The lineup at this year’s Pride Street Festival is as fun and diverse as you would think. Some headliners are Los Furios, Mathew V, and Queer as Funk and Blackwood Renegades. There will also drag performances, local choirs and spoken word performances.
Organizers are bringing back three stages this year – Fourth Street, McKenzie Street and Eight Street – so you have plenty of different types of entertainment to choose from, whether you’re looking for something high-energy or more subdued.
FOURTH STREET STAGE
Performances kick off Saturday at 3 p.m. on this stage with opening ceremonies.
DANCEPL3Y takes the stage at 3:40 p.m. They promote positive mental health through play and dance.
Disco Funeral is up at 4:15 p.m. This Vancouver band will get you moving with the dance-floor pounding, mind-expanding rhythms, dark soul gypsy-funk-blend tunes.
Old South Rebel takes the stage at 4:40 p.m. This powerhouse duo has a bold, up-beat and soulful sound, coloured by brass and driven by drums, with Native and African-American influences.
At 5:10 p.m., listen to queer community choir Eastside Choir belt out some of your favourite pop and Broadway tunes.
Vancouver singer/songwriter Mathew V is up at 6 p.m. Though he trained in classical opera when he was young, he moved to London, England at 17 to learn how to write pop music. You can hear that British influence in his pop and old-school soul influences.
Los Furios headlines this stage at 7 p.m. This high-energy rock/ska/reggae indie band has quickly risen to international notoriety. If you want to finish your night off with some dancing, head on over to this stage.
MCKENZIE STAGE
DJ O Show will get the party started at 3:40 p.m. She has been sharing her talents with all types of events and functions for more than eight years. While she explores many types of music, she has remained true to her first loves: hip hop and R&B.
If you’re looking for something a little more laid-back and inspiring, come to the first round of spoken word readings at 4:35 p.m.
Local queer singer/songwriter Skye will take over at 5:15 p.m.
At 5:40 p.m. there will be some awards, and then, at 6:05 p.m., round 2 of spoken word readings will resume.
Quayside Voices, the a cappella pop squad, will have some fresh remixes of top 40 hits all played on their vocal chords at 6:40 p.m.
DJ Travis Ketler will finishing things off on this stage at 7:30 p.m.
EIGHTH STREET STAGE
Not only will this stage have music, you’ll find entertaining drag performances here throughout the day starting at 3:15 p.m.
As for musicians, the voices of multi-genre, 16-member choir VanDeca will be music to your ears at 3:25 p.m, and local queer singer/songwriter Skye will take over at 3:55 p.m.
Queer as Funk will be up at 6. Like most good ideas, they started out over beer and a song. A couple years later, the group is now known for its high rhythm section, hot horns and killer vocals. It’s a high-energy dance band you’ll be sure to enjoy.
Finishing off the night, Blackwood Renegades will be taking the stage at 7:15 p.m. This Vancouver punk rock band is reviving ’90s punk with their catchy hooks and big vocals.
