The Pride Walk is back in 2024. Photo / Neil Jones
The 2024 edition of Whanganui Pride Week will be almost twice as big as previous years.
With 20 events across eight days, Pride Week kicks of with Youth Fest and Pride Markets on Saturday, February 24 and ends with the Pride Party on Saturday, March 2 which will be the “party to end all parties” with drag queens, burlesque and pole dancing.
Among the fresh additions, there is a movie screening catered for youth, a Queerly Beloved Zine workshop, an 80s Roller Disco, and Speed Matching to find mates, dates or lovers.
Transgender Canadian cartoonist Sophie Labelle will be a guest speaker at the new Drag Breakfast at Mischief Café.
It will be a “ridiculously jam-packed” week with some events headed to be sell-outs, Pride Whanganui manager Christina Emery said.
Emery said all the events are designed to be a safe space for people to hang out and be themselves.
The events are tailored to accommodate individuals’ specific requirements, with features such as a silent disco designed to support neurodiverse attendees, complementary guidance from hairstylists and makeup artists available at the Authentic You gathering, and the use of various coloured wristbands during speed matching to assist those who might feel too reserved to initiate conversations.
“It’s really hard for a lot of people to put themselves out there whether they are in the pride community or not, so this just kind of takes away that scary first step,” Emery said.
The iconic Long Lunch will return to Dublin St Bridge.
“When do you ever get to sit on the Dublin St Bridge?
“It’s such a cool atmosphere. People are super awesome when they drive past, always tooting and lovingly yelling things out,” Emery said.
A new special lunchtime cruise exploring Papaiti Gin’s distillery provides the opportunity to try the limited edition Pride Gin. As per Emery’s request, it will “obviously be fruity and a little bit spicy”.
Emery and her team at Pride Whanganui want to spread positivity with pride walk is just a walk.
“We are not about bringing that negativity, so we don’t do a march,” she said.
“We don’t bring protesting or anything into that space. We literally do the walk so that everyone can come together in the community and have a positive time and positive experience.”
Emery said there were a few from Australia buying tickets for this year’s pride week.
“Some of the Australians are ex-locals that grew up here and I think for them, it is amazing to see how different it is now in Whanganui compared to when they were younger here,” she said.
“The ones that are coming from far away regions in New Zealand, often come to Whanganui because they feel they can’t be themselves in their towns as it is a small town where people who they are and are either judgy or it is unsafe.
“They find a community here in Whanganui which is really awesome for us, but also really sad that New Zealand is still like that in some pockets.”
Emery wanted to emphasise that everyone is welcome at their pride events. You don’t have to be in the pride community.
“You just have to be a good person,” she said.
Tickets for all the events can be purchased through the event listing at eventfinda.co.nz or in person at i-Site Visitors Centre on Taupo Quay, Whanganui.