Lethbridge raises Pride Flag at City Hall Monday, dignitaries take part in flag raising

Pride Week in Lethbridge kicked off with a flag-raising taking place Monday evening at City Hall. The president of the Lethbridge Pride Society says the event was special as it was the first in-person event back following two years of COVID-19 lockdowns.

“We are a community that really relies on each other, we are a community that needs to, like needs to be able to connect and as good and as privileged as we are to have the internet, there’s no replacing face-to-face in-person celebration and community,” said Lane Sterr, President of The Lethbridge Pride Society.

Some dignitaries took part in the flag-raising including Edmonton MLA Janis Irwin and Lethbridge West MLA Shannon Phillips. Phillips says pride is an important time for people to come together and celebrate.

“I think pride is really important to folks, every year I run into young people in the park who come in from rural communities where they can’t necessarily be themselves or they are just starting to start that journey. Pride is really important for that, it’s important to have these family events and places where people can celebrate. Pride is also about who is not there, and every year we need to remember that there are folks who are too afraid and folks who are not able to come out for whatever reason,” said Shannon Phillips, Lethbridge West MLA.

This Saturday at 11 a.m., the annual Pride Parade will take place beginning at Civic Centre field before making its way to Galt Gardens.