Hundreds of people lit up an otherwise grey downtown Sunday as the 2025 Yellowknife Pride Parade toured the city.
Starting from Somba K’e Park, participants completed a lap of 49 Street and 50 Avenue before returning to the park for a gathering and free barbecue.
Nursing student Abby and partner Kaley arrived for the parade each clutching a placard and a puppy.
“We are engaged but I’m also Christian,” said Abby, “and it’s really important to me to spread the word that God loves everyone, and it doesn’t just belong to straight people and gender-norm people. Anyone is welcome.”
Abby and Kaley, who joined the Yellowknife United Church contingent in the parade, met on Tinder in Yellowknife and were engaged within half a year. They’re waiting to finish school before getting married.
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“We’ve been together for over a year and we’re just loving it,” said Kaley.
Not far away, on the other side of a brightly decorated school bus, William McDonald School employees Adria and Danielle were supporting the school’s Rainbow Alliance.
“I’m here to support myself, my students, my friends and everyone in this town,” said Adria.
Danielle said she “really wanted to make a positive appearance, represent our family, share support and demonstrate pride.”
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Nobody was demonstrating more pride than drag king Thunder Normz, chosen to be grand marshal for the parade’s third year in its current iteration.
“This is the third annual and I have been in every single Pride parade, but this is the first time we’ve had a grand marshal and a drag truck, and I’m really super excited about that,” he said.
Escorting Thunder Normz through the city at the head of the parade, in a 1976 MGB two-door sports car that had only arrived in Yellowknife two days earlier, was Martin Guadagno.
“The actual announcement of me being at the front of the parade was revealed to me this morning,” he admitted. Rainbow flags had been strapped across the MGB’s hood for the occasion.
Helping to lead the parade was about “acknowledging, accepting and participating in defending everyone’s rights,” Guadagno said.
“We work really hard to protect each other, to create safe spaces, to encourage inclusion and support for those who need it most in our community,” said Thunder Normz.
“As a person who moved to Yellowknife and wasn’t sure I would have this, I am so grateful.”
