On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the lakeside town of Osoyoos, British Columbia, came alive with rainbow color, sound, and celebration for the Pride Arts Festival Osoyoos. Held in Gyro Park, this grassroots festival was a vibrant showcase of art, performance, and community spirit. Neighbors, families, allies, and visitors came together to celebrate LGBTQ pride in a way that was both intimate and powerful.

This festival is not about big floats or corporate spectacles. It’s about creating a space where local and BC artists are given a stage, where vendors and makers can share their work, and where the LGBTQ community in the South Okanagan – Similkameen can gather proudly. Pride Arts Festival is about presence and visibility in a smaller community, proving that queer culture doesn’t just live in major cities—it thrives in towns like Osoyoos, too.

For many, the festival was a chance to connect, celebrate, and reflect. In a year when LGBTQ rights are under threat across borders and when visibility is more important than ever, the Pride Arts Festival shone as a reminder of resilience and joy.

View more photos from Pride Arts Festival 2025

Opening Ceremonies With A Message Of Visibility

The day began at 11:00 AM with opening ceremonies hosted by festival organizers and joined by Sue McKortoff, mayor of Osoyoos. The atmosphere was electric as the mayor welcomed the crowd with warm words of inclusion, affirming the town’s commitment to diversity and belonging.

The hosts then spoke on themes central to the Pride movement: the importance of LGBTQ visibility, acknowledging the local First Nations, and recognizing the ongoing challenges of human rights struggles worldwide. They addressed how rights continue to be threatened in the United States, offered solidarity with the pro-Palestine movement, and stressed that the fight for justice is always interconnected.

As part of this coverage, Pride Arts Festival shared with HomoCulture an exclusive reflection from Founding Member Wina Poliquin, who said: “Once again Pride Arts Festival brings community together in celebrating minorities.”Her words underscored the core mission of the event: to lift voices and celebrate those who too often go unseen.

Pride March Through Osoyoos

After the opening, the Pride march set out from Gyro Park, winding along the lakefront and through downtown Osoyoos. Participants carried banners, rainbow flags, and handmade signs, filling the streets with color and energy. The march lasted about 20 minutes, looping back to the park where the day’s performances continued.

What stood out most was the response from the community. People clapped and cheered from their balconies, cyclists slowed down to wave, pedestrians paused to applaud, and drivers honked in support as the march passed. It was a visible, audible affirmation that the LGBTQ community is welcomed here. For a smaller town, those moments of recognition held deep meaning. The march wasn’t about scale; it was about presence, and it succeeded beautifully.

Performances Showcase Local And BC Talent

The stage was alive all afternoon and into the evening with a carefully curated mix of artists representing the diversity of queer voices in British Columbia. Each performer brought their own artistry and perspective, creating a mosaic of sound, movement, and storytelling that captured the spirit of Pride Arts Festival.

• Fight or Flea – A bisexual folk-punk musician from Penticton whose raw, guitar-driven songs explored themes of love, mental health, and sexuality.
• The 3 Jack Generation Hand Drummers – A family of Indigenous hand drummers from the Okanagan, three generations singing and drumming together to honor culture and tradition.
• Kronic Walters – A Kelowna-based hip hop artist of Wet’suwet’en Nation descent, blending old-school flow with new-school beats to tell stories of resilience.
• Keisha McLean – A choreographer and dancer, and founder of SWANA & Fusion Dance Company, who brought expressive dance pieces that celebrated both advocacy and artistry.
• Leo D.E Johnson (“Boy Leo”) – A trans masc and non-binary Black Scotian artist whose rock and roll performance combined soulful lyricism with raw energy.
• Kansas Lee – A folk musician whose modern style and heartfelt voice pulled the audience into songs about vulnerability and connection.
• Moving Mountains – A DJ whose set filled the park with house music, creating an irresistible rhythm that had the audience moving.
• Lady Dia and Trophy of Kinfolk Nation – A collective of artists who delivered storytelling and spoken performance rooted in African and Caribbean traditions, celebrating spirit and kinship.
• Gavvn – A genre-bending performer whose sound fused orchestral elements with pop and R&B grooves, offering a lush, emotional performance.
• Leah of Rise Dance Academy – A dancer whose performance embodied joy, movement, and the importance of creative expression in Pride.
• Matthew Presidente – A Vancouver-based pianist and singer-songwriter whose piano-driven rock/pop energy was a highlight of the festival. Known across BC for his performances at Pride events, his presence in Osoyoos felt special and added a spark to the evening.
• houseguest – A post-emo rock band made up of all trans members, closing the festival with a powerful set that merged garage rock with shoegaze textures, leaving the audience buzzing.

What stood out most was how each performer was given equal weight, treated not as headliners or openers but as part of a collective story. Local and regional voices shone alongside established names, proving the power of representation across all stages.

Art, Vendors, And Community Outreach

Beyond the stage, Gyro Park was filled with color and creativity. Paintings, drawings, and floral arrangements were on display, showcasing how visual art intersects with queer identity. These works were not only beautiful but also symbolic, celebrating growth, resilience, and love through color and form.

Festival-goers browsed through vendors offering everything from jewelry to t-shirts to Pride merchandise. A food truck kept people fueled with festival favorites, while a beverage stand served beer, wine, and cider to add to the festive atmosphere.

Equally important was the presence of a community health outreach booth, providing resources on wellness, LGBTQ services, and mental health. The conversations happening here were as valuable as those on stage—proof that Pride events can nurture both celebration and care.

Why Grassroots Pride Events Matter

While larger regional Pride celebrations like Kelowna Pride and Kamloops Pride draw significant crowds and resources, grassroots events like Pride Arts Festival Osoyoos carry a unique and vital importance. They make Pride accessible to people who may not have the means or opportunity to travel to bigger cities. They give local artists a platform in their own communities. And they remind small towns that queer lives are part of their fabric.

These events build visibility in places where isolation can feel heavy. They allow youth to see themselves reflected in performers, in marchers, in the flags waving downtown. They encourage conversation among neighbors who may not always have had a chance to interact with LGBTQ culture. And they strengthen networks across the Okanagan and Similkameen, creating ripples that reach beyond one day.

Grassroots Pride events also carry authenticity. Without the weight of major corporate sponsorships, they reflect the community’s own voice. Volunteers, artists, organizers, local leaders—these are the people who bring the festival to life. That authenticity gives the event its heart.

Why You Should Make Osoyoos Part Of Your 2026 Gay Agenda

As the sun set on Gyro Park and the final chords from houseguest echoed across the water, the feeling was clear: Pride Arts Festival Osoyoos is something special. It’s a celebration that combines art, community, and grassroots pride in a way that few other festivals can.

For 2026, it deserves a place on your calendar—and on your gay agenda. Pair the festival with a South Okanagan getaway, exploring Osoyoos’s beaches, wineries, and welcoming local businesses. Plan a trip that celebrates Pride during the day and relaxation in the evening. Bring friends, bring family, or come solo—you’ll leave feeling part of something bigger.

To learn more about planning your visit, check out Destination Osoyoos and discover why this town is becoming one of British Columbia’s most LGBTQ-friendly destinations.