Community Events

August 9
12 pm City Hall Flag-Raising
Tipperary Park – Guest Flagpole

Join us for the first official event of Pride Week, the ceremonial raising of the Progress Pride flag at New Westminster City Hall’s guest flagpole. Hear from local politicians on their commitments to Pride in our community, and find out what makes this annual tradition so significant to us.

August 10
11 am-1 pm Drag Brunch Fundraiser
Sanctuary on 6th
TICKETS: CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS!

Jump Start Pride Week in New West this August! Calling all Kings, Queens and In-betweens to attend a Drag Brunch Fundraiser for Trans Youth

1pm – 12pm Rock’n’Roll Pride
Bully’s Studios

We are very excited to be bringing ROCK N ROLL PRIDE back! New West is going to light up with these incredible Queer Rockstars! We have Bands and Drag so get ready for your mind to be blown by this amazing lineup! Connor Roff, Houseguest, Sixth Grade Softball, Cursed Words, Numbdame, Marcus Loveless, Felonious Parker, Dandy, Blud Barbi , Jamie Clawsin, RoseGold, Ilona Verley , Fallen Stars, FKA RAYNE , GUYLINER

4 pm Swingin’ in the Park
Moody Park
INFO HERE

Grab your picnic blanket and join the Uptown Swing Collective, in partnership with the City of New Westminster, for a FREE afternoon of live jazz and dancing in the park!

Live music by the Casey Thomas-Burns Swing Band!

You will find us behind Century House on the South Field.

We will have live music from 4pm until 6pm with a beginner swing dance lesson on the band break (around 4:45) and you don’t need a partner or any dance experience to join us.

Bring your dinner! Bring your friends! Everyone is welcome

6 pm-9 pm Pride Paddlewheel Cruise
Paddlewheeler Riverboat Tours
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

Cruise the mighty Fraser river with friends, old and new, on the Paddlewheeler Pride Cruise 2024!! There will appies and sliders, live music, and two floors of fun, and a night of celebration to remember on the Fraser River. Food and drinks will be available for purchase on board. Our live band, United Force, will be playing your favorite dance hits!

August 11
2 pm-10 pm Pride Kickoff Beer Bash
The Terminal Pub
INFO HERE

Last year’s best Pride Beer Event is back, now at the Terminal Pub. The patio will be buzzing with both sun and shade to your liking.
There will be live music from 4 to 7 with the Mike Van Eyes Band. Free door prizes might be coming your way!

August 12

5.30 pm – 10 pm Van Gaymers
Kelly O’Bryans
MORE INFO

Join Vancouver Gaymers for our New Westminster Pride event: Gayming Pub Quiz! Thanks to Kelly O’Bryan’s for hosting us, they have also given us Gift Cards to give away as prizes. We’ll be giving them away to skillful or amusing teams.

Come along as a group, we encourage groups of 3-6, or come along on your own and we will help you find a group! Doors open 5.30pm, quiz starts 6.30pm. Kelly’s will have a full bar & menu available, please support them for hosting us. Join us upstairs, we have the whole upstairs area reserved!

August 13

2:00 PM Queer Coffee Chats
Delicia Cafe
10% discount for attendees between 2 and 4

Get to know more queer folks in your community at Delicia’s coffee meet-up! This will be an informal opportunity to meet people and chat over a delicious beverage or snack. This is not a dating event, bring a friend or two or come solo and ready to meet a new buddy!

6:30 PM Pride Trivia
Kelly O’Bryans
INFO HERE

New West Pride Week is right around the corner and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! We’ll be hosting our annual Pride Trivia next week with @vancouver_trivia_party so come and test your knowledge on themed music, movie/tv, pop culture, and more!

We’ve got TONS of prizes to give away and some fun Pride themed drink specials.

Reservations are highly recommended and can be made by giving us a call 604.553.8339

12pm – 10pm All day Creative Keg
6pm – 9pm Board Game Night
Steel & Oak

An experimental beer available for one night only. All proceeds from these sales of this exclusive beer will go to New West Pride Society

Featuring 2 fun LGBTQ2T+ themed games: Drags 2 Riches, plus, same-sex expansion for the award winning game Fog of Love

August 14

1:30-3:30 Pride Hoedown
Century House
INFO HERE
Have fun line dancing! All abilities are welcome. Demonstrations will show you the steps. Light refreshments provided.
Presented by the Century House Association Seniors Gay Straight Alliance with funding from the Vancouver Foundation Neighbourhood Small Grants.

August 14

6:30pm – 8pm Poetry in the Park
Queen’s Park Bandshell
EVENT INFO HERE

Featuring Shauna Paull and kitchen Mckeown. Host New West Pride President Katie Stobbart.

Shauna Paull is a queer settler poet, educator and community advocate who completed her MFA in creative writing at the University of British Columbia. Her second book of poetry, blue gait (Mother Tongue, 2021), was short-listed for the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize. Her first poetry collection, roughened in undercurrent, was published by Leaf Press in 2008. Shauna’s work can be found in RockSalt: An Anthology of Contemporary BC Poetry (Mother Tongue, 2008), Force Field: 77 Women Poets of British Columbia (Mother Tongue, 2013) and In All the Spaces: Diverse Voices in Global Women’s Poetry (Autopress, New Delhi, 2020). In 2023, Shauna’s poems were longlisted for the Vera Manuel Award for Poetry, one of the five Surrey Muse Art & Literature Awards.

kitchen mckeown is a trans poet. Their debut chapbook i need not be good was published in February 2022 by Rahila’s Ghost Press and shortlisted for the 2023 bpNichol Chapbook Award. Their poems have appeared in SAD Mag, Poetry Magazine, Room, Peach Mag, Poetry is Dead, The Ex-Puritan, and Bad Nudes. They were awarded the George McWhirter Prize for Poetry in Winter 2020.

