'Everyone is welcome' Last year's festival came together "at the very last minute," said Kimmel. This year's Pride festival will take place over eight days and have more than 45 events. (Jane Robertson/CBC) "We planned a different festival every week from the moment they announced COVID until the very moment that we ended up delivering the festival," he said. In 2020, festival organizers had to cancel the annual Pride parade. "That was a big loss to not only the community who looks forward to not only showing themselves and being visible and representing each other, but also to meeting with the community and getting a chance to see friends that they haven't seen all year," Kimmel said.