Celebrate the 2SLGBTQ+ community in Canada’s beautiful capital city this weekend at the Capital Pride Festival.
The Festival weekend begins Friday, August 25 and you’ll find some of the best fun and entertaining live performances by local musicians and performers.
The weekend will feature live entertainment across three stages: the TD Main Stage at Bank Street & Slater Street, the Somerset DJ Stage at Bank Stage and a Community Stage at Bank Street & Laurier Street.
If you’re planning on bringing the kids to this amazing celebration, there’s also a Family Pride Zone where they can have fun and celebrate families of all colours.
Along with these performances over the weekend, there will also be an important talk on global trans rights to check out.
You’ll also want to stick around for the street festival, which will span 10 blocks and offer you the chance to check out local artisans and businesses.
You’ll also find some great food trucks along with patios where you can sit, relax, and enjoy a drink or two.
Don’t forget to take in the Capital Pride Parade, which features over 200 groups and 5,000 marchers. This year, the parade will be led by Grand Marshal Fae Johnstone and Honoured Group, The Ten Oaks Project.
Top Festival Activities:
Street Festival @ Bank Street between James St. and Slater St.
- August 26 & 27, 2023 | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM — Street Festival stretches across 10 city blocks and includes local community groups, artisans and businesses.
Family Pride Zone @ Dundonald Park, 516 Somerset St.
- August 26 & 27, 2023 | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM — Two-day festival includes face painting, drag story time, balloon art and more.
TD Main Stage @ Bank Street & Slater Street
- Opening Night on August 25, 2023 | 6:30 PM – 11:00 PM — Cartel Madras, DJ Avenue, Makhena, Myst Milano, House of Louboutina
- Evening Show on August 26, 2023 | 6:30 PM – 11:00 PM — Kiesza, Van Goth, Kopy Cat, T. Thomason, MAUVEY, Sophie Jones, OK Naledi
- Evening Show on August 27, 2023 | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM — Jamie Fine, Madison Rose, Icesis Couture, DJ K.Nox, Kiki Coe, Kimmy Couture, Cyril Cinder
Somerset Stage @ Bank St. and Somerset Stage
- Turn the Music Up! — August 25 | 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM — Sophie Jones, DJ Kitty Glitter, DJ B’UGO
Spin that record! — August 26 | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM — MusicbyJayel, DJ Sumation, Redliners, Teeno (Nino Brown + Young Teesh), DJ The Kaptain - T-Dance: The Beat Goes On — August 27 | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM — Diskommander, Beatrix
- The Final Dance — August 27 | 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM — BLK PRL, DJ Martin Leguerrier
Community Stage @ Bank Street & Laurier Street.
- August 26 | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM — Musical Comedy presented by Small Fish, Drag Karaoke with China Doll & Ruby Foxglove, Youth Open Stage, Choir performance by Tone Cluster, Musical Comedy by Velvet Duke, Music by the Bayash Sisters
- August 27 | 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM — Open Stage, Makhena, Music by Daniel Landry, Drag Karaoke with China Doll and Ruby Foxglove
Pride Parade
The Pride Parade featuring 200 groups, and more than 5,000 marchers will take place on Sunday, August 27 at 1 pm.
Route: 2023 Pride Parade will start at Elgin Street and Laurier Street. The parade will south Elgin Street, west on Gladstone Avenue and north on Kent Street and end at Kent Street and Laurier Street.
Road Closures:
Capital Pride Street Festival Closures:
Roads closed from 3:00 pm on Friday, August 25, to 12:00 am on Sunday, August 27.
- Bank Street will be closed to traffic from Slater St. to James St. Most cross streets will remain open to traffic.
- Somerset Street will be closed to traffic from Bank St. to O’Connor St
Roads closed from 7:00 am on Saturday, August 26, to 12:00 am on Sunday, August 27.
- Gloucester Street from Bank St to 170 Gloucester St. Access to parking lots will be maintained.
Pride Parade Road Closures:
Road closed from 6:00am – 4pm on Sunday, August 27:
- Laurier St between Nicholas and Elgin E
Road closed from 12:15pm to 4:00pm, no on-street parking from 6am – 4pm on Sunday, August 27.
- Elgin St between Laurier and Gladstone
- Gladstone Ave between Elgin and Kent
- Kent St between Gladstone and Slater
- Laurier Ave between Kent and Bank
Roads will re-open as the parade concludes. Parking restrictions will be sign-posted by the City of Ottawa on Saturday, August 26.