Is there even a Pride this year? It’s a question that’s been tossed around some group chats I’m in, it's been lobbed over coffee with friends, and has even arrived in my work inbox a handful of times. For a while, it was murky: A publicly messy collection of Instagram posts that ran on Halifax Pride’s profile in early January gave an air of chaos, while the comment sections (when they were open) became a hotbed of allegations of volunteer mistreatment and vague calls from individuals demanding accountability and transparency.
The board changed. And changed again. There were public meetings—the latest on June 2—but many community members who tried to attend them were never sent the Zoom link (myself included). The whispers continued, with people now asking rhetorically if the festival would be a go this July, already assuming from the rumour mill that it wouldn’t or couldn’t be.
Well, consider this much to put the thing to rest: In late May, Halifax Pride once again took to Instagram, this time announcing the latest iteration of its board—and that the 2023 Halifax Pride Parade would take place July 23 at 2pm. Details on the parade’s afterparty are still unknown as of press time, while route details are available here. The festival itself is slated for July 20-30–though official festival programming has yet to be announced.
