Pride Parade
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
Canada
June 22, 2016 7:55am CST
For the second year in a row I got to help my daughter at her Union's Booth at the Gay Pride Event at the City Park in Kingston, Ontario.
My daughter works at Queens University and the Union is the United Steelworkers. They have a booth at this event and hand out free water bottles and snacks to anyone who wants them.
Last year the crowds were pretty big and fun to interact with.
This year the crowds were AWESOME! A whole lot of humans (straight and gay) showed up to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community so soon after the horrible massacre in Orlando.
It was a fun event, a beautiful parade.
Last year at the end of the event we had cases of water left and snacks too. This year the water disappeared right after the parade (on a really hot day) and soon the snacks were gone too.
There was a craft show involved and a lot of freebies in rainbow colors. Plus music and entertainment. Bubbles galore for the children but my videos did not work well so still no good photos of their billions of bubbles.
The photos above show the “Town Crier” announcing the opening of the event, the park full of families, and the girls on stilts who walked the whole parade and it made my feet hurt to see them....
It was a happy event.
16 people like this
17 responses
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
23 Jun 16
Me too, I hope in my life I can see some real change in attitudes. Allowing all to live the way they want to live without disapproval just because they don't believe in the same life style as ours.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364898)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate I couldn't believe it - we were with a group that get together 3 or 4 times a year and we all consider ourselves really good friends. The rest are devout Catholics. Vince is Catholic but we're not quite so devout. 
Anyway the really devout one believes that if gays want to and pray a lot they can overcome their 'unnatural' urges. I couldn't believe it. Her main argument seems to be that the Bible is all about families and procreation so homosexuality goes against this. They have a son who is a priest but I don't know what his thoughts are. Usually we avoid talking about such subjects but I couldn't believe my ears. It seems we still have a very long way to go as far as tolerance and acceptance goes.
Anyway the really devout one believes that if gays want to and pray a lot they can overcome their 'unnatural' urges. I couldn't believe it. Her main argument seems to be that the Bible is all about families and procreation so homosexuality goes against this. They have a son who is a priest but I don't know what his thoughts are. Usually we avoid talking about such subjects but I couldn't believe my ears. It seems we still have a very long way to go as far as tolerance and acceptance goes.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364898)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate We have a nephew who is gay and you couldn't meet a nicer person. The lady in question is well-educated and well-travelled so I found it hard to understand how her thinking could be so 'old-fashioned'. Heaven help her if a homosexual ever turns up in the family. Heaven help the homosexual too! They'd be prayed over till their eyes fell out! 
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
25 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate
I would imagine they went home soaked their feet and then off to bed, long day for them and for you.
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
28 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate
A happy tired is always fun especially when you have been out and about with family and friends.Then going home and having a good nights sleep is the best.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
I guessed too that they were going to be very tired at the end of the day...
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
22 Jun 16
Sounds and looks as if it was a really fun event my friend.
There was a huge pride parade here too this year.
1 person likes this
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
25 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate Yes I guess so Paints.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
I'm guessing they were everywhere last weekend.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (486382)
• Italy
26 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate That must be terribly hard, even for only a few minutes.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
It made my feet hurt just watching them, I think by the time I got the photo, their legs were tired too, when they walked by me they were raising there knees above their waist probably to get some feeling back into them...
1 person likes this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
22 Jun 16
Sounds like a good day for all...shame about your video not working.... the size and shapes some of the bubble blowers get are great....
1 person likes this
perhaps next year....@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
I love bubbles and wanted to get a video, there were thousands of bubbles blown but I missed them all - again...
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22924)
• India
22 Jun 16
Thank you for sharing.
I'd love to be there too supporting the LGBT .People should have the freedom to be what they want.1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
If only everyone thought that way, the world would be a better place.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
@responsiveme Because they don't think for themselves, they say what they hear from others. (just guessing)
@responsiveme (22924)
• India
25 Jun 16
@PainsOnSlate thank you. Yes it would., why are people judgemental?
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
It was a fun event, very colorful and happy.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
This was just my second, but as long as I can walk I will be attending this event.
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
22 Jun 16
so glad y'all such a huge turn-out! bummer'n the video. ya know how i adore bubbles :D looks'n sounds like all'd great fun. 's fer those gals'n stilts? not fer love nor money, lol. big hugs!!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
I've never been on stilts either and never will be. Maybe while camping I can get some photos of the kids and bubbles.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
I've never tried and assume I would not be good at it but those girls were!
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
1 Aug 16
Me neither but I've never tried it. I should have given it a chance when I was young because I'm not trying it out now!
@miniam (9151)
• Bern, Switzerland
22 Jun 16
It`s so lovely that they hand out free refreshments.The costumes look lovely tho l dont think l will be able to stand in one of those............what are they?stilts
We used to have a town crier when l was a small girl,the good old days,he used to announce if there was some meeting to attend or whatever needed done ASAP
Glad everything went well.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
We still see the Town crier opening every event, love it, love the history. Yes they were on stilts.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
26 Jun 16
It was a fun event and the girls on stilts made an impression on me!
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
It was fun to be a part of it.I hope to be a part of it every year now, as long as my daughter is involved.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (86739)
• United States
22 Jun 16
It certainly looks like a fun event from your pictures. Those girls are stilts are amazing and I wonder how they can possibly walk on them
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
22 Jun 16
They must have some good shoes on their feet under the costumes...
@PainsOnSlate (21846)
• Canada
25 Jun 16
There was construction in downtown Kingston so the parade was much longer than it usually is. I felt bad for the girls but they did make it all they through and stayed on them for photo ops too...
1 person likes this
