'A town they can live in, thrive in, and stay in': Steinbach celebrates Pride

Hundreds gathered in Steinbach Sunday, as Manitoba's third-largest city celebrated Pride.

"We had rainbow dinosaurs marching with us, we had music, we had signs," said Steinbach Pride organizer Charli Champagne. "Lots of people on the street waving and cheering us on, it was lovely."

Close to 800 people came out to celebrate Pride in Steinbach. A rally began at 1 p.m., followed by a march around downtown. The celebration continued into the afternoon at K.R. Barkman Park, with vendors and food, as well as performances from drag queens and local musicians.

"We're just all hanging out and having a great time," said Champagne.

Beginning in 2016, the event has become an important one for Steinbach's 2SLGBTQIA+ community. "Providing a space for this community to know that they're loved, appreciated, that we have support, and that this town is a town that they can live in, thrive in and stay in," Champagne said.

Organizer Chris Plett said support for Pride has been growing in Steinbach. "If they see us, and see how wonderful a group this is…opinion changes."

As far as negative reaction to the event goes, Plett saw very little. "Even during setup and stuff, it was fine," he said. "It’s a different kind of community than some of the other conservative communities in Manitoba."

Champagne was thrilled at the turnout. "When we asked how many allies are here, the cheers that came up from our allies was super loud," she said. "So its not just people from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, we've got a strong base of allies that come out every year to support us, and we love it."

They're already looking ahead to next year's celebration, and are always looking for volunteers to help.

"It just opens it up to so many more different types of people coming to these events," said Champagne. "People who would have been afraid to come, or not known if there was a space for them. They feel more comfortable coming out and enjoying this."