West Side Pride

09/07/2026

08/24/2026

08/24/2026

🏳️‍🌈 CALL FOR ARTISTS | OUT OF THE ARCHIVES 🎨

For 200 years, Ottawa has been building its story. And 2SLGBTQIA+ people have been part of it all along.

With support from the City of Ottawa’s Ottawa 200 grant program, West Side Pride is proud to present Out of the Archives: 200 Years of 2SLGBTQIA+ Stories in Ottawa, a public art exhibition celebrating the people, places, creativity, resilience, and community that have shaped 2SLGBTQIA+ life in Ottawa and Bytown from 1826 to 2026.

And we want YOU to help us tell that story.

We’re calling on local artists, performers, historians, writers, poets, storytellers, and community archivists to explore the connections between our past and present. From Two-Spirit histories and early Bytown to coded language, hidden gathering places, community resistance, 2SLGBTQIA+ joy, and the stories carried through our own families and communities, we want to bring Ottawa’s 2SLGBTQIA+ history out of the archives and into the light.

🎨 Visual & mixed media
📸 Photography
🧵 Textiles & sculpture
✍️ Literary arts
🎤 Spoken word & storytelling
🎭 Performance
📽️ Digital & new media
📜 Archives & historical materials

Selected contributors will receive artist support, including honoraria following CARFAC standards and applicable performance fees.

📅 Submission deadline: October 1, 2026

🔗 Find the Artist Submission Form at westsidepride.ca or through the link in our bio.

200 years. Countless stories. One long thread.

Help us tell Ottawa’s 2SLGBTQIA+ history. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

08/09/2026

07/27/2026

✨ What. A. Day. ✨

Out In The Park 2026 was one for the books! 💙🌈 From an incredible stage show and nonstop dancing to amazing community partners, delicious food, and smiles everywhere you looked, you made this year’s celebration unforgettable.

To everyone who came out, volunteered, performed, sponsored, tabled, cheered, danced, and helped make the magic happen—thank you. Because of you, we welcomed our biggest crowd yet and showed exactly what community looks like.

Here’s a look back at an incredible day. Until next year… keep shining, keep celebrating, and keep showing up for one another. 🌈🎉

07/27/2026

Because of all of you, we welcomed our biggest crowd yet. From the incredible performances on our stage to the energetic dance area, the laughter in the park, and the countless conversations happening throughout the day, the energy was absolutely unforgettable.

To our performers, vendors, community partners, sponsors, volunteers, photographers, DJ, and everyone who helped make this event possible: thank you. Your passion, generosity, and hard work created a space where people could come together, celebrate, connect, and simply be themselves.

And to everyone who came out to celebrate with us… thank you for showing up with so much joy, kindness, and Pride. Seeing people of all ages dancing, cheering, making new friends, and building community is exactly why we do this.

A very special thank you goes to our incredible volunteers. You greeted everyone with smiles, kept everything running smoothly, solved problems before anyone noticed them, and poured your hearts into making this event a success. We truly couldn’t do this without you.

Together, we made history by celebrating our biggest Out in the Park yet.

Thank you for making West Side Pride such a vibrant, welcoming, and growing community. We can’t wait to do it all again. 🏳️‍🌈💜

07/26/2026

Some moments call us to pause.

Today, we stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community in Berlin following the tragic attack during Christopher Street Day celebrations.

Pride is built on courage, community, and the belief that everyone deserves to live authentically and without fear. When violence touches one of our communities, it is felt far beyond city and country borders.

As we reflect on the joy we experienced together at our own Out in the Park this weekend, we are reminded that safe, welcoming spaces cannot be taken for granted. They are created through compassion, resilience, and our collective commitment to showing up for one another.

We send our deepest condolences to those grieving, our support to those recovering, and our unwavering solidarity to the LGBTQIA+ community in Berlin.

Love is stronger than hate 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

07/21/2026

Getting to Out in the Park by bike? We’ve got you covered!

Thanks to the City of Ottawa and EnviroCentre, FREE monitored bike parking will be available all day on site.

✅ Free bike parking
✅ Bike stands provided
✅ Monitored throughout the event

Skip the parking stress, reduce your carbon footprint, and enjoy a fun, active ride to Pride. We can’t wait to welcome you!

See you at Out in the Park! 💜

07/21/2026

🏒 Pride belongs on and off the ice!

We’re thrilled to team up with Ottawa Pride Hockey and Alphabet Sports Collective for a day of fun, connection, and inclusive hockey at Out in the Park!

Whether you’ve never picked up a hockey stick or you’ve been playing for years, this is your chance to try fun challenges, meet incredible community organizations, and learn more about Ottawa’s vibrant 2SLGBTQIA+ hockey community. 💜

Come celebrate teamwork, inclusion, and the joy of sport in a welcoming space where everyone belongs.

📍 Johnny Leroux Arena
🕚 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Bring your friends, your family, and your Pride—we’ll see you on the “ice”! 🌈🏒

04/09/2026

West Side Pride’s Annual General Meeting is happening May 11 💬🌈

This is your chance to hear what we’ve been working on, share your voice, and help shape what comes next in our community. Whether you’ve been with us for years or are just finding us, this space is yours and you’re welcome here.

Ready to be part of it? Become a member or sign up to volunteer through our website. We’re always stronger when more of us are at the table.

Let’s show up for each other 🫶🌈