2024 Pride Festival

August 6-8, 2024

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

August 9-12, 2024

LANSPEARY PARK, WINDSOR

About the Festival

Since our humble beginning as a small march of about 100 people in Windsor back in 1992, Windsor-Essex Pride Fest has become one of our community’s most anticipated cultural attractions and continues to promote equality and diversity through a range of entertainment, cultural, artistic, and educational events created for all to enjoy.

Now in our 31st year, we are proud and excited to announce that the 2023 Windsor-Essex Pride Fest is now extended with more days of activities and will be held August 2-13, 2023. From August 2-10, 2023, we will have events at various locations throughout Windsor-Essex, and from August 11-13, 2023, we will be at our home in Lanspeary Park on Ottawa Street for the main festival. Favourites such as our official Flag Raising at City Hall, educational workshops, live entertainment, local retail vendor marketplace, local food vendors, family-friendly activities, and of course, the annual Pride Fest Parade for all to enjoy this year!

Windsor-Essex Pride Fest is a registered non-profit run by a volunteer Board of Directors. The event brings together members of the Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) community, their friends, allies, and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of our community by producing quality, inclusive and safe events and initiatives to celebrate. Windsor-Essex Pride Fest strengthens the sense of community and contributes to the vibrancy, health, and overall well-being of persons in the 2SLGBTQIA+ of Windsor-Essex.

Windsor-Essex Pride Fest aims to promote equality and diversity through all of its events. We use theatre, music, art, entertainment, and educational elements to raise awareness of discrimination and the issues and difficulties affecting the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ people around the world. Our festival is an explosion of Pride in the heart of Windsor at Lanspeary Park on Ottawa Street, attracting more than 7,500 people in a celebration of diversity. Through this we aim to promote a sentiment in favour of equality, uniting people in a celebrative atmosphere where all are welcome, and fostering a sense of community within the Windsor-Essex 2SLGBTQIA+ population.

The Parade

The annual Windsor-Essex Pride Parade begins at Ottawa Street & Monmouth Road and proceeds down Ottawa Street to Lanspeary Park. Since 1992, the Parade and Festival have traditionally been attended by the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and their allies from Southwestern Ontario and the surrounding area.

Our festival focuses on bringing all different segments and groups together to celebrate the accomplishments we have made in the Windsor-Essex region

Pride Vendors

Windsor-Essex Pride Fest is one of the largest multi-day Pride festivals in Southwestern Ontario; which also draws many attendees from throughout the region and our neighbours in nearby communities and out-of-town visitors from Michigan and Ohio. More than 60 vendors and community information tables make up our Vendor Marketplace every year.

Volunteers

Our volunteers make our festival happen. All the planning before the Windsor-Essex Pride Fest becomes a reality with the help of hundreds of weekend volunteers that commit their time.

Find out how you can add your skills, personality, and pride to this year’s Windsor-Essex Pride Fest. Be part of the magic….be the difference…volunteer with us!

Entertainment / Presenters

Entertainment and presenters are essential to have at all Windsor-Essex Pride Fest events because they captivate, entertain, and educate our attendees using only their pure artistic talent. Regardless of how elaborate or simple a performance or presentation may be, performers and presenters always make events and activities worthwhile to attend and are crucial for their overall success.

Whether you’re a DJ, band, solo artist, drag queen/king, dancer, workshop presenter, comedian, community group, or theatrical troupe, we want to hear from you!

Event Lineup

No event found!

2024 Festival Sponsors

Windsor-Essex Pride Fest and its social programs and initiatives are funded through contributions made through advertising, sponsorship, event admissions, grants and donations from the public. It also receives a significant amount of ‘in-kind’ support from media partners, corporations, fundraisers and volunteers. Windsor-Essex Pride Fest does not receive any ongoing government funding so your support is greatly needed and appreciated! Windsor-Essex Pride Fest exists to strengthen the sense of community and contribute to the vibrancy, health and overall well-being of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Windsor-Essex.

We would thank acknowledge the following sponsors and donors for their contributions and support of our organization programs, events and activities.