Pride 2018: Toronto's LGBT community gets ready to party, but will mourn as well

Toronto Pride celebrations will loudly and proudly carry on, but the city's third annual Pride month won't ignore the manytragedies that have stalked the LGBTcommunity over the past year, according to many peoplein the Gay Village.

"I think it's going to be a mixed bag of emotions," said this year's Pride Parade grand marshalHaran Vijayanathan, who is also the executive director of the Alliance forSouth Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP).

Vijayanathanlistedatally oftragedies, including the investigation into allegedserial killer Bruce McArthur, themissing person-turned-homicide case of TessRichey,and AllouraWells, a transwoman who vanished and whose body was found months later.

"Because we're so involved in the BruceMcArthursituation and understanding the losses of TessRicheyandAllouraWells and all that stuff that's been happening ... and now we're also working with the families and seeing when their remains are going to be released,it'sjust a lot right now," he said.

• 'What changed was Bruce McArthur,' says Toronto Pride head about fresh parade tensions

ASAAPwas pivotal in pushing for theindependent third party probe into how Toronto Police conductmissing persons investigations.

Walking downYongeStreet in the Pride Parade as grand marshal,accompanied by a huge group of fellowTamil volunteers and supporters inspired byASAAP'spush for change, will be a big moment for Vijayanathan .

"To be honest, it hasn't sunk in yet," he said.

A sea of people wearing black will flood the parade route in a final actcommemoratingthe LGBTcommunity'sloss this year, including McArthur'seightalleged victims.

• Pride Parade to end with sea of black to mourn victims of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur

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Vijayanathanhopes people keep up the fight for fairtreatmentoftheLGBTcommunity by police and other city institutions.

"If we continue having the conversations we're having right now going into Pride after Pride is over, that will be the true success."

Rainbow after the storm

For the most part Pride will be what's it's been for decades a celebration. Festivities will go onday and night for all ages and all people.

Victoria Glencross Palmer remembers Pride in the 80s and 90s,which she says was a very different experience.

"It didn't have the Dyke March, it didn't have the Trans March," she said.

And the way she'll be experiencing Pride this year is going to be different too, after recentlykickingasubstance abuse addiction.

"So I'm going to come out and volunteer in the sober area and we're going to have a really good time."

But Glencross Palmer says there's one thing that has never changed about Pride its message.

"Pride is about everybody, [anti]bullying and being accepted," she said, addingthat the theme of howpolice interact with the LGBT community isasimportant as ever.

'I hear it's very bright'

Adele Franklyn moved to the Church and Wellesley neighbourhood a couple of months ago after growing up inEast Africa.

Her roommate is going to show her around the month long festival.

"I've heard it's very eventful and bright," said Franklyn.

But what inspires her the most is learning more about about the different community and advocacygroups here in Toronto.

"A lot of the people I love very much are in the LGBTcommunity and I feel like I want to give back towards them."

New to town, new to Pride

Harry Dernie and Laura Brocklebankare also new to town, having recently moved here from the UK. This will be their first Pride too.

"It's just going to be a good time, I think," said Dernie, who already enjoys the energy of the neighbourhood.

"The bars are always packed.It's really happening here," he said.

Brocklebank says coming from a small town, she's excited to see people able to freely express themselves.

"This is a chance for people like us to join in and see what it's all about," she said.