Ottawa 
Celebrate the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s beautiful capital city this weekend at the Capital Pride Festival.
Credit: Capital Pride
The Festival weekend begins Friday, August 22, evening at the TD Main Stage with live music, drag, DJs, and burlesque. The weekend continues with the Capital Pride Street Festival on Bank Street, running Saturday and Sunday, featuring free, accessible programming.
Saturday also includes Drag Extravaganza and an evening of live music at the TD Main Stage.
Sunday highlights the Capital Pride Parade along Elgin and Laurier, followed by Drag-a-Palooza, T-Dance, and The Final Dance, ensuring a robust and inclusive celebration of pride.
Top Festival Activities:
Street Festival @ Bank Street between Gladstone St. and Slater St.
- August 23 & 24 | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM — Street Festival stretches across 14 city blocks and includes local community groups, artisans and businesses.
TD Main Stage @ Bank Street & Slater Street
- Opening Night on August 22 | 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM — DJ Alamusic, DJ Del Pilar, DJ Xanniie, DJ Sam, Aicha, Alea De Castro, Ember Heels Collective, Gina, Hercusleaze, Leah, Monica, Rama
- Saturday Evening on August 23 |2:00 PM – 11:00 PM — Jaylene Tyme, Aurora Matrix, Makayla Couture, Perla, Lilyisthatyou, Bumpah2Bumpah, Caligula, Edith Puthie, Abysskiss, Omari B Johnson, Zak Zinya, Karamilk, Vera, Peter Packer, BJ Stroker, Devona, Van Goth, Steven King’s Daughter, Elle Faekwa, Holli Cow, Adrianna Exposee, Dr. Androbox, Shea D. Ladie, Mx. Tique, Sahira The Djinn, Kreme Inakuchi, Banshii Waylon, Yeti the Drag Queen, Bae Root, DJ Roxysunset
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- Drag Extravaganza on August 23 | 3:30 PM – 7:00 PM — Jaylene Tyme, Aurora Matrix, Makayla Couture, Perla, Krēme Inakuchi, Van Goth, Devona Coe, Karamilk
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- Sunday Evening on August 24 | 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Icesis Couture, Kiki Coe, Kimmy Couture, Aimee Yonce Shennel, Saltina Shaker, Sunshine Glitterchild, BJ Stroker, Vera, Edith, Cyril Cinder, DJ Slushy, DJ BLK PRL
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- Parade Drag-A-Palooza on August 24 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- T-Dance on August 24 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Final Dance on August 24 | 8 PM to 10 PM
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Pride Parade
The Pride Parade featuring 200 groups, and more than 5,000 marchers will take place on Sunday, August 24 at 1 pm.
The parade begins at Elgin Street and Laurier Avenue, moving north on Elgin. It veers left around the National War Memorial, just past Queen Street, before turning left onto Wellington Street and proceeding west. The parade continues along Wellington until reaching Kent Street, where it turns left again, heading south. The route concludes at the intersection of Kent Street and Albert Street.
Road Closures:
Capital Pride Street Festival Closures:
Roads closed from 3 pm on Friday, August 22 to midnight on Sunday, August 24 for the street festival:
- Bank Street will be fully closed between Slater Street and Gladstone Avenue
Pride Parade Road Closures:
The following streets will be closed at the listed times on Sunday, August 24 for the staging of the parade:
From 6 am to 2:30 pm: Laurier Avenue West, between Nicholas and Elgin streets
From 1 pm to 3 pm:
- Elgin Street, between Laurier and Wellington streets
- Wellington Street, between Mackenzie Avenue and Lyon Street
From 2 pm to 4 pm:
- Kent Street, between Wellington and Laurier streets
- Slater Street, between Kent and Metcalfe streets
OC Transpo Detours
OC Transpo will maintain bus service during the Capital Pride Festival, with the following detours in place:
- Routes 6, 7, and 11 will be detoured due to the closure of Bank Street between Slater Street and Gladstone Avenue from 2:30 pm on Friday, August 22 until 12:30 am on Monday, August 25.
- Routes 6 and 7: Northbound trips will use Metcalfe Street and southbound trips will use O’Connor Street.
- Route 11: Eastbound trips will use Kent Street and westbound trips will use Lyon Street.
- Routes 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, and 19 will be detoured for the duration of the Capital Pride Parade from 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm on Sunday, August 24. All trips affected by road closures during the parade will be detoured via adjacent streets.
Para Transpo customers attending the Capital Pride parade will be dropped off and picked up at the designated Para Transpo stop for the National Arts Centre on Elgin Street. Para Transpo pick-up and drop-off for other Pride Festival events will be located on O’Connor Street at Laurier Avenue, and on Gilmour Street at Derby Place.
