Media Release | Celebrate Pride Month with Fruit Loop

Celebrate Pride Month With Fruit Loop

Fruit Loop Society Announces Full Slate of June Events

Media Release
For Immediate Release
May 4, 2023

Tickets, Information, and Full Schedule at at fruitloop.ca

EDMONTON, AB – Following last spring's successful Pride Month celebrations, The Fruit Loop Society of Alberta is returning in June with a full month of events for everyone to enjoy.
 
The Fruit Loop Society of Alberta is an Edmonton-based, volunteer-led non-profit social enterprise. They provide inclusive events, dynamic social media, and special initiatives for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Alberta.
 
“Thank you Edmonton for your support for our June Pride Month activities in 2022," says Society President Sean Thompson. "Our Society remains committed to presenting a diversity of programming, and working with our community to celebrate and protest. We will always believe Pride should draw awareness every day of the year, and we hope to use the month of June to bring us all together once again."

Friday June 2 to Sunday June 5

Fruit Loop PRIDE Block Party

Fruit Loop starts Edmonton’s Pride month with incredible 2SLGBTQ+ programming in support of friends at Rainbow Refuge. The Society is partnering with Grindstone Theatre from Friday June 2 to Saturday June 4 for a Pride kick-off weekend of epic proportions including an all-ages Pride Block Party. 

Pride activities will be returning to Old Strathcona in West Ritchie, also known as The Garage District, as they host a series of outdoor live performances, drag and burlesque shows, dancers, drag queen and doggo photo booths, community vendors, workshops, food trucks, beer gardens, and late night dance parties. 

FRIDAY JUNE 2 | GRINDSTONE THEATRE (18+)

7:00 p.m. - Rally Cry produced by Coco LaQueer
10:00 p.m. - Sweat x Fruit Loop Dance Party with special pop-up performances

SATURDAY JUNE 3 | ALL AGES

OUTDOOR MAIN STAGE (ALL AGES)
12:00 p.m. - Saturday Drag Brunch
1:30 p.m. - Drag Story Time
2:30 p.m. - Live Music (musical guests to be announced!)
5:00 p.m. - Welcome + Happy Pride Remarks
5:30 p.m. - Haus of Art Takeover
7:00 p.m. - Indigi-Hauz of Beaver Hills Takeover
8:00 p.m. - Prairie Fairy Showdown ($500 cash prize for first place!)
9:00 p.m. - Fruit Loop Showcase

FESTIVAL GROUNDS (ALL AGES)
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Puppet Crafting
2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Doggos and Drag Queens Photos

AFTER HOURS AT THE GRINDSTONE THEATRE (18+)
10:00 p.m. until Late - STUD Party

SUNDAY JUNE 5 GRINDSTONE STUDIO (All Ages) 

Workshops by Registration Only

Saturday June 10

Fruit Loop PRIDE Dance Party

Edmonton Pride celebrations continue Saturday, June 10 at the Starlite Room for the most eagerly anticipated Fruit Loop since last year's Pride. Expect jaw dropping drag, aerial acts, pole, and burlesque performances, all in support of the Society's community partner, Rainbow Refuge. There will be drink specials, special guests, and more, such as DJ Reid Bourgeois.

Tickets now available through Fruit Loop Society website.

Friday June 16

Prairie Ferry PRIDE Cruise

All aboard the Prairie Ferry!! Join Fruit Loop on Friday, June 16 for a fabulous cruise down Edmonton's river valley as they continue their Pride celebrations, Fruit Loop style, with dancing, drag performances, and more. In collaboration with Sea Change Brewing Co, Night Vision, and DollHaus, this is sure to be an Edmonton Pride hit.

Tickets available soon through Fruit Loop Society website.

Community Partner

 PRIDE Month activities will support the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers’ Rainbow Refuge program. 

Central to every Fruit Loop event is a community partner – each event supports a local organization doing important work in the community. The 2023 Pride Season community partner is Rainbow Refuge, which operates out of the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers. Rainbow Refuge offers settlement support to 2SLGBTQIA+ refugee claimants navigating the Canadian social systems and understanding the Immigration and Refugee Board process. This includes but is not limited to finding safe and non-stigmatized health care provision, finding safe housing, friends and networking, applying for work permits, and finding a lawyer or completing a Basis of Claim.

The Fruit Loop Society of Alberta would like to acknowledge their presenting sponsor TD Bank for their generous support on these events, as well as the City of Edmonton, the Old Strathcona Business Association, CRBC, Edmonton Unlimited, Freddie, and Pattison Advertising. They would also like to acknowledge and thank the Sea Change Brewing Co. for their ongoing, year-round support - a portion of proceeds from sales of Sea Change Brewing’s Prairie Fairy beer are donated to The Fruit Loop Society of Alberta to reinvest in 2SLGBTQIA+ initiatives across the city. Thank you as well to the management teams at their venue partners, the Grindstone Comedy Theatre and the Starlite Room, for their incredible work and dedication to helping make some Pride magic happen.