It's Pride weekend in Toronto and there's more happening than you think

Friday marks the official kickoff of the Toronto Pride festival weekend and beyond the parade itself, there are plenty of under-the-radar events you might not want to miss. 

The Church and Wellesley Village, where many of the events will be happening, will be closed all weekend to host the annual street festival. 

On Friday night, there's the Trans Pride Rally and March. The Dyke Pride Rally and March is scheduled for Saturday afternoon and the Pride Parade begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday. 

The weekend also means road closures. Beginning Friday night, Church Street will be closed between Hayden and Dundas streets. Wellesley Street will also be closed between Yonge and Jarvis streets. And during the parade, stretches of Bloor, Yonge Dundas and Bay streets will also be closed. You can find full list of road closures here.

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But while the main festivities occur in the village, some event organizers, like fitness coach Kate Fowley, say it's important to offer alternatives.

"Not everybody wants to be around big crowds and party in that way," she told CBC Toronto. "Part of Pride is celebrating who you are and everybody, regardless of who they are, should have outlets to do so."

That's why she's organizing two Pride charity workouts on Saturday morning at the F54 gym in the Parkwoods neighbourhood. All proceeds from the workouts will be donated to the 519 Community Centre on Church Street.

"They do so much for so many people who rely on the resources that they offer," Fowley said. "So if we can do something to help them help other people, I think that's a staple and a pillar of our community."

The workouts are scheduled for 8:30 and 9:45 a.m. on Saturday morning. 

Queer Skate Jam at Dufferin Grove 

Also on Saturday, Queer Skate founder Chantal Garcia is hosting a Pride event at the Dufferin Grove skate park featuring a barbecue and prizes to give away.

Garcia said she started Queer Skate to help make space for the LGBTQ+ community in spaces typically dominated by straight, cisgender men.

"It took me a really long time to become comfortable going to skate parks," she said. Now, she's aiming to open doors for anyone who wants to join in, whether they're skateboarding pros or new to the sport.

"We've got a DJ and we'll be taking over the skate park for as long as we can." 

The Queer Skate Pride event starts at 12 p.m. and lessons will be given every hour. 

Garcia is encouraging attendees to bring a canned food donation that will be given to Community Fridges Toronto. 

Gaysian Comedy All-Stars at the Rivoli 

For those in the mood to laugh, comedian Rush Kazi is hosting a Pride edition of her show, Asian Comedy All-Stars, at the Rivoli on Saturday night. 

"Gaysian Comedy All Stars is the very first all-queer, all-Asian comedy lineup that I've seen in the entire world," she told CBC Toronto.

Kazi feels it's important to offer a wide range of Pride events. 

"We're just as degenerate as the other people that are doing Pride events, but we are sitting down. I think it's the difference. So you get to like, rest your feet a little," she said.

And most importantly, she just wants people to come out and have a good time. 

"It's fun. It's inclusive. I've tried to get everyone from the Asian diaspora represented and from different realms of queerdom. So if you're looking to see yourself on stage, this is probably the show," Kazi said.

The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets can be purchased online. 

Private Flowers at Fort York

If you're feeling artsy, you may also want to check out a Pride-themed dance installation film premiering at Fort York on Friday. 

The project features mixed heritage actors and dramatizes the history of a Canadian infrantryman sentenced to death in 1832 for committing "buggery," a capital offence in British law at the time

"We're reclaiming some history, we're rewriting some history too," said mixed-media artist Haui, the installation's director. "No one knows if Private Flowers was a person of colour, but I think you know, being someone who's of mixed race, to have all of these intersections of race and gender at play in this piece is really central to its theme."

He feels it's important to reflect on the history of Canada's LGBTQ+ community alongside the larger festivities. 

"We're offering something that is a celebration, but it's also an honouring of history that no one knows about," Haui said.

Haui's Private Flowers installation runs until July 2.