Hundreds turn out for Queen City Pride Parade in Regina

A rainy Saturday afternoon didn't stop hundreds of people from walking in and watching Regina's pride parade.

People and floats followed a downtown route, led by parade marshalls Dani Halvorsonand Stephanie Mack. The two were the toast of last year's parade after Halvorsonsurprised Mack with a proposal on the parade route. The two donned wedding garb for the event and rode in a white float decorated with a rainbow arch.

Flag raising, parade bookendhistoric pride week

The beginning of the Queen City Pride week kicked off witha historic flag-raisingat Regina's City Hall, as Mayor MichaelFougerebecame the city's first mayor to attend a pride flag ceremony.

The parade also became a historic moment as a group of uniformedcity policeofficers walked in the paradefor the first time. Regina police said it was the first time officers in uniform were requested to attend the event, and they were happy to participate.

Brett Littlemorerode in the parade as Mr. Gay Regina.

Littlemore says attitudes have changed in the last two decades.

"Twenty years ago, it wasn't accepted," he said. "You could get beat up [and] people just didn't accept anybody that was gay or lesbian or trans-sexual."

Now, he says, there is more acceptance.

"People like my family that completely and totally accept you for who you are," he said.

Littlemorealso recalled his coming out, ten years ago, and how his father was supportive.

"When I came out it was to my dad, that was the big one for me," he said. "And my dad just looked at me and said, 'I love you and as long as you're happy."

Battling rainy parade day with rainbows

Organizer Dan Shier said the parade will go on every year, no matter the weather.

"No amount of water is going to stop us from parading," Shier said."And at the end of a rainstorm there's always a rainbow, so we're going to be that rainbow," he said.

The parade routeendedat Victoria Parkwith "Out in the Park" festivities beginning soon after.