As Pride Prince George enters its 18th year, the July festival is celebrating an expanded parade route and an uptick in sponsorship.
Even with that growth and the progress organizers see in Prince George, they don't live in denial about where the cause stands.
"We have a long way to go," said Valentine Crawford, Pride president. "We're challenging old attitudes and hyper masculinity. It's still very old school in a lot of smaller communities but it's come a long way from when I was a kid."
Born and raised in Prince George, Crawford came out at 16 and started volunteering almost immediately at the two-year-old event back in 1999.
For him and other queer youth, the visibility gave validation to an identity they feared making public.
"It was seeing the pride parade for the first time that gave them the strength to come out and to come to terms with who they are and that's exactly what it's about."
This year's pride festivities will run from July 6 to 12, with the parade through downtown on July 11, which Crawford said brings out several thousand people.
Even with growing acceptance it still faces barriers.
"The business community has been one of the biggest obstacles for us. The perception has been businesses want to support but they're afraid to be visibly tied to it."
On the contrary, Crawford said those companies gain customers. But he recognizes what it can feel like coming out for them.
"Coming out is just like that. It's really being vulnerable and putting yourself out there, and putting yourself at risk for ridicule and all sorts of stuff but the businesses that have (supported Pride) have not suffered and in fact have done better business and gained such a loyalty out of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community and their allies."
Pride Prince George has worked hard to change that perception and build momentum for the movement, Crawford said. This year it has much stronger support, including Telus and Northern Gateway as first-time sponsors.
"We've been intentional about how slow we've taken it. Every decision has been intentional to move Prince George along on a journey as opposed to, 'Okay here it is all at once.'"
That increase in support means Pride - which costs about $26,000 to organize - can pass on some savings to participants at the ticketed events.
Until Saturday, the all-access pass for its three main events are $40: Friday's Queen of the North Drag Show on July 10; Saturday's Glitter Ball after the parade on July 11; and the Phoenix Award brunch on July 12.
Milan Halikowski, 13, is this year's recipient, being recognized for his activism around transgender rights even in the face of discrimination at school and in daily life.
As another show of increased interest in the annual parade, some downtown businesses complained last year that the celebration wasn't making it past their storefronts, so Pride has changed the route this year.
"I think (the request) speaks volumes to what value there is to having the pride parade and really the shift in values and attitudes of people of the north," he said.
"It's a validation that it is about equality but it is also about a community that supports each other that is committed to healthy culture, if you will, and a safe one."
The procession, led by a 30-foot banner, will wend its way down more streets now, but that means doubling their call for volunteers. Usually they make do with 10 or 15; this year they need 30.
The July event also builds off the excitement of Quesnel, which held its first pride in June.
Prince George sent at least 30 people to celebrate Quesnel's queer community, which Crawford said is quite large at about 400 or 500 people.
"There's a lot of talk and a lot of excitement around Quesnel's finally there. I think you'll see a lot more participation from the regional communities now."
Looking back at his 16-year-old self, Crawford didn't see a place for him as a gay man in Prince George.
He remembers living in fear, a reality so different from the work he does as an active member of the pride movement.
"I still say to myself: 'what the hell was I really afraid of?" Crawford said.
"It's really not as bad as you think it is. You do get through it and there is a lot of great people out in Prince George and across the north."
Anyone interested in volunteering for this year's pride events can email: [email protected].
Tickets can be purchased online at: pgc.cc/1Gh7Mam.
