Under mostly warm, sunny skies, Pride Winnipeg 2022 returned, May 27 – June 5, 2022. This was the first, full, in-person Pride that Winnipeg had celebrated after a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic. 

People were eager to come out and show their Pride. Over 80,000 people participated throughout the festival and parade weekend — a record attendance according to Barry Karlenzig, the president of Pride Winnipeg.

This year was extra special because Winnipeg also played host to Fierté Canada Pride in conjunction to Pride Winnipeg, creating an even larger event and more excitement over the course of the 10-day event. For attendees, the magical memories will be remembered for a lifetime. 

Winnipeg has a long history, going back thousands of years, of being a gathering place and melting pot of all cultures from across the prairies. Pride Winnipeg harnesses this energy. 

Glitz, Glamour and Glitter… Pride Winnipeg 2022 Was Fabulous!

Pride Winnipeg is a 10-day LGBT pride festival, held annually in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It is one of the largest organized pride festivals in central Canada, featuring community-organized events, a Dyke March, a rally, Pride Parade, outdoor festival and closing party.

Pride Winnipeg 2022 saw spectacular year of inclusive, fun activities and events celebrating the Pride of the LGBT community in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Key events included the flag raising at City Hall, vigil, rally, Pride parade, and the festival. Throughout the 10 days of events, there were over 50 singers, dancers, drag queens, comedians, and other performers to celebrate the festivities. 

Here are more highlights of the fun-filled weekend at Pride Winnipeg 2022 and Fierté Canada Pride 2022 in Winnipeg.

Pride Winnipeg Festival 

Thousands of people turned out to celebrate Pride in Winnipeg. Held on Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5, the Winnipeg Pride Festival was the place to be to meet up with friends and to celebrate Pride. 

The Pride Winnipeg Festival is located at the Forks, a historic meeting site where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet, it is adjacent to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, and in the heart and pulse of downtown Winnipeg. 

Each day the festival grounds were filled with people coming out to celebrate diversity and inclusion. The festival was a key community event for youth and families to come and celebrate Winnipeg Pride. It was a heart-warming event to see so many people from across the spectrum come together. 

There were fantastic performances throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday on the CN Stage, and plenty of entertainment in the other areas of the park. The Winnipeg Pride Festival draws the largest crowds during the Pride Winnipeg Festival week.

The festival included a variety of local food vendors, community organization and sponsor booths, a large beer garden, performance stage, substance free zone, kid zone, and Indigenous zone. Each area was carefully planned out to take into consideration each distinct area offering. 

Winnipeg Pride had a plethora of merch for sale at the Pride Mart, and the most popular items were the variety of Pride flags representing all identities. They were the hottest item for sale, as people from all gender and sexual identities wrapped themselves in the flag that best suited their orientation and community. It allowed people to network with others from their community and proudly display their self-identifying orientation. The festival grounds became a colorful treasure-trove unlike any other Pride event. 

The rainbow Pride sidewalk in front of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights was a popular spot for people to take selfies and get cute photos to share on their social channels. 

The highlight of the weekend was certainly the Winnipeg Pride parade and Fierté Canada Pride festival which wrapped up the 10-day fiesta with a massive rally at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Sunday afternoon. 

Winnipeg Pride Parade

On Sunday, June 5, the downtown core of Winnipeg was a sea of colors as the annual Pride Winnipeg Parade took place. The Pride Winnipeg parade stepped off at 11:00am. This was the first Pride parade Winnipeg hosted since the beginning of the pandemic and the community was anxious for its return. The morning started out cool, but the sun came out, along with droves of people who lined the streets for the highly anticipated parade. 

The two-hour long parade had over 115 entries featuring colorful costumes, floats, community groups, local businesses, sponsors, night clubs, marching bands, political parties, rights activists, first responders, corporate partners, local organizations, not-for-profit groups, and sports groups all participated in the parade. 

There was a complete entourage of local drag queens, go-go dancers, DJ’s, LGBT advocates, and prominent members of the Winnipeg LGBT community. 

There was nothing like walking around downtown Winnipeg seeing everyone wearing rainbows and waving at you as if you were seeing an old friend. The smiles on people’s faces were amazing as they came out to support and enjoy the parade.

Community Support

Many local businesses dressed up their windows, hosted Pride events of their own, and had special Pride promotions. Rounding out the weekend, local bars and clubs joined in to host events, from dance parties to drag shows featuring queens from Canada’s Drag Race, and incorporated talent from talent from across Canada and the local community, including drag queens, DJs, and performers. The entire city was a buzz of excitement all weekend long. 

See You at Pride Winnipeg 2023

Overall, it was a gay ol’ time at Pride Winnipeg 2022 / Fierté Canada Pride 2022 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as fun, laughter, diversity and inclusion, visibility, and amazing experiences of love and togetherness were felt throughout the weekend. 

Winnipeg Pride is extra special because in addition to celebrating LGBTQ2+ diversity, engaging and celebrating the Indigenous community is proudly on display; the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities are highly visible and participate in the activities, which is an important part of this event, especially when Canada is on the path for Truth and Reconciliation. 

It’s time to put Pride Winnipeg on your bucket list of destination Pride events and festivals to attend. It is typically held in early June, making it one of the largest Pride events in North America on that weekend. Winnipeg is centrally located, which means it is easy to travel to, no matter where you are, and they have an international airport, making it even easier to access. 

Start planning now and put Pride Winnipeg on your gaycation calendar for 2023. 

View more photos from Winnipeg Pride 2022

Tourism Winnipeg

Winnipeg is the capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba. The city’s most famous new landmark is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the first museum solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration, and future of human rights. Winnipeg has a long and proud history of diversity and inclusion, including being the first major North American city to elect an openly gay mayor. 

You are in the right spot when it comes to LGBTQ+ travel when visiting Winnipeg, and you will be welcomed with open arms. 

Tourism Winnipeg can help you plan your ultimate gaycation to Winnipeg. Start planning today!

Travel Manitoba

Manitoba is where golden wheat fields meet infinite blue sky. Cool, clean lakes and waterways, all 110,000 of them, beckon the adventurer and the rejuvenator in you. Venture out to rediscover Manitoba’s wide-open spaces, breathtaking landscapes, and deep cultural roots. 

Manitoba has a strong history in human justice. In 1987, Manitoba was the first province in Canada to pass the Human Rights Code to include protections from discrimination based on sexual orientation and has protected gender identity since 2012. Manitoba was also the first province in Canada to appoint a transgender judge. 

Plan your trip to Winnipeg and beyond, and find great travel deals and packages, with the help of Travel Manitoba.