York Pride is looking to bring more rainbows to Newmarket’s downtown core with a return to in-person events in 2022.
Pride development and communications director Jacob Gal told the Main Street District Business Improvement Area Board of Management Oct. 6 that they would be working to shift their annual festival back to in-person next summer. The festival has run online for the past two years due to COVID-19.
To that end, Gal sought about $3,500 from the BIA toward decal work on business signs and new banners to help bring the festival to life next June.
“This is a great opportunity to get more engagement in the downtown core,” Gal said.
After years of success attracting thousands of people to Newmarket’s downtown, Gal said going digital limited sponsorship opportunities over the past two years. He said they hope to do a mix of both in-person and digital, limiting in-person to whatever capacity is available.
“The in-person component for York Pride is going to be majority reduced to capacity,” he said. “We’ll be working with the BIA and businesses to do interactive things.”
Organizers held a variety of virtual events in 2021, including trivia nights, a comedy night and a worship service. York Pride also worked with the town to install a rainbow bench to honour longtime organizer Gillian Barker after she passed away in 2020.
BIA director Rob Clark offered to help York Pride cover the $2,500 cost to replace worn banners and suggested fundraising among local merchants to cover the decal work.
“We’re so happy to be in the downtown core of Newmarket,” Gal said, adding the festival has been able to grow exponentially since moving locations from Richmond Hill in 2017. “Anything that anybody can do to support us is very much appreciated.”
Director and Newmarket Councillor Bob Kwapis said the association looks forward to working with York Pride.
