About 20 attendees were in the bandshell at 12:30 p.m. on June 14 for NOTL’s second annual Pride Potluck, led by 13-year-old Soleil Chauncey and supported by parent Silk Chauncey and family friend, Nikki Matacic.
The free gathering offered cookies, stickers, mini flags and balloons as children played on the grass.
It was the only public Pride activity in NOTL, made all the more important after Pride Niagara cancelled the larger “Pride in the Park” festival in St. Catharines earlier this year when a cost-sharing deal with the city fell through.
“When our youth don’t see themselves represented in the town, they don’t feel like they belong in the same way. It’s so important to see yourself in the community,” said Chauncey.
Parents suggested meeting monthly through the summer after seeing how quickly the potluck came together and how great the turnout was.
“It’s a safe space for the kids and they’ve got adults supporting them, so they know they’re not alone,” said Matacic.
Visitors strolling the park paused for conversation and snacks, boosting turnout beyond the invited families.
Kyle Rempel, who brought his son Ryder to the potluck, said local visibility matters after vandalism of the Pride crosswalk outside the NOTL Library two years ago came to define much of the community’s queer acceptance.
“You want your kids to be able to be themselves in this community and feel like they’re free to be who they are,” said Rempel.
He was happy to see many parents bring their kids out to event and provide a safe community space that many queer adults in NOTL never experienced as kids.
“The younger people are significantly more accepting and educated, and if they see the kids just having fun, being kids, it takes the stigma away a little bit,” said Rempel.
Chauncey said she is open to more regular dates for similar public Pride events and will post invitations on community social media pages.
For now, the group considers the sunny afternoon a proof of concept: A small, self-run event can fill a regional gap and give NOTL youth a place to wave a Pride flag without leaving town.
