), in collaboration with
image+nation, will be showcased in NFB's Alanis-Obomsawin Hall, and available online for
free throughout the Festival.
The Réfectoire in the Pavillon Tranquille will host a series of
panels focused on issues of inclusion within communities, organized
in collaboration with various 2SLGBTQIA+ community organizations:
the intersection of queer identity and disability
(August 2, 1 pm), the place of kink communities at
Pride and their contribution to 2SLGBTQIA+ struggles
(August 2, 3 pm.), the obstacles experienced by
2SLGBTQIA+ migrants and refugees in Canada (August
4, 3 pm) and finally, a
space for trans and non-binary youth to heard, even more
crucial now given the cruel rhetoric to which they have been
subjected to (August 4,
1 pm). A panel on discrimination
in the sporting world rounds out the series, at the Maison du
Développement durable (August
6, 2 pm).
Over the course of two weekends, there will also be party nights
at Club Soda and the SAT's Satosphère. Partiers will
be happy to find some of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community's most beloved
parties featured in special club nights "Fierté Montréal 2024
Edition": Supernature, presented by MAC Cosmetics
(August 1), Laylit
(August 2), Fantasme
(August 3), Pleasuredome
(August 3), Unikorn
(August 9) and Anges & démons:
Bear Playground (August 10).
Tickets are available at fiertemontreal.com.
Village Hub: heart of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community
Following up on the success of 2023, a stand-up comedy night
returns to the National: Des gags et des paillettes
(August 2, 8 pm), presented by La Presse, an evening
of queer humour hosted by fabulously funny Mona de Grenoble,
accompanied by a flamboyant troupe of local artists, including Coco
Belliveau, Tranna Wintour and
Sam Cyr.
On Sainte-Catherine Street East,
Drag performers in high heels will compete in La course
capotée (August 5,
6 pm), a colourful and entertaining
obstacle course promoting sexual health. The Jardins Gamelin will host Camping chez
Sami (August 6,
6 pm), a variety show featuring New
Brunswick Drag artist Sami
Landri. On August
3, Sainte Catherine
Hall (10 pm) will be the
venue for Moonshine, a party night presented by
Absolut. Meanwhile, throughout the Festival, an outdoor
program of street performances will be presented on Sainte-Catherine Street East, in
collaboration with SDC Village Montréal. More details at
villagemontreal.ca.
Olympic Hub: Big venue energy
Starting on August 8, the
Festival's main venue, the Olympic Park's Esplanade, will host
free, large-scale outdoor shows that draw tens of thousands of
festivalgoers every year at the TD Stage. Combat des
tubes (6 pm), presented by ICI
Musique, with Eugénie Lépine-Blondeau, Claudine Prévost and
Catherine Pogonat, will get the ball
rolling and set the mood for ImmiX (8:30 pm), also presented by ICI Musique,
with beloved artists such as Marjo, Mitsou,
Elisapie, Sarahmée and Pierre Kwenders sharing
the stage with up-and-coming artists. On August 9, the biggest Drag show ever
presented in Montréal, the Soirée 100% Drag, will showcase
local drag artists with MajestiX (7:30 pm), presented by TD and hosted by
Barbada, and Drag artists from several RuPaul's Drag
Race franchises headline Drag Superstars, presented by
Cabenuva (9 pm), hosted by
Rita Baga. On August 10, the TD Stage turns up the
lights to 100% for Mundo
Disko, presented by Trojan, featuring
international icons Crystal
Waters and France
Joli. On August 11,
the Olympic Park's Esplanade becomes the biggest dance floor in
town with the highly anticipated Méga T-Dance, featuring
local and international DJs such as DJ Mohammad and
Kitty Amor.
Recognizing change-makers
Through its community awards, Fierté Montréal recognizes the
activism, resilience, and contribution of individuals or groups who
have helped to promote, protect, and make progress in 2SLGBTQIA+
struggles. This year, the Claude-Tourangeau Award, presented
each year to an organization in recognition of its exceptional
contribution to the fight against HIV stigmatization, is awarded to
the community health organization Le Dispensaire. The
Bâtisseur Award, which recognizes significant contributions
by individuals and organizations who have worked to defend
2SLGBTQIA+ people's rights in Montréal and around Québec, is
awarded posthumously to Chloé Viau, a trans-lesbian activist
who was deeply involved in the community. The John-Banks
Award, in honor of the recently deceased 2SLGBTQIA+ activist
behind the very first Pride march in Montréal, which recognizes the
exceptional contribution of a person or organization that has
worked to create and promote the Pride movement, goes to
Fugues, a Montréal LGBTQ+ magazine celebrating its 40th
anniversary this year. The awards ceremony will take place on
August 1 at 7 pm on the Loto-Québec Stage of the
Esplanade Tranquille.
