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Pride weekend full of connections, celebrations and reflection Arts & Entertainment

The people of Paris have many reasons to be proud of their community: there are bustling arts and cultural events happening regularly, with more wonderful options popping up all the time, there’s longstanding and strong support for sports and outdoor activities which contributes to our wellness and wealth as a town and county, and Paris is expanding and shifting into a global hub as more people from all cultures, walks and backgrounds build their lives and homes here too. This past weekend saw the inaugural (Unofficial Official) Paris Pride celebration pop up over three days and it was amazing to see this type of grassroots energy be accepted, attended and supported by the individuals, local businesses and the community at large; it was invigorating to feel a different kind of Paris pride.

Paris Pride 2023 spanned over three days and had a focus on: connecting, celebrating and reflecting - three core things for better mental, physical and spiritual health.

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The current world climate is very complicated for the LGBTQ+ people and as Canadians, although we enjoy many rights and freedoms some people can only dream of, we still need spaces and chances for connecting with each other and allies within our wider communities, and we still need reminders and support for the many things we do, are, and want to have, to live contented and full lives

Being 2SLGBTQIA+ is so often reduced to who you love - which is true - but it’s also about the ways we are like "everyone else”, the ways we’re entirely different, our art, our history, pop culture, life lessons and our shared experiences Pride is so often reduced to celebration - which it is - but it is also a protest, it is also taking up space, it is also sharing resources, learning and expanding in our organizing, governing and self caring. So this first Paris Pride tried to touch on all those things

Last Friday’s events at Arepa Love and the Dog-Eared Cafe were very chill and accessible, created to make connections, to keep things casual, to take up space in a gentle visibility kinda way. I’m really grateful to both establishments for supporting this effort with their amazing energies. Saturday was all about being celebratory and community minded as the people of Paris were encouraged to support Oxford County Pride and Brantford Pride in the afternoon. I had the pleasure of attending Brantford Pride in Mohawk Park, and it was an absolutely beautiful and brilliant event!

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So well organised, so many moving parts, so many lovely attendees and volunteers, it was exceptional. Hats off to the organizers and many volunteers who made it happen.

The party continued downtown Paris at the DogEared Cafe with a little show, lots of local talents and a tiny dance floor to ring in this vey special occasion. Sunday was for refreshing and reflecting and that was all thanks to the wonderful Five Oaks Centre team who gave us access to their tranquil grounds, led us on a really interesting walk in the woods - and through Five Oaks’ history - and gave us the use of their gazebo for a workshop with meditation, journaling and other soft and strengthening activities. It was the perfect way to end a really exciting weekend, and we’re grateful to everyone who supported and attended any and all of the activities we had on offer this year.

I grew up in Paris, my descendants built farms, barns and families on Keg Lane in the early 1900’s, my grandmother worked at The Whitehorse and my grandfather worked at Penmans. I have a long personal history with Paris and so I know that the changes in town have been intense, jarring and hard at times. But these changes give us so many more reasons to be proud, to connect, and to widen our community to include as many varied and vibrant people as possible I’m very proud of Paris after this weekend, and of all the small cities, towns and counties celebrating Pride this year. I’m prouder than I have ever been, and I know this is only the beginning. Thank you again to everyone who supported Paris Pride 2023 and stay tuned for 2024. It’s gunna be bigger, bolder and even more beautiful!

Scoreboard February 16

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