A new collaboration with area restaurateurs, drag queen Priyanka, a family trivia night at Pays de la Sagouine and a Mexican edition drag bingo with Tire Shack, these activities can only have one thing in common. Yes, this is the program of the Pride festival of the Rivière de la Fierté organization.
It is with a new board of directors and more than 40 events planned that a quarter of a century of presence in the region will be celebrated by the Rivière de la Pride organization. From August 16 to September 1, the programming for this edition is larger and more diverse than ever this summer. The Pride Festival which usually lasts nine days will see seven additional days added to the occasion.
For Félix St.-Onge, the new president of the Rivière de la Fierté organization, this is an opportunity to raise pride and get this new stage of the organization off to a good start.
“The 2SLGBTIA+ population of Southeast New Brunswick has high expectations of us. Our board of directors works tirelessly to ensure a diversity festival that meets expectations. We are confident of delivering the goods with this eclectic program,” says Mr. St.-Onge.
Active since 1999, the Rivière de la Fierté organization supports, thanks to its numerous volunteers, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Southeastern New Brunswick.
Beyond these usual activities – shows, family days, social afternoons, Pride parade and various evenings – new things have also been added to the program.
“Eat with Pride!” is a new collaboration between Moments NB, Hub City Foodies and Rivière de la Fierté that will please foodies. The theme for the festival: colorful foods to celebrate.
Big names for a big stage
Drag queen Priyanka, champion of the first season of Canada’s Drag Race, will headline the closing show in Moncton on August 31. Nicknamed Queen Priyanka, she is one of the country’s best-known Canadian drag queens. Spectators will also have the chance to hear performances from his first album which will be released a few days earlier.
“Having as headliner an artist from diversity and our community is very symbolic and reflects what we want to project to the region. We are privileged that Priyanka has chosen the South-East for a free open-air show,” enthuses Félix St.-Onge.
Several artists from the region will also be featured during the festival. Anastasia, Barbra Wire, Brooke Rivers, CJ, DJ Lu, Equi Knox, Era, Heather Silk, Justin 2D, Kelsey Albert, Matante Maboule, Nicotine/Nico Teen, Peach, Rose Beef, Sabrina Knox, Spice Drags, Tori Nylon and Trinity Foxx will be part of the lineup of artists announced for this year.
Go beyond borders
Based in Moncton, the non-profit organization has often concentrated its activities within the limits of its own city and those of Dieppe and Riverview. This year, to further reach the community, a range of activities will also take place in the municipalities of Bouctouche, Cap-Acadie, Memramcook and Shediac.
“We have always had a special relationship and exemplary support with the cities of Moncton and Riverview in recent years. Seeing that the surrounding municipalities outside the urban center are committed to diversity by welcoming us to the territory, it is a great mark of solidarity,” expresses the president, Mr. St.-Onge.
These communities in southeastern New Brunswick are also communities with a large French-speaking majority. The officially bilingual organization will offer the majority of these activities in both official languages, but with a few exceptions where French will be highlighted such as the presentation of the film “Y’a une star”, a film by Julien Cadieux, at the Lefebvre Monument in Memramcook on August 27.
“Our objective is to create a little more activities in French. The majority of our new board of directors is bilingual. We are aware that French has sometimes been left aside,” says Félix St.-Onge, who has been in office for barely six months, like the rest of his team.
The full program for the 2024 Pride Festival is available on the Festival website as well as on these social networks. The organizers of this festival wish to emphasize that the majority of activities remain free in order to remove the financial barriers that participants may face.
Tickets for the festival events will go on sale on Friday June 28 at 10 a.m. on the Pride River website.
