Categories: Things To Do

The 2025 Calgary Pride festival is here and it’s bursting into bloom

Photo via Em Medland-Marchen

Every year in Calgary, the annual Pride Parade and Festival takes over the city’s downtown core. This celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ community spirit is a staple of our city — one that’s been going strong for 35 years.

This year’s Calgary Pride Parade and Festival is all about resilience. The festival’s theme, “Bursting into Bloom,” is focused on supporting the community garden of 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations, artists, healthcare workers, business owners, and lawmakers in Calgary and beyond.

There have been plenty of external threats that have attempted to freeze out the Calgary Pride parade, but like a perennial bleeding heart that is so commonly found in the gardens of our city, they bounce back each year with ever-stunning blooms.

Flourishing while staying true to the organization’s roots, stretching back into the 1980s in Calgary, is what this festival is all about.

What to expect

Calgary Pride’s annual parade and festival will take place across two days, from Aug. 30 to 31 this year. This festival celebration will include live music and drag performances at Prince’s Island Park.

The festival will also feature an artist marketplace, food truck alley, beer garden and sober oasis with non-alcoholic beverage options and open spaces to gather.

On night one, the Calgary Pride’s 18+ night promises to leave you gagged with an evening of risqué and tantalizing entertainment, including burlesque dancers and extra spicy marketplace vendors.

Day two includes a full day of family-friendly entertainment following the annual parade march down 9th Avenue SW. Rooted in acceptance, love and community spirit, it’ll be a day blossoming with captivating drag performances, live music, dance, and DJs.

Annual Pride Parade

Calgary Pride’s annual parade will march down 9th Avenue SW, heading west from Studio Bell and ending at 5th Street SW.

Thousands of people gathered for last year’s parade, and 2025 promises to be even more impressive, with blooming floral floats, music, dancers and plenty of colour.

We recommend getting to 9th Avenue early to snag a good spot to view all the action. The parade will start at 11 a.m., so it’s best to start heading downtown around 9:30 or 10 a.m. to get a good seat.

After the parade ends, you can head over to Prince’s Island Park to dance and sing to your heart’s content, together with good company and under sunny skies. We can’t wait!