Fierté Montreal unveiled its plans for its 19th edition during a press conference on Wednesday. The festival will kick off on July 31 this year and run until Aug. 10 at Place des Arts.
This new edition will feature over 250 artists —most of them are people from 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and from racialized communities.
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It’ll range from free performances by local and queer artists, a series of panels about issues related to inclusion within, and for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, free screenings at the Alanis Obomsawin Theatre, two free community exhibitions that’ll be presented at the NFB Space, and drag shows.
The festival will continue to celebrate the creativity and resilience of communities of sexual and gender diversity in three distinct event hubs—Urban, Olympic, and a focus on the Village.
The urban core will showcase a variety of artists, such as Indigenous ones during Lumière des Nations, presented by Fugues, followed by a program of trans artists called Transcendance. The Olympic hub will highlight drag artists performing at the TD Stage at the Olympic Park’s Esplanade, and the Village sector will host local queer artists featuring live bands, burlesque troupes, DJ sets, Bollywood dance, pop music, a show for kids, and a high heel race.
Executive Director of Fierté Montréal, Simon Gamache said that they’ve put an emphasis on the Village this year because of its ongoing challenges.
“There are many challenges in the village. Homelessness, drug use, and many other issues,” he said. “And I think we tend to forget that some things actually go well in the village. There are new businesses that open up regularly in the village, and also, you know, there’s solidarity in the village. Yes, there are challenges, but people work together, and we want to be even more (a) part of this, this year than in previous years.”
With security being one of Fierté Montreal’s priorities, Gamache said that attendees can trust that they’ll be safe.
“We work with many community groups that make sure that people feel welcome. But Montrealers can feel very confident that if they come, this will be a very safe environment,” he said.
Rameez Karim, founder and director of Veils of Bollywood and Jhalak Montreal, said that this festival means hope, among other things.
“It means visibility; it means having a space to express ourselves when we’re not generally given a space or a place to do so,” Karim told CityNews.
Chris Ngabonziza, Director of Programming and Artistic Development, believes that the 19th edition is the greatest so far.
“It’s a lot of work, and we’re very, very proud of the work we’ve been doing,” he said. “It’s all these things we’ve been developing, and I think it’s the best version of all these shows.”
Fierté Montréal has been amplifying the voices of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities since 2007 to ensure their social representation, inclusion and to defend their rights.
“I think this festival also showcases the importance of just being and living in a way that is authentic and free,” Karim said. “From the communities that I come from and that I represent in South Asia, it’s not always the case and just being here and being present and allowing ourselves to live in a city like Montreal that is so cosmopolitan and so warm and welcoming is a beautiful thing.”
The festival will end with its iconic Pride Parade, under the theme “Bloom Here, Now,” and will take place on Aug. 10 starting at 1 p.m. on René-Lévesque Boulevard. Approximately 15,000 participants are expected.
-With files from The Canadian Press
