For 2SLGBTQIA+ residents and allies in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Pride doesn’t end in June.
Kawartha Lakes Pride is celebrating Pride Week from Monday, July 6 to Sunday, July 12 with a series of events in Lindsay and Fenelon Falls.
“Kawartha Lakes Pride exists so that our residents know it’s okay to be exactly who you are, where you are,” Rylee Hynes of Kawartha Lakes Pride told kawarthaNOW. “Radical, unapologetic acceptance is always our goal.”
Although Pride Month is marked across Canada in June, Kawartha Lakes Pride celebrates Pride Week in July, while Peterborough-Nogojiwanong Pride celebrates Pride Week in September.
Pride Week in Kawartha Lakes officially kicks off with a raising of the Pride flag at the Kawartha Lakes police station in Lindsay on Monday morning and culminates the following weekend with the family-friendly Pride in the Park event at Lindsay’s Victoria Park on Saturday.
Pride in the Park is sponsored by Ampere (formerly Pinnguaq) and the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce with other Pride Week events sponsored by various businesses and organizations.
“Without their unwavering support, none of this would be possible,” Hynes said. “We are so grateful.”
While Pride Week is intended to be a celebration of diversity and inclusion, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community continues to face discrimination and hate despite the legal and social progress made in Canada and beyond.
When Kawartha Lakes Pride shared a video on its Facebook page promoting Pride in the Park, the video made by a local digital agency attracted a number of homophobic and hateful comments.
“I hope they get everyone’s info and exterminate you all in prison,” stated one commenter.
“The only way we’re going to eliminate this mental illness from the planet is by castrating and neutering the people with this sickness as well as the couple that produced them,” stated another.
For its part, Kawartha Lakes Pride responded to the negative comments rather than simply deleting them, while many other people spoke against the negative comments and expressed their support for Pride.
“Hateful comments from pathetic individuals on posts like this underscore the reason Pride events are necessary,” one person wrote.
A full list of Pride Week events in Kawartha Lakes is provided below.
Sunday, July 5
Prior to the beginning of Pride Week, St. James Anglican Church at 19 Bond St. E. in Fenelon Falls will be hosting a Sunday Pride 2SLGBTQIA service at 11 a.m. on the topic “Celebrating Life in its Fullness” based on John 10:10.
Attendees will have a chance to meet Reverend Moumita Biswas, the parish’s new minister, who is an ordained Anglican priest and gender justice specialist. She joins the parish following her ministry in India, where she also served as executive secretary for the Women’s Concerns Ministry of the National Council of Churches in India.
Monday, July 6
Pride Week officially begins with a raising of the Pride flag at 9:30 a.m. the Kawartha Lakes police station at 6 Victoria Ave. N. in Lindsay.
Celebrations begin later that morning in Fenelon Falls when the Maryboro Lodge Museum at 99 Francis St. W. will host “Bring Your Own Pride Picnic” from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free family-friendly event features face painting, balloons, bandana decorating, Pride Flag sticks, a music circle, rainbow cupcake decorating, karaoke, and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own picnic basket.
The event will also feature a community project led by local artist and author Jamie Milroy entitled “The Pride Stories Project,” which asks attendees to share their stories of Pride.
Tuesday, July 7
Tuesday’s celebrations begin at 11 a.m. at Kindred Coffee Bar at 148 Kent St. W. in Lindsay when Peterborough’s Betty Baker will present her popular Drag Queen Story Time.
In the evening, The Grove Theatre in Fenelon Falls will present a Pride performance of its show 70s Dance Party at 8 p.m. at the amphitheatre at the Fenelon Fairgrounds. The high-energy tribute to the decade of disco, rock, and glam will feature hits from the Bee Gees, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, KISS, Journey, Queen, and more. Visit the box office at 2 Water St. in Fenelon Falls and use promo code PRIDE2026 for discounted tickets.
Following the performance, an after party will be held at Aureum Trattoria at 102 Lindsay St. in Fenelon Falls.
Wednesday, July 8
Two social events will celebrate Pride on Wednesday, including a Pride Tea at 1 p.m. at Maryboro Lodge Museum at 99 Francis St. W. in Fenelon Falls and Coffee and Conversation from 6 to 8 p.m. at White Cottage Café at 45 Lindsay St. in Fenelon Falls.
Thursday, July 9
From 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Fieldside Yoga at 1407 Elm Tree Road just outside Lindsay will host Come As You Are Body Positive Yoga, a blend of gentle hatha yoga, restorative postures, breath work, and a grounding guided meditation.
Inclusive to all bodies, identities, and experience levels, the session is free but advance registration is required at l.bttr.to/SavFg.
The popular Pooch Pride event returns to Adelaide Clinic at 1 Adelaide St. N, Lindsay at 7 p.m. featuring a bouncy castle, cotton candy, music and family-friendly activities, with the pet parade starting at 7:30 p.m. After the parade, prizes will be awarded for best-dressed pooch and best-dressed human.
Special guests include Bo Dukes Pet Food Bank and Kawartha Lakes Humane Society. Attendees can meet the Bo Dukes team and learn how they’re helping pets and families in the community, while the humane society will share pet adoption opportunities and ways to support local animals in need.
Friday, July 10
On Friday evening at 7 p.m., Kawartha Lakes Pride presents “Who Wears the Pants – A Queer Opera Experience” at Immanuel Baptist Church at 20 Bond St. E. in Fenelon Falls.
Hosted by opera singer Catherin Carew, the cabaret-style performance explores the impact 2SLGBTQIA+ people have had on opera and classical music throughout history.
The free all-ages event also features drag king Vivienne Illion and pianist Steven Kettlewell as special guests.
Saturday, July 11
The annual family-friendly Pride in the Park event, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Victoria Park at 190 Kent St. W. in Lindsay, features live music, drag story time, caricatures, friendship bracelet station, face painting, temporary tattoos, bubble magic, balloon twisting, art, vendors and community partners, and more.
The event will also include a free clothing swap tent hosted by Vicky’s Values and Women’s Resources. Drop off gently used clothing to Ampere at 12 Peel St. in Lindsay before July 11. Any clothing that remains from the clothing swap will be brought to Vicky’s Values for redistribution in the community.
Saturday’s Pride celebrations conclude in the evening with the Pride After Dark Drag Show and DJ Dance Party at Pie Eyed Monk at 8 Cambridge St. N. in Lindsay. Doors open at 8 p.m. for the age-of-majority event, with the drag show beginning at 9 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available at KLPAfterDark2026.eventbrite.com.
Sunday, July 12
Kawartha Lakes Pride Week wraps up on Sunday with two events.
First up is “Bird is the Word” at 8 a.m. at Ken Reid Conservation at 277 Kenrei Rd. in Lindsay. This guided bird watching and nature walk, sponsored by Ampere and led by Bird Friendly Kawarthas Lakes, is free and open to all ages.
At 10:30 a.m., Cambridge Street United Church at 61 Cambridge St. N. in Lindsay will be hosting a Pride service with refreshments.
