The Capital Pride Festival is the annual Pride

Gay pride

LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...

 event in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

's National Capital Region

National Capital Region (Canada)

The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....

, which includes the cities of Ottawa

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

 and Gatineau

Gatineau

Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...

, Quebec

Quebec

Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

. It has been held annually since 1986.

Capital Pride is a non-profit organization. It is run by a Board of Directors and operational committees that are made up entirely of volunteers.

Capital Pride's Mission

The mission of Capital Pride is to perpetuate the spirit of pride in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, two-spirited and questioning (GLBTTQ) community in Canada’s National Capital Region

National Capital Region (Canada)

The National Capital Region, also referred to as Canada's Capital Region, is an official federal designation for the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, the neighbouring city of Gatineau, Quebec, and surrounding urban and rural communities....

 of Ottawa–Gatineau.

Events are held throughout the year in partnership with other community groups, businesses and sponsors to help educate and promote the issues and interests of the GLBTTQ community, culminating in an entertaining and professional festival at the end of August.

The History of Pride in Ottawa

Ottawa’s first gay pride celebration was organized in 1986 by Gays of Ottawa (GO). In 1989, the pride celebration became a week of activities: dances, exhibits, films, sporting events, and receptions. Just 300 people attended the first parade and picnic, and the mayor of the City of Ottawa

City of Ottawa

The City of Ottawa is the corporate entity of municipal government in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The corporation is responsible for provision of services to the public as well as enforcement of municipal by-laws...

, Jim Durrell

Jim Durrell

James A. Durrell is a former Mayor of Ottawa and former president of the Ottawa Senators hockey team. He now works as the owner of a car dealership. Durrell, an insurance executive, was elected to Ottawa City Council in 1980...

, proclaimed Equality Day.

In May 1997, the Pride Week Committee was incorporated as the Pride Committee of Ottawa–Gatineau and the festival received official proclamations from Mayor Bob Chiarelli

Bob Chiarelli

Robert "Bob" Chiarelli is a Canadian politician. He served in the Ontario Legislative Assembly from 1987 to 1997, and was subsequently re-elected to the legislature in 2010 after serving as regional chair and mayor of Ottawa from 1997 to 2006...

 and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien

Jean Chrétien

Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....

.

The annual festival was held at Festival Plaza at Ottawa City Hall

Ottawa City Hall

The current Ottawa City Hall is the city hall of Ottawa, Canada. The downtown complex consists of two connected buildings: a modern wing located on Laurier Avenue and a 19th century heritage wing located on Elgin Street...

 until 2002, when it was moved to Bank Street

Bank Street (Ottawa)

Bank Street is the major north-south road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs south from Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa, south through the neighbourhoods of Centretown, The Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Alta Vista, Hunt Club, and then through the villages of Blossom Park, Leitrim, South...

. In 2005, the festival was moved from Bank Street back to Festival Plaza and the dates of the festival were changed from July to August.

In 2008, the Pride Committee of Ottawa–Gatineau was rebranded as Capital Pride.

From its humble beginnings as a picnic in the park, it has evolved into a city-wide 10-day festival of over 20 events, complete with a Pride Parade, Dyke March

Dyke March

Dyke March is a mostly lesbian-led and inclusive gathering and protest march much like the original gay pride parades and marches. They usually occur the Friday or Saturday before LGBT pride parades and larger metropolitan areas have related events both before and after the event to further...

 and other events that appeal to families, athletes, artists and all members of the GLBTTQ community.

In 2010, Pride Week included a rugby

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 match between Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

's only two predominantly gay rugby teams, the Muddy York and the Ottawa Wolves

Ottawa Wolves RFC

- History :The Ottawa Wolves RFC was founded in 2008 by Carl Pilon and Jay Smidt, both Hero award recipients, with the mission to promote and encourage participation in rugby among those who have traditionally been under-represented in the game, with an emphasis on gay men...

. The historic match was played on the main lawn of Parliament

Parliament Hill

Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...

 on August 28, 2010.

External links

• Capital Pride's website
• Capital Pride on Facebook
• 2008 Capital Pride Festival video footage
• A queer's history of Ottawa Pride - Capital Xtra!
  Capital Xtra!
  Xtra Ottawa is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community newspaper published in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was launched in 1993. Unlike its biweekly sister publications Xtra in Toronto and Xtra Vancouver in Vancouver, Xtra Ottawa, which started as a monthly, is now published 17 times a...