Pride Toronto is pulling out all of the stops to produce WorldPride 2014, a 10-day international lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender celebration June 20 – 29, 2014.
The world got its first glimpse of what’s to come at WorldPride 2014 with a promotional video describing “What Pride means,” and welcoming guests to Toronto to celebrate. The video was a part of WorldPride’s unveiling of its website Nov. 24.
“WorldPride gives us a chance to express who we are and for the world to share their Pride,” says one participant in the video.
The video and website’s launch rang the bell opening registrations for the 2014 StreetFair and Affiliate Events Program and opening of submissions from international artists.
“WorldPride is an international LGBT event; bigger than Canada has seen before,” says Chrystal Dean, manager of WorldPride 2014 Toronto. “We want to make sure the LGBTTIQQ2SA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirited and ally) communities and artists from around the world have every chance to take part and benefit from this unique opportunity.”
It is the first time the 28th annual InterPride conference will be held in North America and it marks the 45th anniversary of Stonewall, the historic rebellion at the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village that catapulted the then-Gay Rights movement. Rome (2000), Jerusalem (2006), and London in conjunction with EuroPride (2012) previously hosted WorldPride.
The event started as a global gathering to celebrate Pride every five-years incorporating activism, education, and the history and culture of global LGBT and ever growing alphabet soup of subgroups that identify as members of the community. In recent years the global Pride celebration has been celebrated every other year or every few years.
Madrid, Spain will host WorldPride 2017.
Pride Toronto in collaboration with Tourism Toronto beat out Stockholm to host WorldPride 2014.
Produced by Pride Toronto, organizers aim to have WorldPride 2014 to be the world’s largest international LGBT festival to-date, according to the organization’s Nov. 24 news release.
“We’re looking forward to presenting the most diverse festival yet,” says TK, arts and culture manager for WorldPride 2014 Toronto. “Our aim is to present the best LGBTTIQQ2SA* artists that Canada and the world have to offer alongside international celebrity artists, as well as share the stories of international artists with our communities.”
Space at the WorldPride 2014 Streetfair is in high demand. Organizers encourage businesses to sign up early. Early bird discounts and registration close January 31, 2014.
If you missed it or simply didn’t watch the video all the way through to the credits you might have missed a chance to win a trip to WorldPride 2014.
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