As I strolled through the sun-drenched streets of downtown Calgary yesterday, the transformation was palpable. Rainbow flags fluttered from storefronts along Stephen Avenue, and the unmistakable buzz of anticipation filled the air. This wasn’t just another summer Sunday in Alberta’s largest city – this was Pride 2025, arguably the most vibrant iteration of the celebration Calgary has witnessed in years.
“We’re expecting over 85,000 people today,” Jennifer Crawford, executive director of Calgary Pride, told me as volunteers bustled around us at the staging area. “That’s nearly double our 2022 attendance. The community response has been nothing short of extraordinary.”
The parade route, stretching from 8th Avenue and 3rd Street SW to Olympic Plaza, became a kaleidoscope of color as more than 175 community groups and corporate partners marched in solidarity. What struck me most wasn’t just the scale but the diversity – families pushing strollers alongside drag performers, senior citizens walking hand-in-hand with youth activists, and a remarkable presence from Calgary’s cultural communities.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek, who led the parade alongside members of city council, spoke about the event’s significance for Calgary’s evolving identity. “Pride isn’t just a celebration – it’s a reflection of who we are becoming as a city,” she explained during our brief conversation at the starting point. “The economic and social benefits of inclusion aren’t theoretical. They’re playing out right here on our streets.”
Indeed, the economic impact is substantial. According to Tourism Calgary, Pride weekend now generates approximately $10.5 million for local businesses – a welcome boost for a downtown still recovering from pandemic-era vacancy rates. Shop owners I spoke with along the route reported sales increases of 30-40% compared to typical summer weekends.
Noticeably different this year was the expanded security presence – a response to concerning incidents at Pride events in other Canadian cities over the past two years. Calgary Police Service deployed additional officers, while organizers implemented enhanced screening at Olympic Plaza festivities.
“Safety has always been our priority,” Crawford noted, “but we’ve worked closely with authorities to ensure everyone can celebrate without fear while maintaining the open, welcoming atmosphere Pride demands.”
The political dimension of Pride remains complex in Alberta. While provincial representation was minimal (just three MLAs participated), the federal presence was robust. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland marched alongside four Calgary MPs, signaling the strategic importance of LGBTQ2S+ issues in the upcoming federal election cycle.
Away from the official parade, I encountered Kevin Martinez, a 65-year-old retiree, watching from a bench near Central Memorial Park. “I remember when you could fit Calgary’s entire Pride celebration in a community hall,” he reflected, emotion evident in his voice. “To see this today – thousands of people, police officers marching instead of monitoring, corporations competing to show support – it’s like watching a different world emerge.”
Yet challenges persist. At a panel discussion Friday at the Central Library, transgender rights activists highlighted ongoing barriers in healthcare access across the province. Dr. Leanne Fisher from the University of Calgary’s Gender Clinic cited waiting lists that stretch beyond 18 months for essential services. “The visibility of Pride must translate into policy action,” she emphasized during the well-attended session.
The business community’s evolution was evident through my conversations with corporate participants. TD Bank’s prairie region director, Michael Thompson, acknowledged the criticism of “rainbow washing” while defending corporate involvement. “Companies need to demonstrate year-round commitment,” he told me as his team prepared their parade entry. “Our employee resource group has specific metrics for community engagement that extend well beyond Pride month.”
What makes Calgary’s Pride particularly noteworthy in 2025 is its growing significance as a regional hub. I met families who had driven from Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, and even communities in eastern British Columbia to participate. For many rural LGBTQ2S+ Albertans, Calgary Pride represents a vital connection to community otherwise difficult to access.
The festival’s evolution reflects broader demographic shifts in the city. Recent census data shows millennials and Gen Z now comprise nearly 40% of Calgary’s population – generations with markedly different attitudes toward gender and sexuality than their predecessors.
As the parade wound down and celebrations continued at Olympic Plaza, the contrast with earlier iterations of Pride was striking. What began as a protest march with a few hundred participants in the early 1990s has transformed into one of Calgary’s signature cultural events – though organizers and longtime community members emphasize that the political roots remain essential.
“The day we forget Pride began as a protest is the day we lose its meaning,” said David Morley, who attended Calgary’s first Pride in 1991. “The celebration matters, but so does the continued push for equality in all its forms.”
As evening approached and the music from Olympic Plaza echoed through downtown, one thing became clear: Calgary Pride has evolved into more than just an event – it’s become a reflection of the city’s changing identity, increasingly defined by diversity rather than division.
