Vancouver Pride Parade 2012

The Vancouver Pride Parade is set to welcome over half a million people downtown this Sunday, starting at 12:00pm. One of the biggest events of the year in BC, the Pride Parade and Pride Week draw revellers from around the globe to this inclusive festival.

What Vancouver Pride Parade

When Sunday, August 5, 2012 starting at 12:00pm

Where The staging area is on Robson between Burrard and Thurlow then the parade route will start at Robson and Bute. It will turn off Robson and onto Denman and curve along Beach Avenue. The parade is followed by a festival at Sunset Beach.

The Grand Marshalls will be Jenna Talackova (Miss Universe Canada’s first transgendered contestant), Bill Monroe (drag performer and local activist) and a posthumous honor goes to David Holtzman for his work with A Loving Spoonful and the Vancouver Queer Film Festival.

Pride 2011 & 2010 photos from John Bollwitt on Flickr

The parade is always a smashing good time with music, dance, beautiful costumes, bright colours, and a jovial spirit celebrating peace, love, and family. It’s heartwarming, it’s energetic, and you will have a smile on your face as each float passes by. Get to your spot early as crowds can be 10-20 people deep in some places.

Check out the complete Pride Guide and follow @VancouverPride on Twitter for details about events this week and the parade on Sunday, August 5, 2012.

Update August 5, 2012: Here are some photos and tweets from the Pride Parade so far.