Grand Marshals to help carry the message further
The Grand Marshals of the Fierté Montréal Festival are people
who, through their commitment, talent, and hard work, inspire and
help improve the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. In 2024, we proudly
welcome Sasha Colby and
Ouissem Belgacem. Sasha Colby
is a Drag artist, dancer, and trans activist hailing from
Hawaii, in the United States. Ouissem Belgacem is a
French-Tunisian soccer player and author who campaigns to raise
awareness about homophobia in the sporting world.
This year, more than ever, Fierté Montréal invites 2SLGBTQIA+
communities and their allies to take part in the Festival to
celebrate the diversity of our communities, rejecting any form of
bigotry, and standing in solidarity with the most marginalized
members of our communities who continue to face struggles that
intersect with various forms of discrimination. To learn more about
all of our demands, visit our website.
Never without our Pride!
"Fierté Montréal is a cultural and social gem that attracts
thousands of visitors each year. That is why I am proud of our
contribution today, which will make it possible not only to
showcase the festival and the metropolis of Montréal
internationally, but also to promote the rights of the 2SLGBTQIA+
community across Canada. Happy
Pride!" declared the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism
and Minister responsible for CED.
"The Fierté Montréal Festival is much more than a celebration
of diversity; it's a powerful reminder of our collective commitment
to the rights and dignity of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. At a time when
bigotry and discrimination are on the rise, Montréal stands
resolutely alongside these communities to defend equality and
promote inclusion. For yet another year, our partnership with
Fierté Montréal reaffirms our determination to be an ever more
inclusive and welcoming place. We are proud to welcome
everyone to join in the festivities, to support and amplify the
voices that make up our fabulous city, but most of all, to
celebrate together," declared Montréal mayor, Valérie
Plante.
Never without our partners
Fierté Montréal would like to thank its loyal returning
partners, as well as those who have recently joined us, without
whom it would be impossible to keep up the fight for fuller
recognition of rights for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities: TD Bank Group
(partner since 2008), Loto-Québec, the Ville de Montréal, the
Gouvernement du Québec, the government of Canada, Tourisme Montréal, Rogers, Trojan,
Cabenuva, the SAQ, Air Canada, Bubly, Radio-Canada, MERCK, Loblaws,
no name, the STM, Bud Light, Hydro-Québec, Fugues, MTL Dans la
poche, Cogeco, IN Magazine, La Presse, CTV, Publicité Sauvage,
Virgin Radio, Énergie, Rouge, Bell Média, LSTW, Cult, Le Devoir,
Petit Futé, Québec Le Mag, Néo, the Old Port of Montréal, GRIP
(Groupe de recherche et d'intervention psychosociale), la Société
de développement et de mise en valeur du Parc olympique, the
Partenariat du Quartier des spectacles, the SDC Village Montréal,
the RÉMI, Fierté Canada Pride, and InterPride.
About Fierté Montréal
Since 2007, Fierté Montréal amplifies the voices of 2SLGBTQIA+
communities to assure their representation, their inclusion, and
the recognition of their rights in society. Catalysts for social
change, our Festival, our community initiatives, as well as our
artistic and cultural projects celebrate the creativity and
resilience of our communities. Mindful of and in collaboration with
2SLGBTQIA+ communities, we call attention to their fights and
realities in the wider public and the institutions.
Fierté Montréal is based in Tio'tia:ke, on the unceded territory
of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation. We recognize them as the custodians
of the lands and waters on which we gather. Tio'tia:ke is
historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations, and
today a diverse Indigenous population, as well as other peoples,
reside here. It is with respect for the connections to the past,
present, and future that we recognize the ongoing relationships
between Indigenous Peoples and others in the Montréal
community.
SOURCE Fierté Montréal