Campbell River Pride 2025 is taking place from June 23 to 28, featuring an entertaining lineup of events planned for the city during Pride Week, all focused on uplifting LGBTQIA+ voices.
Queers & Beers, a local meetup in Campbell River for the LGBTQIA+ community, will be holding a summer party at the Beach Fire Brewing on June 29.
Vancouver-based Matthew Presidente will perform a blend of original songs and some interactive audience-requested covers in a ‘piano bar style’ at the party, according to the Queers & Beers website. Plus, local DJ Dee Bee (Deb) will wrap up the night.
Bex Dawkes from Queers & Beers said there is a vibrant queer community in and around Campbell River, which is what inspired the regular social events organized by Queers & Beers.
Alternatively, while they haven't encountered any push back, many of their event posters keep disappearing around town and on the Quadra Island ferry, Dawkes noted.
"There is some discrimination against queer communities and that is on the rise everywhere," they said.
Dawkes pointed to what she called anti-queer policies of the Conservative Party of Canada, and the disappointment many felt with the election of Conservative MP Aaron Gunn in the spring federal election.
"It's mixed in that there is a lot of people, there's a lot of hope, and there's a lot of joy within the queer community," they said. "But there's also another environment where not everyone is happy that we do exist. I'd say it's a balancing act between promoting joy and inclusion while also trying to get other members of the community on board with us being here too."
Elizabeth Kennedy, a director of the North Island Pride Society, said the pride society is celebrating its 10th anniversary of hosting the Campbell River Pride Festival. The festival is set for Spirit Square on June 28.
"It's quite popular," Kennedy said. "We may not be as big as some events on the south island, but we make ourselves known."
The festival will showcase a variety of acts, featuring Heathen, a drag king who loves pop rock and identifies as non-binary, the musical duo from Comox, Juji Cerisola and Caresse Nadeau, a drag queen show by Vancouver's Lavender Flame, along with several of lip sync performances.
Some other events include a Canyon View hike with Outhiking on June 25, as well as a Pride Cruise with Campbell River Whale Watching on June 26. Tickets for the Queers & Beers summer party are available on the Tidemark Theatre website.
