Pride Week in Outaouais: a drag night organized by Jeunesse Idem

Sonia Roy

For Pride Week in Outaouais, Jeunesse Idem, a local community organization, had designed a special schedule of activities for the whole family that took place from Monday, August 22 to Sunday, August 28. August 20, they were at the Aydelu Centre in Aylmer for the Rendezvous Pride, organized by the Aylmer Bulletin. Among the many events offered (raising of the pride flag at the Maison du citoyen, café-causerie, pride walk in the capital), a drag night took place on August 25 on the Place Laval lively scene, in the heart of Old Hull.

An activity open to families, it was a warm gathering of citizens who settled on the wooden crates and the synthetic lawn of Place Laval, accompanied by their children. Drag queen Mz Horizon, host and performer of the evening, offered a show that delighted the crowd with her guests, the acrobatic JD Mercii (who regularly performs on the terrace of The Lookout bar in Ottawa) and the energetic D'Lo Vtton. Accompanied by dj Matelo-max, these queens entertained the audience to the beat of their favorite songs. Some also danced with the crowd, much to the delight of the little ones.

Municipal councillors Steve Moran, Tiffany-Lee Norris Parent and Caroline Murray were on hand during the evening to celebrate Pride Week in Gatineau, which ended with a storytime with drag queen Cleo Longoria and youth author Sanita Fejzić (children's activity) on Saturday, August 27 at the Donalda-Charron Library, as well as the annual Pride Walk in Ottawa on Sunday, August 28.

Jeunesse Idem thanked its partners and contributors to the drag night: Ville de Gatineau, Fierté dans la capitale, Blackswan events, Tourisme Outaouais, Desjardins Hull-Aylmer, Steve Moran and Tiffany-Lee Norris Parent.

Photo credit: Sonia Roy

Photo caption: The queens of the evening - Mz Horizon, JD Mercii and D'Lo Vtton