World Pride festival underway

One of the largest festivals on the planet is taking place in Toronto over the next week. World Pride officially kicks off at about 7pm. And the city is expecting roughly two million visitors in the coming days.

Reporter Phil Perkins is live just outside Toronto city hall to give a first hand account where thousands are expected to attend a flag raising and concert there tonight.

At Nathan Phillips Square, 20 thousand people are expected to attend the kickoff. Among them will be Premier Kathleen Wynne — the first openly gay elected leader in a Commonwealth country.

Pride week in Toronto brings in almost one million people per year, but this time around, that number is expected to double with world pride taking place on north american soil for the first time ever

Christepher Wee, Mr. Gay Canada: “It shows how progressive we are in Canada and in Toronto about our human rights direction and the LGBT direction.”

Miss Conception, Female Impersonator: “For us to have it in the most diverse city in the world, I think it’s amazing to have it here. It’s going to bring so much tourism and so much positive energy.”

Christopher Olwage, Mr. Gay World: “Arriving here and seeing that there are rainbow flags everywhere — not just in the village centre, is something that is really inspiring.”

The ten day event includes concerts, art shows and conferences that celebrate not just those in the lesbian gay bisexual and transgender community, but all people.

Christepher said: “We don’t live in a day and age where we are isolated, we aree very much a global community.”

Christopher said: “It should just be a matter of being human and respecting that fact, and to see that happening her, in this celebratory way, is very inspiring.”

Of course, it’s also a huge party.

Miss Conception: “We’re here to have a good time. There’s dance clubs, drag shows, drag kings, it’s just everything going on.”

And in terms of money, local businesses are preparing in a big, big way.

Kayla Bustard, Server “It’s normally already crazy, so it’s probably going to be triple that.”

It’s expected that the event will generate approximately $286 million dollars.

Kayla: “We have stacks and stacks and there’s still more coming, we have stuff coming until about 7pm.”

And 7 o’clock is when this party gets started, the rainbow flag will be raised above Toronto city hall by Premier Kathleen Wynne and a massive concert will start starring the likes of Melissa Ethridge and Deborah Cox just to name a few.