Vancouver Pride Parade takes over downtown with a new extended route

Canada's oldest pride parade drew thousands to downtown Vancouver on Sunday, returningwith a new longer and more accessible route.

The parade, which ran from 12:00 to 3:00p.m., featured music, floats, performancesand lots of smiles and cheers.

The parade kicked off atthe intersection of Davie and Denman Streets, making its way around the West End on Beach Avenue and Pacific Street, before ending in a festival at Concord Community Park in False Creek for the first time ever.

The route was changed in response to an accessibility consultation that began in2019.

The new route is longer, but also flatter and wider, making iteasier to access and navigate for people with mobility challenges or who use mobility aids.

The new parade route and festival site arealso more accessible for those who use transit due to their proximity to SkyTrain stations, says the Vancouver Pride Society.

Low-sensory zones for neurodivergent people and those with sensory issues were also included along the route.

And organizers say thelonger routeincreases capacity for the number of spectators.

The festivities also expanded to take place over two days this year,which included entertainment,music and vendors on both Saturday and Sunday.

Vancouver's first unofficial Pride Parade began in 1978 as a protest march through Davie Village. The city'sfirst official permitted Pride Parade was held in 1981.

The city's parade has also drawn high-level political guests in the past, includingPrime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016 and 2018.