{"id":52051,"date":"2018-07-20T19:00:30","date_gmt":"2018-07-20T23:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=52051"},"modified":"2018-07-20T19:00:30","modified_gmt":"2018-07-20T23:00:30","slug":"tenth-annual-muskoka-pride-festival-kicks-off-with-flag-raising-and-bbq-in-huntsville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/tenth-annual-muskoka-pride-festival-kicks-off-with-flag-raising-and-bbq-in-huntsville\/","title":{"rendered":"Tenth annual Muskoka Pride Festival kicks off with flag-raising and BBQ in Huntsville"},"content":{"rendered":"

Main photo: (From left) Kelly Leeder, Greg Titus, Kim Scott, Jim McQuaig, Councillor Bob Stone, Huntsville OPP Staff Sergeant John Graham, Councillor Nancy Alcock, Michelle Emson, Mayor Scott Aitchison, Shawn Forth, and Town CAO Denise Corry celebrate the start of the 10th annual Muskoka Pride Festival with a flag-raising at Town Hall<\/em><\/p>\n

Muskoka Pride Festival\u2019s 10th anniversary kicked off today in Huntsville with a flag-raising ceremony and welcome BBQ.<\/p>\n

The festival will be held over 10 days and features 20 events in towns across the region including Burks Falls, Gravenhurst, and Bracebridge, concluding with a big Pride Parade down the main street of Bracebridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted the festival to be inclusive of everyone in Muskoka so that\u2019s why we spread our events out across the area,\u201d said festival coordinator Shawn Forth.<\/p>\n

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Before the Pride flag was raised outside of Town Hall in downtown Huntsville, the festival made its way to Dwight to raise the flag there and have their own BBQ lunch.<\/p>\n

The kick-off welcome BBQ was held in River Mill Park and featured 15 vendors from all over Muskoka, including included TD Bank and RBC (sponsors of the Muskoka Pride Festival), the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Home Depot and craft stands. The Huntsville Lake of Bays Fire Department was there to cook for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe love when the guys from the fire department come because they are a great community liaison for us. We need to work together as a community because sadly homophobia does still exist here in Muskoka. Our goal is to create an inclusive and diverse Muskoka,\u201d said Forth.<\/p>\n

Big Brothers Big Sisters was at the festival to debut their new program called PRISM that supports LGBTQ youth in Muskoka. The first of its kind in Muskoka, PRISM matches youth who identify as LGBTQ with an adult who also identifies as LGBTQ for a one-on-one mentoring relationship.<\/p>\n

Another organization that had a booth at the kick-off was PFLAG (Parents\/Friends of Lesbians and Gays), an international organization which has had a Muskoka branch for 4 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my daughter came out as gay we both had nowhere to go for support and questions,\u201d said organizer Sara Hay. \u201cWe want to support other parents and families with the same questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

To read the full list of events for this year\u2019s Muskoka Pride Festival, click here<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"RBC

RBC reps from around Muskoka<\/p><\/div>\n

\"The

The Huntsville Lake of Bays Fire Department hosted a BBQ at the Muskoka Pride Festival kick-off<\/p><\/div>\n

\"TD

TD Bank is #foreverproud<\/p><\/div>\n

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Huntsville OPP Staff Sgt John Graham<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Arleigh

Arleigh Luckitt (left) and Sara Hay<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t