The capital of British Columbia is not a large city, nor is it the easiest place to get to the province: Victoria (80,000 inhabitants) is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, about 60 miles southwest of the city further. Large in the region, Vancouver, which is on the mainland All that said, Victoria is one of the most picturesque cities in the country, located on the Strait of Juan de Fuca and with unobstructed views over the water to the majestic Olympic Mountains of the state of Washington. This popular vacation destination with an exceptional restaurant scene, various arts venues, and several charming boutique hotels and inns is also home to a fairly visible gay and lesbian community – there are even a couple of very fun gay bars.
And every summer the GLBT community celebrates Victoria Gay Pride in early July, this year’s date is July 9, 2017, but related events take place a full week before. Victoria Pride takes place a few weeks before Vancouver Gay Pride.
Check out the Victoria Gay Guide for tips on what to see and do in this beautiful city.
Pride Festival Events
Events leading up to the Victoria Pride Parade and Festival include a Drag Ball game, Gay Dog Walk, Sunset Harbor Boat Cruise, Fashion Show, the Pride in the Word literary event, and a variety of parties and dances. You can see a full schedule of events on the official Victoria Pride online calendar.
Sunday July 9 is Victoria Pride’s biggest day, with the Pride Parade starting at the intersection of Government and Pandora streets, followed by the Pride Festival , which runs throughout the afternoon at MacDonald Park (on Simcoe Street between Oswego and Montreal Sts.), A short walk southwest of the Inner Harbor. The festival traditionally includes a beer garden, a children’s camp, food and craft vendors, and entertainment.
Certain gay-popular bars, restaurants and shops in the area have more activities than usual during Pride week, and you can find recommendations on where to stay during Pride in our guide to Victoria Gay-Friendly hotels and guesthouses. Check out online resources on Victoria BC’s gay scene, such as GayVan.com’s Victoria Gay Guide. Also take a look at the excellent GLBT site produced by the city’s official tourism organization, Tourism Victoria.
