'Windsor-Essex’s most colourful event' returns Sunday for the 32nd annual Pride Fest Parade
Windsor-Essex Pride Fest Parade on Aug. 11, 2024. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)
The Windsor-Essex Pride Fest Parade returns to Ottawa Street Sunday morning.
The parade begins on Argyle Road and continues down Ottawa Street to Lanspeary Park.
IN PHOTOS: Windsor-Essex Pride Fest Parade
"Come early to get a good spot," suggested Windsor-Essex Pride Fest President Wendi Nicholson.
The event caps off more than a week of local Pride Fest festivities. Nicholson told CTV News that officials expect upwards of 3,000 people to attend.
"It's the same as every year," Nicholson explained. "Show your colours, come out, be proud, be supportive."
According to organizers, the parade and festival are attended by the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, their allies, friends, family, and supporters.
Windsor-Essex Pride Fest says the festival focuses on bringing all different segments and groups together to celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and its accomplishments while raising awareness of ongoing challenges including exclusion, discrimination, harassment, and assault.
Nicholson continued, "Everybody be proud of who you are. Don't hide. Don't think that you're alone. There's a massive community here ready to support everyone, no matter who you are."
"And the allies now, my goodness, we have so many allies. I can't even say enough for allies. They're just amazing."
The parade steps off at 11 a.m.
"I don't get nervous very often. I'm good with public speaking crowds, but I got a little nervous for this because it's so important and means so much," said Windsor-Essex Pride Fest's official ambassador Dan MacDonald, who marched at the front of the parade. "It's so meaningful to me and it's just such a huge honour. It really is bigger than me. So I wanted to make sure it went right. It's been such a beautiful, wonderful day."
MacDonald added, "It's been a phenomenal Windsor-Essex Pride Fest despite what you see online. I do think Windsor is full of love and acceptance and nothing proves that more than today with what's happening here."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Buyers say they lost life savings to a Saskatchewan company selling luxury vacation condos
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
Canadian fast food chains create value menus to win back customers
Canada’s restaurant industry is in a slump as money conscious consumers are eating out less and spending less when they do go out.
Forgotten Cheetos snack bag can have 'world-changing' impact, U.S. national park says
A U.S. national park is cautioning tourists about how a small bag of Cheetos could have an enormous impact.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh convenes caucus in Montreal to plot post-deal path forward
Just days after demolishing his deal with Justin Trudeau's Liberals, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is holding a three-day strategy session with his MPs in Montreal.
Man accused of setting on fire a Ugandan Olympic athlete dies of burns
A man accused of dousing gasoline on an Ugandan Olympic athlete, causing her death days later, has succumbed to burns sustained in the attack, according to the Kenyan hospital where he was treated.
'Blown away by your kindness': Meredith Gaudreau thanks Calgary in heartfelt eulogy
Meredith Gaudreau, Johnny Gaudreau’s widow, gave a sincere thank you to Calgary for the outpouring of support for her and the Gaudreau family.
Frenchman on trial for rape of drugged wife is hospitalized, lawyer says
A 71-year-old man on trial in France accused of drugging his wife and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her in their home was hospitalized on Tuesday for medical checks and treatment, his lawyer told journalists.
SpaceX launches billionaire to conduct the first private spacewalk
A daredevil billionaire rocketed back into orbit Tuesday, aiming to perform the first private spacewalk and venture farther than anyone since NASA's Apollo moonshots.
Hoggard to seek bail today pending attempt to appeal sexual assault conviction
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is expected to seek bail at a court hearing today, weeks after beginning to serve his sentence for a sexual assault conviction.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Kitchener
-
Kitchener, Ont. woman says puppy was stolen during break-in
A Kitchener, Ont. woman is pleading for the return of her puppy, an eight-month-old French Bulldog named Sanchi.
-
Traffic stop in Waterloo ends with seizure of 200+ guns
Police have seized over 200 firearms as part of a weapons investigation that began in Waterloo.
-
Concerns raised over man-made island in the Grand River
An island has appeared in the middle of the Grand River but it’s not a natural formation.
London
-
Director of education for TVDSB on leave of absence
The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) has announced that Director of Education Mark Fisher is on a leave of absence.
-
Charge laid after fatal crash on Walpole Island
Just before 3 a.m. on Aug. 25, Lambton OPP, Walpole Island police and EMS, responded to the crash between a vehicle and a pedestrian — the vehicle fled the scene.
