The Pride flag waves above Windsor City Hall to kick off Windsor-Essex Pride Fest.
The official flag-raising ceremony to start the 34th annual festival was attended by local politicians, community sponsors, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and allies.
"It means everything, the flag and the Indigenous opening and having community come and having community partners and the mayor and everybody speaking so positively about what we bring to the city and the joy we bring to the community has just been fabulous," said Mel Lucier, Co-President of Windsor-Essex Pride Fest.
Windsor-Essex Pride Fest runs until August 9, 2026. A full schedule of events can be found on wepridefest.com.
"More people are feeling safe and feeling comfortable in our city to come out and have fun. The festival is kicking off today, and it's going to be 10 days of amazing events, and the majority of them are free, so there are no barriers for anybody to come out," said Lucier.
The festival concludes with the Pride Parade along Ottawa Street and Pride Day in Lanspeary Park on August 9.
