Montreal Pride assures parade will go off without a hitch – after it was cancelled last year

After being cancelled last year on the morning of the event, the Montreal Pride parade is scheduled to go ahead as planned this year after new measures were put in place.

The Pride festival is returning for its 17th year from Aug. 3-13.

The festival and its parade are in the spotlight after last year’s chaotic cancellation.

“The last year has been a year of looking at how we do things that had grown so big that we had to adjust how we run our operations,” said Simon Gamache, the executive director of Fierté Montréal.

Last year, the parade was cancelled because volunteer security positions had not been recruited. Fierté has hired 200 personnel and will have an additional 120 volunteers this time around.

“We decided for those positions to have people who actually are being paid with a contract,” said Gamache. “So we’ve done that. So we have more people assigned to the parade this year specifically for that.

“And as I speak to you right now, all of those positions have been filled for several weeks, we also have contingency plans in place. And yeah, so it will happen.”

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Many events are planned for the festival itself, with more than 150 artists taking the stage in the Jardins Gamelin and at other venues in the Village, as well as on the Esplanade at Olympic Park.

“Great artists, big artists from all around the world, some drag shows and a lot of dancing,” said Gamache.

WATCH: Montreal pride parade back this summer after last year’s cancellation

Gisèle Lullaby is performing in the Drag Superstars event.

“I think it’s going to be an amazing representation this year,” said Lullaby.

“People can expect so much more. We’re talking about amazing costumes, we’re talking about stage presence, stage décor. Everything’s going be so cool. And I mean, for all the amazing events coming soon, I would say it’s exciting just to see all the representation.

“I just realize how amazing is Pride in Montreal. It’s so open, so welcoming, so amazing. I just think it’s going to be nice here because everyone missed the parade last year.”