-
Goderich council approves conceptual plan for downtown rebuild
Goderich council has approved the conceptual design for the $9 million project which will replace 100-year-old sewer and water pipes under Goderich's Courthouse Square.
Barrie
-
Opioid Crisis Alert issued after 8 drug overdoses
Eight people overdosed, including one fatality during the past week in Grey Bruce County.
-
Taxi smashed after crash with van
Two-vehicle crash in Midland Monday afternoon.
-
City crews dismantle homeless encampment in Barrie park
City crews arrived at a Barrie park on Monday to dismantle a homeless encampment where roughly two dozen people had been living.
Northern Ontario
-
Video shows tornado moving ashore in northern Ontario
A beautiful Labour Day weekend at the lake was interrupted by some extreme weather as a tornado touched down in northern Ontario.
-
Buyers say they lost life savings to a Saskatchewan company selling luxury vacation condos
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
-
Hunt widens for man who allegedly threw scalding coffee on baby
A man wanted for allegedly throwing scalding coffee on a baby in an unprovoked attack at a park in the northern Australian state of Queensland is now the subject of an international manhunt.
Sault Ste. Marie
-
Video shows tornado moving ashore in northern Ontario
A beautiful Labour Day weekend at the lake was interrupted by some extreme weather as a tornado touched down in northern Ontario.
-
Dispelling misconceptions about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Monday marked International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Day, and experts in the field say there is a lot the public doesn’t know about the disability.
-
Northern Ontario hospitals in desperate need of staff and beds, CUPE report finds
A new report from the Canadian Union of Public Employees says funding projections for hospitals would leave the North Bay Regional Health Centre short of nearly 100 beds.
Ottawa
-
BREAKINGBREAKING O-Train service resumes after 'technical issue with cameras'
The O-Train was out of service for more than an hour Tuesday morning "due to a technical issue with cameras on the trains," according to OC Transpo. Full train service resumed just after 8 a.m.
-
NEW THIS MORNING
NEW THIS MORNING Heritage designations recommended for several Rideau Street properties despite owners' objections
Several properties on Rideau Street could soon be given heritage designations, despite objections by the property owners.
-
Why is this village in Quebec facing a 370 per cent property tax hike?
Residents in the small Quebec village of Danford Lake may soon be priced out of their homes, as property valuations and taxes are set to skyrocket.
Toronto
-
'Hard on all of us': Petition pushes back on Ontario high school telling students to keep backpack in lockers
There is confusion at one Mississauga, Ont. high school over whether backpacks are allowed in class. Grade 12 student Vani Kumar started a petition to bring backpacks back after St. Francis Xavier Secondary School sent out a letter obtained by CTV News Toronto telling students, “Knapsacks/bags are to be kept in your locker upon arrival at school."
-
Female critically injured after shooting on QEW in Mississauga
One woman has been taken to a trauma centre with critical injuries following a shooting on the QEW in Mississauga early Tuesday morning, Peel police say.
-
Hoggard to seek bail today pending attempt to appeal sexual assault conviction
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard is expected to seek bail at a court hearing today, weeks after beginning to serve his sentence for a sexual assault conviction.
Montreal
-
Nearly half of Canadians want federal election after NDP-Liberal agreement ends, poll suggests
Following the announcement of the end of the NDP-Liberal confidence and supply agreement, a new national survey reveals that 47 per cent of Canadians would support calling a federal election to be called, while only 34 per cent would prefer not to.
-
CAQ still hasn't fulfilled promise to create 37,000 daycare spots
Francois Legault's government is far from its commitment to create 37,000 subsidized daycare spaces by March of next year.
-
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh convenes caucus in Montreal to plot post-deal path forward
Just days after demolishing his deal with Justin Trudeau's Liberals, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is holding a three-day strategy session with his MPs in Montreal.
Winnipeg
-
Manitoba grand chief to lie in state at provincial legislature Wednesday
Manitobans will have the chance to say their final goodbyes to Grand Chief Cathy Merrick this week.
-
Man charged after eight migrants illegally cross border into Manitoba: RCMP
Manitoba RCMP has charged a man with human smuggling after he was allegedly caught picking up a group of migrants crossing into Canada last month.
-
‘It’s a mistake’: Downtown housing complex slated for demolition
Winnipeg's Centre Village social housing complex will face the wrecking ball less than 15 years after it was built.
