Moving forward as a 'place of diversity' - Christchurch Pride is expected to be the biggest yet

Thursday, 9 March 2023

Members of the public pose during the Pride Walk of Support in 2022.

Sold out events, growing sponsorship deals and more rainbow flags on the streets all point to Christchurch’s biggest pride week in recent history.

Christchurch Pride Week kicks off on Friday, featuring the first pride march in the city without being hamstrung by Covid-19.

Beginning outside Ballantynes at 5pm, a Walk for Support will see hundreds of the LGBT+ community and allies march down Cashel St towards the Bridge of Remembrance, where there will be performances by drag queens.

Jill Stevens, chairperson of Christchurch Pride, said it would be the third annual pride walk in the city, but the first which won’t clash with Covid-19 restrictions or a significant outbreak of the virus in the community.

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There will also be everything from a Queer magic show and roller skating to a make-up workshop and a special ball.

Stevens said visibility of the rainbow community in Christchurch had grown in recent years, thanks to the support of the city council and Christchurch Foundation, which helped fund activities.

Former Christchurch deputy mayor Andrew Turner and drag queen Little Miss Cinnamon take a tram ride during the 2022 Pride Walk of Support.

“It’s important for people to know we’re trying to move our city forward as a more diverse place to live in,” she said.

The dozens of events taking place across the week, most during the weekend, were a way to show people which safe spaces exist in the city, Stevens said.

Christchurch Pride was entirely volunteer run, but the annual festivities were growing thanks to the support of local businesses, she said, including a Fletchers Building sponsorship for a stage, and the Christchurch Airport, which had volunteered some staff to help run events.

“We’ve got religious events, a touch rugby match … we’re quite grassroots.”

Riverside Market had renamed its venue to River Pride for the week, and rainbows are being displayed across the central city, including in the windows of department store Ballantynes.

There were dozens of events on offer across the week for LGBT+ community members and allies.

“I’ve lived in Christchurch all my life. It is known to be a conservative city, but Christchurch has been through a lot,” Stevens said.

“In the past few years, our youth have struggled being who they want to be. Seeing huge visibility in the city could hopefully give some courage to be who they want to be.”

While the opening event is the 5pm Friday walk, events begin from 12pm with a queer health and wellbeing discussion at the University of Canterbury, and an arts and craft session at Tūranga at 4.30pm.

There is a roller skating event at the Hagley netball courts from 5pm to 8pm, while those who remain at the stage can stay and watch performances.

At 8.30pm there is a Queer Magic Show at Little Andromeda ($20 tickets) and from 9pm, while Castro’s Tapas & Bar is hosting official ‘FriGAY’ drinks.

Saturday begins at 10am with a 50-minute Sweat with Pride workout at Hagley Park, near Lake Albert. At 7pm, Moana Vā, a Pacific collective supporting LGBT+ community members, celebrates its 1st birthday at Arcadia.

For people wanting to celebrate pride outside the city, Sunday features a tramp to Nina Hut from 7am to 3pm, or a pride picnic in Victoria Park, Rangiora, from 11am to 3pm.

The Queers at Sea boat party, Qtopia Pride Ball and Fabulous Femme Makeup Workshop are all sold out, but from 2.30pm on Sunday all members of the rainbow community can join a hui on 59 Gloucester St, where they can raise rainbow-related questions and concerns to elected officials.

Stevens said she expects the Pride Bingo on March 15 to be the biggest event of the week, having previously attracted around 300 participants.

For more details and events listing, check out the full calendar on chchpride.co.nz.