Bard Pride Night returns on Friday, July 31st at 6PM
Bard on the Beach Celebrates Pride With an Evening of Theatre, Community and a Queer Artisan Market
Bard on the BeachShakespeare Festival hosts its annual Pride Celebration in Sen̓áḵw/Vanier Park on Friday, July 31st. Bard Pride Night is an evening that brings together exceptional theatre, local artists, and a joyful celebration of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
The Bard Village is transformed into a fun and welcoming place with doors opening at 5pm and special guests bringing a range of activities including a pre-show drag performance by What the Frock Productions before The Merry Wives of Windsor, a Pride-themed photobooth, and a Queer Artisan Market. Audiences can choose between The Merry Wives of Windsor or Goblin:Oedipus with both shows starting at 6pm.
“Bard has always been about bringing people together through the joy of storytelling, and Pride Night is a beautiful extension of that tradition,” said Christopher Gaze, Founding Artistic Director. “We are delighted to celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community with an evening that combines live theatre, friendship, and the addition of a Queer Artisan Market. It is an opportunity to gather, connect, and celebrate the many voices that make our community so vibrant.”
The Queer Artisan Market highlights the creativity and talent of local 2SLGBTQIA+ artisans and entrepreneurs, inviting audiences to browse handcrafted goods, discover local makers, and connect with community before the evening’s performances begin. The market will be open before the show and during intermission.
At Bard Pride Night everyone can experience the shared joy of live theatre and celebratecreativity and inclusion, while watching world-class theatre in one of Vancouver’s most beautiful outdoor settings.
Ticket prices start at $30 CAD and are available now. The full performance schedule and event details are on the Bard website at bardonthebeach.org. Visit the Bard website to book tickets or call the Bard Box Office at 604-739-0559 or (toll free) 1-877-739-0559.
Bard on the Beach gratefully acknowledges the corporate sponsors and donors who support and sustain the Festival and its programs. Sponsors include BMO (BMO Mainstage), Nicola Wealth (Season Sponsor) and Production Sponsors Lawson Lundell, Odlum Brown, Polygon Homes, and The Spotlight Circle. Season Media Sponsors include the Vancouver Sun and Global BC, as well as many other valued sponsors and partners. Bard also thanks the City of Vancouver Cultural Services Department, the Vancouver Park Board, the Province of British Columbia, the BC Arts Council, Government of Canada, and the Canada Council for the Arts for their continuing support.
About Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival
Bard on the Beach is one of Canada’s largest not-for-profit, professional Shakespeare festivals. Established in 1990, Bard’s mission is to create transformational experiences through exceptional theatre, training and education opportunities that inspire, resonate, and promote the exchange of ideas. As well as its annual summer Festival, Bard offers year-round education and training programs for youth, adults, and theatre professionals in its administrative home at the BMO Theatre Centre in Olympic Village as well as in schools and community facilities throughout the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
Photo credit: Emily Cooper