Edmonton
-
Premier mulls reinstatement of controversial MLA booted from UCP caucus
An Alberta MLA banned from the UCP caucus last year for comments comparing transgender youth to feces could soon be back in the ruling Alberta party's fold.
-
Alberta senior in custody after allegedly luring children with candy, sexually assaulting them
A Red Deer senior is in custody for allegedly luring children into his apartment with candy.
-
Police ask for help identifying people responsible for killing 2 puppies
Police in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., are looking for help identifying who is responsible for killing two puppies on a city pathway.
Calgary
-
Calgary's water use drops, residents able to collect rainwater
Some overnight rain in Calgary brought relief to residents worried about their gardens and lawns as well as city officials concerned about the strain on the city's water system.
-
Calgary's police chief speaks out against Alberta's anticipated photo radar crackdown
Calgary’s police chief has issued a grave warning about the potential impact of further restrictions on photo radar use in Alberta.
-
TC Energy's sale of stake in pipeline to Indigenous groups delayed
TC Energy Corp. says a deal to sell a minority stake in its Western Canadian natural gas transmission network to a consortium of Indigenous communities has been delayed.
Regina
-
Drug toxicity deaths in Sask. seemingly on course to match record set in 2023
Saskatchewan's overdose crisis is tragically on par with last year's record breaking total, with more than 200 people having lost their lives to accidental overdoses in the first seven months of the year.
-
Buyers say they lost life savings to a Saskatchewan company selling luxury vacation condos
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
-
Suspect connected to armed robberies in Wadena, Foam Lake at large, RCMP say
Police are asking for the public's help following a string of armed robberies in east central Saskatchewan.
Vancouver
-
Police union calls for 'fulsome public safety plan' in B.C. ahead of provincial vote
The national union for RCMP officers is seeking to make public safety and bail reform a British Columbia election issue after repeat offenders were arrested for violent crimes, including a pair of gruesome attacks in downtown Vancouver last week.
-
CTV News Reality Check: Why reopening Riverview wouldn’t solve B.C.’s mental health crisis
Every time British Columbians are rattled by an act of random violence like last week’s shocking homicide and maiming in downtown Vancouver, there are calls to reopen the Riverview Psychiatric Hospital, but that’s not the solution some think it is.
-
2 hospitalized, suspects sought after 'extreme case of road rage' in B.C.: RCMP
Mounties in B.C.'s Lower Mainland are searching for two people allegedly responsible for a road rage incident that sent a couple to hospital with serious injuries, saying the suspects could be in another province.
Vancouver Island
-
CTV News Reality Check: Why reopening Riverview wouldn’t solve B.C.’s mental health crisis
Every time British Columbians are rattled by an act of random violence like last week’s shocking homicide and maiming in downtown Vancouver, there are calls to reopen the Riverview Psychiatric Hospital, but that’s not the solution some think it is.
-
2 hospitalized, suspects sought after 'extreme case of road rage' in B.C.: RCMP
Mounties in B.C.'s Lower Mainland are searching for two people allegedly responsible for a road rage incident that sent a couple to hospital with serious injuries, saying the suspects could be in another province.
-
B.C. to review conservation officer policies in push to reduce bear deaths
In a move aimed at reducing the number of bears killed in British Columbia, the province is creating an expert panel to review how conservation officers carry out their work.
Atlantic
-
Elsipogtog First Nation man dead after N.B. RCMP shooting, SiRT investigating
An investigation is underway after a man was shot and killed by RCMP in Elsipogtog First Nation, N.B.
-
Airline makes inaugural flight between Maritime cities
Boarding passes are now being issued for the newest airline flying out of the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
-
N.S. rent cap extension futile due to 'massive loophole' in rental system: advocates
Housing advocates and opposition parties say a loophole in Nova Scotia's rental housing rules is making the provincial government's proposed rent cap essentially useless.
N.L.
-
Dispute over unrecognized Inuit group halts major conference for Canadian North
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
-
Cow cuddling: Why a Newfoundland farm is offering quality time with these 'gentle creatures'
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
-
Newly reinstated Newfoundland cod fishery temporarily paused as landings hit limit
The federal government has temporarily paused parts of the newly reinstated commercial northern cod fishery off the east coast of Newfoundland as landings approach the seasonal limit.
