Capital Pride organizers call this year's festival the biggest yet

Pride week has kicked off in Ottawa, and organizers are concentrating on the theme of community during what they're calling the city'slargest festival yet.

A week of programmingis taking place throughout the city until next Sunday, with events ranging from movie nights and book readings to clothing swaps and drag queen bingo.

Toby Whitfield, chair of the board of directors for Capital Pride, saidmany community groups have been working to make the city more welcoming,and the organization istaking the opportunityto highlight those efforts.

"[We're] taking a moment to recognize and celebrate the people and the community groups and organizations that are so important to making theLGBTQ2 community vibrant, safe, inclusive for all," Whitfield said.

Speaking at a community picnic Sunday, Whitfield said the 2018 festival is the largest yet.

The festival has about 250 volunteersdouble last year's total, Whitfield said. There are 75 community events,and the roughly 150 groups taking part in the Aug. 26 parade up from about 130last year will make it the biggest one yet, he said.

The street festival on Bank and Somersetstreets has also grown this yearwith a larger main stage, he said. Most events are alsofree this year.

'So proud'

Margie Pepin is a volunteer with Capital Pride and brought her eight-year-old son Samuelto Sunday's family picnic at Hintonburg Park.

She said it was a good opportunity to show him that families come in all varieties.

It's just beautiful and important that they do things like this.Margie Pepin

"I'm so proud to have a son who is so accepting of his mom and to be my own personal cheerleader I've only recently come out to him," Pepinsaid.

"It is a little bit emotional, you know.I mean I think it's just beautiful and important that they do things like this, and that I can share it with my son and have him be proud of me is just it means a lot to me."

'Love is love no matter who you are:' Mom brings 8-year-son to Capital Pride after coming out

6 years ago

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Maggie Pepin brought her 8-year-old son to a community picnic to kick off what organizers are calling the biggest Capital Pride festival yet.

Sharing experiences, building community

"I'm pretty happy to come here because I get to meet a lot of my mom's friends," her son Samuel added. "I think that it's pretty cool to come here and meet other families."

HannahMcGechie, executive director of the Ten Oaks Project which primarily runs summer camp programs for youth fromLGBT families or are LGBT themselves was also at Sunday's picnic.

She said it was great that Capital Pride has continued to expand.

"Folks who have felt a bit isolated can come and meet some other folks who have shared experiences, shared interests and begin to form community for themselves. So it's wonderful," McGechie said.

History installations, rainbow flags

Other families at the picnic also said they appreciatedthe wide range of community events.

"I think that a lot of the Pride activities are family friendly and great family opportunities," said Elizabeth Graysen, who was at the picnic with her partner and son.

"I think it reflects what families look like around here now."

Activists from Ottawa'sLGBTcommunity are also being recognized this week with the unveiling ofsix new installations on Bank Street that tell their stories, as well as new banners courtesy the Village Legacy Project.

Both Ottawa and Gatineaucity halls willbe raising rainbow flags on Monday.