WorldPride: Toronto streets 'overflowing'
CBC News | Posted: June 28, 2014 4:30 PM | Last Updated: June 29, 2014
Wynne, mayoral candidates run Pride and Remembrance 5K Saturday morning
As WorldPride 2014 enters its busiest weekend, thousands of marchers are getting ready for the grand finale — the Pride Parade that organizers say will be the largest Canada has ever seen.
The parade, kicking off at 1 p.m. on Sunday, will begin at Bloor and Church streets, head south on Yonge Street and end at Dundas Street.
Pride Toronto co-chair Sean Hillier says there have been a record number of groups registering to take part in WorldPride Toronto and that the "streets are overflowing" with people attending.
Hillier says more than 350 groups have signed up to take part in the march along with 12,500 marchers.
He says that this year's annual festival being designated a WorldPride event by a global gay and lesbian group has boosted the number of people attending from abroad, such as more than 400 delegates attending a conference on human rights.
This is the 34th year Toronto has held the gay pride festival
It's the first time the global event has been held in North America.
Dyke March
The annual Dyke March began Saturday afternoon with festivities starting at 12:30 p.m. with sign-making in Allan Gardens, followed by a rally at 1 p.m. before the marched kicked off at 2 p.m.
This year’s celebrations are expected to double the usual attendance for Pride Week, generating about 3,000 jobs and bringing $286 million into the city.
Thousands took part in this year's march, which seeks to foster inclusion and increase visibility of lesbian, bisexual, intersex and transgender women.
Pride and Remembrance Run
Premier Kathleen Wynne took part in Saturday morning's annual 5K Pride and Remembrance Run with a finishing time of 31:26.
The run began and ended at Church and Wellesley Streets in the gay village. It raised funds for Egale Human Rights Trust, Fife House and The Pride and Remembrance Foundation.
At least two of Toronto's mayoral candidates, Olivia Chow and Karen Stintz, also ran.