Pride North of 55 was founded in 2014 and is located in Thompson, Manitoba. The first Pride North of 55 took place on June 28, 2014, at MacLean Park in Thompson, Manitoba[i]. While the annual pride event was originally held the last weekend of June, from 2017 to 2019 it was held in mid-September. Since 2022, the event is once again held in June.

The annual event typically comprises of a Pride March, Mini Festival/BBQ, and evening social. Additional programming has varied from year to year and has included a Pride friendly sweat lodge[ii] and youth dance party[iii]. Throughout the year, Pride North of 55 also holds bowling nights[iv][v], events acknowledging Transgender Day of Remembrance[vi][vii], 2Spirit and Inidigiqueer People[viii], and their AGM[ix][x][xi].

Pride North of 55 was part of the rural development program with the Pride Winnipeg Festival and was the first rural pride in the province[xii]. Pride Winnipeg used its extensive experience and financing to support the planning, marketing, and other associated costs of this first event[xiii]. This relationship formally concluded in 2018 when Pride North of 55 took steps to incorporate as its own standalone entity[xiv].

In 2024, it was announced that all Pride events would be cancelled due to a lack of volunteers[xv]. For several years, the organization has been challenged with recruiting volunteers[xvi][xvii]. Organizers are hoping that this one year hiatus will encourage more individuals to step up in future years.

First March

The first march took place on June 28, 2014, at MacLean Park in Thompson, Manitoba[xviii]. The event featured a family-friendly mini-festival and an evening social at St Lawrence Hall.

Pride March

Since 2016, the City of Thompson has proclaimed Pride Week with a flag-raising at City Hall featuring the mayor, local MP, local MLA, and community members[xix]. Pride week in Thompson has come to include the pride march, mini-festival, and various other events.

March Route

Year	Route	Reason	Image
2014	Unknown
2015	Unknown
2016	Beginning at the Thompson Regional Community Centre (TRCC), the march went around Thompson Drive North, up Cree Road, over to Selkirk Avenue, onto Mystery Lake Road, then over to City Hall[xx].	Unknown
2017	Beginning at the TRCC, the march went to City Hall.		[xxi]
2018	Same route as 2017.		[xxii]
2019	Unknown
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021	Cancelled due to COVID-19
2022	Participants marched down Thompson Drive from the arena to City Hall[xxiii].	For the first time, the two-spirit flag was raised in front of City Hall by deputy mayor, Brian Lundmark.
2023	Unknown
2024	Cancelled due to low volunteer capacity

Festival Site

The Pride North of 55 festival takes place in downtown Thompson. Following the march, participants often return to the TRCC for a family-friendly festival featuring a barbecue and live performances[xxiv].

Lineups

Year	Date	Location	Lineup
2014	June 28, 2014	TRCC	Unknown
2015	June 27, 2015	TRCC	Featured children’s performer Tibert Le Voyageur, choirs, drummers, and drag queens[xxv]
2016	September 17, 2017	TRCC	Unknown
2017	September 16, 2017	TRCC	Unknown
2018	September 22, 2018	TRCC	Featured local rock band, Between the Ditches[xxvi]
2019	September 21, 2019	TRCC
2020	Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021	Cancelled due to COVID-19
2022	June 11, 2022	Unknown
2023	June 4, 2023	Unknown
2024	Cancelled due to low volunteer capacity

Proclamations/Awards/Accolades

Pride North of 55 received an award for their participation in the annual Thompson Nickel Days Parade.

Social Media Debuts

Instagram DM:

July 2017

https://www.instagram.com/pridenorthof55

Facebook DM:

February 9, 2014

https://www.facebook.com/PrideNorth/

Logo

Date	Logo Graphic
03/2014	[xxvii]
06/2015	[xxviii]
06/2021	[xxix]

References

[i] https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2014/04/06/taking-pride-to-manitobas-north

[ii] https://www.facebook.com/events/665244903582000/

[iii] https://www.facebook.com/events/643081755828622/

[iv] https://www.facebook.com/events/457616821309438/

[v] https://www.facebook.com/events/732137157197687/

[vi] https://www.facebook.com/events/239532769798848/

[vii] https://www.facebook.com/events/527212104783978/

[viii] https://www.facebook.com/events/289567102622278/

[ix] https://www.facebook.com/events/399524997178343/

[x] https://www.facebook.com/events/707602093027339/

[xi] https://www.facebook.com/events/1447882855702241/

[xii] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/nickel-belt-news/equality-is-the-name-of-the-game-for-thompson-pride-4283223

[xiii] http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/318447-2014/1?

[xiv] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/local-news/pride-north-of-55-seeking-more-active-members-to-help-organize-and-run-events-4289191

[xv] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/rural-manitoba-pride-events-challenges-1.7229137

[xvi] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/local-news/pride-week-could-look-very-different-next-year-4287141

[xvii] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/local-news/pride-north-of-55-seeking-more-active-members-to-help-organize-and-run-events-4289191

[xviii] https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2014/04/06/taking-pride-to-manitobas-north

[xix] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/local-news/flag-raising-kicks-off-pride-week-in-thompson-4285187

[xx] https://www.facebook.com/events/149629572151784/

[xxi] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1794715047235761&set=gm.174174493130219

[xxii] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2312518942122033&set=gm.232307590817921

[xxiii] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/local-news/raising-of-two-spirit-flag-in-thompson-symbolizes-a-future-of-acceptance-and-love-5474855

[xxiv] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/thompson-manitoba-pride-march-1.4835002

[xxv] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/nickel-belt-news/equality-is-the-name-of-the-game-for-thompson-pride-4283223

[xxvi] https://www.thompsoncitizen.net/local-news/pride-north-of-55-caps-off-another-successful-march-in-thompson-4290787

[xxvii] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=726138717426738&set=a.630058235832501

[xxviii] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=990696494304291&set=a.630058235832501

[xxix] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5841415822565643&set=a.630058235832501