By Lauren Semple (she/they), inclusive destination development consultant and Pride enthusiast.
Nanaimo Pride Week 2025 was everything it promised to be: louder, prouder, and bursting with energy that’ll carry me all year long. From sunset dance parties to BIG parade crowds and shared queer joy in accessible venues, this year’s Nanaimo Pride wasn’t just about showing up, it was about taking up space with community, resilience, and a lot of sequins.
Here are my top 6 moments from Nanaimo Pride 2025: the scenes, sounds, and sensations I’m left thinking about long after the flags come down.
1. The New Progress Pride Intersection Debut
Nothing set the tone for this year’s Pride quite like the unveiling of Nanaimo’s brand new Progress Pride intersection at Bastion and Commercial streets in downtown! Completed just in time for the Pride parade, this installation isn’t just a splash of colour; it’s a symbol of inclusion and a commitment to our entire community.The original two rainbow crosswalks first hit the pavement in this location in 2016, being doubled to four crosswalks in 2017. This year, as part of the Commercial Street upgrades, Nanaimo adopted the Progress Pride Flag design and spread it across the entire intersection! If the sheer size of the new installation wasn’t impressive enough, seeing the largest Pride parade in Nanaimo’s history march across it for the first time? Major goosebumps.
2. Fabulous Food & Bev at the Pride Festival
The Nanaimo Pride Festival in Maffeo Sutton Park outdid itself this year. Not just with the main stage music, vendors, or paddling in the lagoon, but with 15 food trucks rolling in to feed the crowd. From plant-based eats to crispy fried classics, the variety was next-level. In addition to a full menu of meal-worthy options, there was a sweet selection of dessert vendors as well!
And shout out to the always mobile – TravelBar, who kept the cider, cocktails and local craft beer flowing at the festival’s beer garden. Yup, this year’s festival had it all: sunshine, cold drinks, and something for every palate!
3. Silent Disco at Neck Point Park
Dancing barefoot in the sand as the sun glows gold and sets over the water? Yes, please. The Silent Disco: Rainbow Rave, hosted by the Nanaimo Pride Society with the help of Collective Groove, brought families, friends, and strangers together at Neck Point Park for a wireless, sensory-friendly dance party like no other.Multiple DJ channels kept everyone moving to different tunes, whether you wanted sweaty club beats or chill throwbacks, and disco realness. For me, it was the people, the scenery, and the pure sunset vibe that made this evening unforgettable. I also love the sensory accessibility of this experience. Being able to control your own music, volume, and breaks from the beats made this event easy to enjoy.
4. Queer as Funk at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre
There’s nothing like dancing shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of other queers to live music, and BC’s own Queer as Funk delivered in every way. Their Pride Dance performance at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre (VICC) was a highlight of Pride Week for me. Big vocals, tight brass, and incredible energy that had the whole room moving.
In past years, the Pride Society has hosted its annual Pride Dance at different venues around Nanaimo, but in 2025, they chose the VICC for this flagship event. Supported through sponsorship from the VICC, this venue provided increased parking, accessibility, services, and capacity!
5. The Final Float & New Parade Route
After 8 years, in 2025 the Pride parade route changed, and honestly? I loved it! The new path, which starts in the Old City Quarter, was safer, more accessible, and flowed straight down to the waterfront festival. And the crowd? An estimated 7,500 people lined the streets, cheering, waving flags, and dancing in the sun to the fabulous lineup of floats. Of course, the famous Final Float tradition continued, where all parade spectators are encouraged to join the end of the parade, following a flat-deck truck with a DJ, leading the whole community into the heart of the festival. There’s nothing quite like the sight of rainbow floats rolling into Maffeo Sutton Park with a HUGE wave of humans following behind.
6. Laugh Out Loud: Queer Comedy That Hit Home
The Laugh Out Loud comedy show this year was, hands down, one of my favourite events. Top queer comics like Sasha Mark, Katie-Ellen Humphries, and Tin Lorica had the crowd doubled over with a mix of storytelling, punchlines, and the kind of queer hilarity that’s both gut-busting and soul-level relatable.
There’s something special about hearing queer experiences told with sharp humour. It’s not just funny… it’s cathartic. And this lineup nailed it.
Until Next Year…
From crosswalks to comedy, from floats to food trucks, Nanaimo Pride 2025 reminded me what queer community looks like when it’s fully alive. It’s loud, it’s joyful, it’s political, and it’s absolutely worth celebrating.Here’s to staying loud, staying proud, and doing it all again next year!
