A preview of the 2024 edition of Fierté Montréal

Montreal Pride is a massive event taking place from August 1st to 11th, attracting over 300 organizations and drawing large crowds. The scope of the festival includes numerous free shows, ticketed events, community days, and the parade itself. This year, the community days will feature a record-breaking 190 organizations, requiring the use of not only Saint Catherine Street but also Atatik N Street. The event's success relies on the support of the city and its departments, including culture, police, and fire. Despite the complexity and size, Simon Gamache, the executive director, and his team manage to pull it off with the help of a dedicated team.

The Montreal Pride Parade is an essential event for marginalized communities, but it requires significant resources and support to ensure security due to the presence of hate and growing intolerance. The parade route will be on Renee-Levesque Boulevard this year, and the theme is "reclaiming the rainbow." The event's budget allocates 10% for security, with additional support from the city of Montreal. The grand marshals for this year's parade are Wissam Belgassam, a French Tunisian soccer player who overcame challenges in his career, and Sasha Colby, a trans woman and winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Canada. These individuals have made significant strides in advancing liberty rights. Despite the challenges, the Montreal Pride Parade continues to be a vital platform for celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion.

The Montreal Pride Festival is an extensive event with over 150 programming activities spread across various downtown locations, including the Olympic Park and Place des Arts. The festival features grand marshals from different countries, and attendees can access all the information, including the schedule, on the festival's website and app. This year, the festival introduces new downtown venues, such as a free stage at Espana Tranquil and events at Place des Arts. The festival's unique timing in August, unlike most North American pride events in June, offers advantages in terms of tourism and artist booking. However, the production costs are increasing, making it a challenge to secure big-name artists and maintain funding for other aspects of the festival.

Producing a music festival, even in a desirable location like Montreal during Pride, comes with significant financial challenges. Despite having a strong artist lineup and high demand from fans, the festival organizers expressed their struggle to secure adequate funding. This issue is not unique to Montreal and has been a common challenge for festival organizers in various locations. It's a reminder that financial resources are essential to bring people together for cultural events and celebrations. Keep up the great work, organizers, and here's to hoping for a successful festival, despite the financial hurdles.