Hamilton Pride thrives with 3 weeks of events - but still needs the city's help

Hamilton Pride is a robust affair this month, with rallies, barbecues, film screenings, worship services, legal panels and a party on the bay.

This is the most accessible, the most responsible, and to be honest, the most powerful.- Marlon Picken, vice-chair of Hamilton Pride

But if the city wants this year after year, says one organizer, then it's going to have to pay for it.

In recent years, Pride celebrations have been smaller and sometimes inconsistent, said Marlon Picken, a Pride committee member who also serves on the city's LGBTQ advisory group. Organizers have changed, as have events and even the websites associated with them.

This year, Picken said, is "a three-and-a-half week arts and culture festival" that includes people of every race, religion and gender expression.

"This is the most accessible, the most responsible, and to be honest, the most powerful," he said. But "there's room to grow when it comes to the city's contribution."

This glimmer of stability grew from a November brainstorming session when a diverse group talked about what they wanted from Pride, Picken said.

We're sort of fighting for our lives right now.- Marlon Picken

The result was this year's list of hikes and art shows, marches, film screenings and pub nights. It even features an independent TransForm pop-up shop where gender non-conforming folks can buy gear impossible to find in Hamilton.

But it's all happened with very little money. Pride organizers applied for a city enrichment fund grant of about $14,000 this year, and received $7,500. To keep this up, Picken said, the group needs sponsors — and ideally, a larger grant.

"When you do things the right way, you get magic," Picken said. "This year, what you see is the beginning of that magic."

But "there's definitely room to grow."

While other festivals, such as Supercrawl, get thousands in provincial and city grant money, Hamilton Pride has escaped that particular perk.

In the past, Pride has kept "collapsing and reforming, collapsing and reforming," Coun. Aidan Johnson of Ward 1 said last June. 

Last year, he put forward a last-minute city council motion that resulted in a $7,000 grant. If the current group approached him, he said, he'd do everything he can to help. 

Even economically, Pride is a worthy investment, said Johnson, who is the city's first openly gay councillor. Toronto Pride brings a lot of money to the city. Hamilton could have that too.

But more than ever, Hamilton needs a safe, inclusive Pride celebration, Picken said. Hamilton's two LGBTQ bars — the Steel Lounge and Embassy — have closed. So has The Well, a long-time community resource centre.

Last year, Pride coincided with an Orlando incident where a shooter killed 49 people and injured dozens of others at Pulse nightclub.

"We're sort of fighting for our lives right now," Picken said. "Our space is getting smaller and smaller, and you can't argue that it just happens to be. We're living in a world where safe space is contracting."

Hamilton Police Service also raised a Pride flag on June 12.

Upcoming Hamilton Pride events

Main event: Pride rally, barbecue and festival

The main rally will be at city hall, 71 Main St. W., on Saturday from 10:30 to 12:30 p.m. Bring flags, banners and noise makers and watch music and speeches. After the rally, people will march from city hall to Corktown Park.

Corktown Park will host a festival from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. with entertainment, a beverage garden, a barbecue and vendors.

Pride and trans flag raising

The city's LGBTQ advisory committee will raise the flags from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at city hall.

TransForm Pop-Up Shop

Hamilton is a wasteland when it comes to gear its young transgender residents need, including binders, breast forms and other items, says TransForm co-organizer Will Rowe. Many have no credit card, no privacy and no easy way to get to Toronto. 

Rowe and two others are selling items at cost in a quiet, discreet corner of The Thrifty Designer, 203 King St. E. For people who need them, they're critically important to self esteem, and "to look and feel as feminine or masculine as we want to" in public, he said. It's also collecting donated gear for trans youth groups.

The last pop-up shop is this Sunday from 12 noon to 5 p.m., but it will be a monthly event. Anyone interested can follow TransForm on Facebook.

Film screening: Brixton Fairies Made Possible by Squatting

This 30-minute documentary features members of the South London Gay Liberation Front, which squatted London's first gay community centre in the 1970s, along with houses on Railton Road. The film will show June 15 at The Tower, 281 Cannon St. E.

Dramatic reading: The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolution

Larry Mitchell wrote this 1977 out-of-print book, which the now-defunct Calamus Books published. The reading celebrates the anniversary of the Stonewall Riot. It will be June 16 at 7 p.m. at The Tower, 281 Cannon St. E.

Queer Outta Hamilton presents Applause

There will be live music by Nettish and Band, and drag performances from Troyboy Entertainment, as well as DJ Drop D later that night. 9 p.m. June 16 at This Ain't Hollywood, 345 James St. N. $10 cover.

Pride After Dark with DJ Shane C

There will be disco, house, retro and Pride classics with DJ Shane C at The Gift Shop, 21 Rebecca St. $10 cover, or $5 before 11 p.m. June 17.

Wet: Pride at the Bay

Music by MARINA, DJ Arts&Crafts and Zulu Na$ty at Bay City Music Hall, 50 Leander Dr. $15 in advance, $20 at the door. June 17, 10 p.m.

LGBTQ2+ Pride Sunday Worship Service: Welcoming Congregation 2.0

The First Unitarian Church at 170 Dundurn St. S. will hold its annual Pride Sunday "provocative and challenging" worship service where people will share their stories. June 18, 10:30 a.m.

Hamilton Health Sciences presents: An LGBTQ2+ Focus Group on Health Care

HHS invites people to talk about the future of hospital care and how to make it inclusive. Refreshments and bus tickets provided. June 20, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Good Shepherd Centre. 10 Pearl St. RSVP to [email protected]. 

An Evening of Literature

Trish Salah (2014 Lambda Award winner for transgender fiction), Kai Cheng Thom (2017 Lambda Award finalist for transgender fiction), and jia qing wilson-yang (2017 Lambda Award finalist for transgender fiction) will launch the first Canadian edition of Lyric Sexology. Bryan Prince Booksellers, 1060 King St. W. June 22 at 7 p.m.

Hamilton Pride Pub Night

June 29 at 7 p.m. Gallagher's Bar and Lounge, 69 Augusta St.