Host:
Katie Stobbart is a queer non-binary writer and painter living on unceded lands known as New Westminster with their sweet cat companion She-ra. They have a BA in Creative Writing from the University of the Fraser Valley, and have collaborated on two chapbooks: The Trick to Feeling Safe at Home (Coven Editions) and worry & f*ck (Collusion Books). Katie is the Publisher of Room magazine, the President of New West Pride, and moonlights as a professional Dungeon Master.

In partnership with Arts New West and the City of New Westminster.

6.45pm Pride Run

Steel & Oak

Come out for the weekly run club in your brightest and boldest colours!

Arrive by 6:45 for bonus activities including an informative chat with a member of New West Pride PLUS the chance to demo some running shoes from Hettas (and get some free drink tokens for your post run beer!)

Our usual 3.5/5 km boardwalk running loop and post run hangout to follow.

August 15

2:00 pm Queer Coffee Chats
Delicia Cafe
10% discount for attendees between 2 and 4

Join us at Delicia Cafe for queer coffee chats! Get to know more queer folks in your community and meet special guest, Phillip, who you might remember from Tourism New West and the Price is Right! This will be an informal opportunity to meet people and chat over a delicious beverage or snack. This is not a dating event, bring a friend or two or come solo and ready to meet a new buddy!

6pm- 11pm Rainbow Karaoke
The Terminal Pub
EVENT HERE

Our favourite Karaoke of the year! Come and sing your heart out or cheer on your friends! Madonna? George Michaels? Lady Gaga? Brian will have all your favourites ready to go. We Are Family, right? The best karaoke set up around.
Come early to hydrate your vocal cords and get on the list for a fantastic Pride Karaoke and sing-a-long

5:30 PM Pie for Pride
Tipperary Park – Farmer’s Market
INFO HERE
The beloved annual community pie baking competition is back at the New West Farmers Market with a panel of local judges who will determine New West’s Best Pie of 2024. We’re celebrating our diverse community, the best way we know how: delicious food! Stop by the market to discover this year’s Best Pie, and grab a slice by donation to New West Pride. All ages.

August 16

5-10pm Bears in the Burbs Social
The Howe Sound Taphouse
EVENT HERE

Last year’s event was a great success and you were begging for more so here it is!
We’ve once again booked the upper patio for the evening. Plaid, lumberjack, leather or lace are all welcome. Drinks and great food on offer. We need solid numbers for the reservation so please let us know if you are coming or not.
Any questions, please let me know!
Lots of street parking available and only a few steps from Columbia Skytrain Stn.
Any questions?
The Howe Sound Taphouse is the former Met Pub.
Many door prizes will be available.
Come alone or bring a friend! Everyone is always welcome

6-9pm Fridays on Front – Pride Edition
Front Street
INFO HERE

Friday On Front is back for 2024, bringing the community together once again in downtown New Westminster. Our event features local vendors, food trucks, live music, and activities for all ages. Whether you’re looking to shop for unique handmade goods, sample delicious street food, or simply enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, Friday On Front has something for everyone.

8-11pm Pride Dance Party
The Terminal Pub
EVENT HERE

Come on OUT and dance the night away with DJ Storm! Madonna? Lady Gaga? The Bee Gees? He’s got it boiling and bubbling all night long! There’ll also be some great door prizes!
Delicious drinks and great food plus a super dance floor. Don’t miss it! Everyone welcome. This is a 19+ event.

August 17

2.30 pm – 4 pm Puppy Pet Parade
Bosleys Columbia Square,1015 Columbia St

Register at Bosley’s 2:30 pm, Columbia Square,1015 Columbia St to join the Parade to the New West Pride Street Festival Community Stage!

3 pm – 8 pm New West Pride Festival
Columbia Street

You know it, you love it, see you on Columbia Street! Vendors, Stages, Food, Drinks, Street Performers, and more!

3 pm – 8pm Pride at the Anvil
Anvil Center
INFO HERE
Join the City of New Westminster in the chill out zone at Anvil Centre during the Pride Street Party 3:00 – 8:00 pm, August 17 with a kids’ area, comfy seating to take a load off, and a few surprises up our sleeves that are fab-u-lous! New Media Gallery, New Westminster Museum, and the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame will be open. Open to all ages.

4pm – 8.30 pm The Zizi Show: North American Premier Deepfake Drag Cabaret
Anvil Center Ballroom
MORE INFO HERE

Interactive AI Manipulated Projection with Sound on 14 x 26 Projection Screen + Video Gallery
FREE – Drop-In During New West Pride

Cast – Drag Queens, Kings and Things:

Presented by New Media Gallery, City of New Westminster

7:30-9pm Pride Swim
Moody Park Pool
INFO HERE

Swim in a relaxed and safe environment. For folks who identify as Trans, Gender Diverse, and Two-Spirit, as well as their friends and family. All ages.