Doug Hughes remembers when Fraser Valley Pride was just a walk around Abbotsford that culminated in a barbeque.
Over a decade later, and it’s grown into a massive event at Fraser River Heritage Park in Mission.
“There would be a few little booths at the Abbotsford Sports Park, and that was kind of it. Now it's huge,” the organizer with Fraser Valley Youth Society said.
Moving the event to Mission allowed Fraser Valley Pride to grow.
“The community kind of supports and holds us up a little better in Mission,” Hughes said.
The event returns to Fraser River Heritage Park on July 19. It will feature nine food trucks, seven drag performers, three different musical artists, and roughly 120 vendors
“I think our cast of performers is amazing. We have a lot of really awesome representation on our stage,” he said.
Hughes first got involved with Pride through the Fraser Valley Youth Society when he was 15. He started volunteering before spending time as the executive director. Now, he serves as program coordinator.
“Something I've always been passionate about is supporting and wanting to raise funds for at-risk youth,” he said.
The response to Pride in the Fraser Valley has been mostly positive, Hughes said.
“We've definitely had our fair share of protesters and people calling us and saying not-so-nice things, but the amount of support and love we receive outweighs that,” he said.
Negativity and the spread of misinformation related to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community weigh on those who hear it, however.
“There have been a number of protests throughout the Valley and there was a stint in Abbotsford where there was a corner where they were there every day protesting us. We've had them show up to some of our events with megaphones and say some not-nice things. And these were youth events too. So you know, they're shouting at kids — which I just think is never something you should do,” he said.
The visibility that Pride brings for youth in the Fraser Valley is important, Hughes said.
“I remember as a youth myself, growing up as a queer individual, I would see small little bits of visibility and it would make me feel seen and help me know that there are folks out there that support and love me. So having visibility is important because it educates people in our community that we're here … I just implore people to come to our events. Even straight folks – come talk to us and figure out what we're all about.”
The Pride Celebration is set for 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 19. Additionally, a drag show is coming to Dewdney Pub in Mission on Saturday (July 5) at 7 p.m., while Abbotsford Arts Cenre will host a Youth Pride Dance on July 25 at 6 p.m.
