For the founders of Lunenburg County Pride, helping launch the area’s first week-long pride celebration shows the progress that has been made.
“It really has meant the world to me this year,” says Sarah McCorriston, a board member for the organization.
“It's really made me reflect back to when we were children growing up more my generation of more the fact how pride didn't exist.”
“There wasn't anything that we particularly knew of existed,” adds her wife, and fellow board member, Shelley. “Like flag raisings or drag shows or dances, or even just somebody who you knew was LGBTQ+ that you could talk to about how you were feeling.”
But this week, there's been all that and more, from a Pride dog show in Gold River, to a drag queen storytime in Bridgewater.
“We had a 140 people in attendance and it was at the library in Bridgewater,” says Lunenburg County Pride chair Steve Ellis. “They said it was the most well attended event they've ever hosted.”
Growing up in rural New Brunswick, Ellis says he never experienced anything like Pride when he was young. In fact, his hometown just held its first pride event this year.
So when it comes to how the very first week-long South Shore Pride has gone, he’s proud of the result the board’s efforts.
“It's just blown our expectations and affirmed that there's a need on the south shore,” says Ellis.
In rural areas where programs can be scarce, he and the McCorristons say their work goes beyond this week's festivities, a year-round support role for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“For us, the events are a catalyst,” says Ellis. “We're thinking of doing support groups, we're thinking of doing a session with the elder community to tell the younger community what they’ve been through. It's more than just the events, it's about community, it's about knowing that you have a place to go if you're going through a rough time.”
Fundraising efforts to support that work have been creative, from the “Loud and Proud” beer brewed at the King Street Beer Company, to sweet and colourful ice cream delights at Wonderland Milkshake and Smoothie Bar in Bridgewater.
The ice cream shop is also holding a special glow in the dark event Friday night at its shop.
“We just want to welcome everybody into our shop, that's what we're all about,” says owner Maria Charlin. “We’re here to support the community.”
“People want to know, they want to understand, and people want to support,” says Shelley McCorriston. “Sometimes they're just not exposed to the opportunities to allow that to happen.”
South Shore Pride has one more big event coming up on the weekend – a drag show and dance at the Lunenburg Fire Department on Saturday night.
“I am so excited for Saturday,” says Elllis. “I really hope that people will come out even from the city, from the (Annapolis) Valley, just come out and have a great time.”
Ellis and the other members of Lunenburg County Pride say they are already planning for next year – plans which could include a south shore Pride parade.
