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By Aaron Schulze

Kamloops Pride 2021

Kamloops Pride hopeful for strong final day during downscaled pride week

Aug 28, 2021 | 4:24 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Pride 2021 hasn’t been as enthusiastic as in previous years.

While the society has been able to host a comedy show and Drag Bingo prior to Sunday’s (Aug. 29) virtual pride parade, it is a step back from the near 10 events planned over a four-day stretch.

Kamloops Pride President Katelyn Boughton says the downscaling is due to ongoing COVID-19 and wildfire concerns.

“It’s disappointing. Everyone wants to have a parade… those in-person events,” Boughton told CFJC Today. “We’re getting close to 17 months of pandemic enjoyment at this point. A lot of people are getting exhausted with online events and burnout, not to mention the disasters of wildfires burning all around Kamloops… the renewed [restrictions] in the Interior due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, our attendance this year has been bleak… it’s understandable.”

The initial plans for the virtual Kamloops Pride Parade was to receive and feature numerous video submissions from the community, although they only had two submissions prior to cutoff. Boughton says the 2021 Pride Collage as they call it now will mostly feature the Kamloops Pride board and only be around five minutes.

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Despite the low turnout in Pride 2021 due to various outside factors, Boughton is hopeful for a strong showing for the final day.

“We can all use a little bit more pride in our lives,” Boughton says.

Looking ahead, Boughton notes that Kamloops Pride’s annual general meeting is Oct. 18 and encourages anyone who’d like to volunteer or be a member of the society to reach out.