Image Credit: Curtis Goodrum / CFJC Today
PRIDE PARADE

Annual pride parade a celebration of support, visibility in downtown Kamloops

Jun 16, 2025 | 2:57 PM

KAMLOOPS – Pride Week in Kamloops came to a close this weekend with the seventh annual parade lighting up the downtown. The parade took place on Victoria Street with motorized floats, sign holders and on-foot marchers taking to the street in support of the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

“I think having a pride parade is super important for visibility and showing off queer and trans joy in the community, especially somewhere like Kamloops. It is a bit smaller in size in terms of cities,” said Alyssa Christianson, the president of Kamloops Pride.

The Pride Trolls have been a staple of the parade and this year they’re showing solidarity with the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

“[We’re here] to prove you’re free to be yourself in Kamloops, that there are people here who love you and support you no matter what. With all the anti trans rhetoric and anti LGBTQ rhetoric coming up from down south, it’s more important than ever that everyone steps up and shows that you can be who you are and that you’ll be supported in this community,” said a representative of The Pride Trolls.

For many, the parade is about being visible to the community.

“It’s important to march and be visible because we are showing our support for everyone in the community when we come together. We are stronger together with our allies and members of the community, and we celebrate differences that make everyone awesome,” said Jackie Scales, leading her group in the parade

The Hospital Employees Union have been a part of the parade since its inception and is proud of how far it has come.

“Our groups have been as small as six people. Now we’re representing about ten care facilities here in Kamloops. It’s great to see more people and the amount of energy that people bring. It just really brings so much joy to see everybody here,” said Barb Nederpel of the Hospital Employees’ Union.

Kamloops Pride hopes the parade will be back bigger and better next year.