Fierté Montreal Pride 2023
Arts & Life, Music

Your guide to Fierté Montreal Pride 2023

by Dave MacIntyre

From the parade to the parties to the shows, here are highlights of the festival happening from Aug. 3–13.

Pride is upon us yet again, Montreal!

From Aug. 3 to 13, Fierté Montréal plays host to all kinds of events showcasing some of the best entertainment the LGBTQ+ community has to offer. Live music, drag shows, standup comedy, opportunities to meet community organizations and (yes!) a Pride Parade downtown are all part of this year’s festivities, with much of the entertainment happening at Parc Olympique (for free!).

In a time where LGBTQ+ rights feel under attack more than ever (especially in the United States), Pride remains an incredibly vital event to have, and proof that our support and solidarity with the queer community should remain just as strong all year round. This year’s Fierté Montréal looks to do all that and then some, with a strong lineup of events and performances from every corner of the 2SLGBTQIA+ spectrum.

Here’s a preview of some of this year’s must-see events at Pride/Fierté, starting this coming Thursday.

Me Joke-Tu?

Hosted by non-binary Acadian comics Sami Landri & Chiquita Mère, Me Joke-Tu will be a can’t-miss event for Montrealers looking for some of the best and brightest in queer comedy. Standup and sketches from the likes of Charlie Morin, Maxime Ève Gagnon and Justine Philie will be among the highlights of this two-hour event, one Fierté Montréal promises will be “so hilarious, you may pee your pants!” Le National (1220 Ste-Catherine E.), Thursday, Aug. 3, 8–10 p.m., $28.25

Them Fatale

Fierté Montréal is flexing its diversity of pride events with this year’s programming, which includes a non-binary/non-conforming/trans cabaret. Them Fatale at le National will see Rosie Bourgeoisie (who developed the event’s animation and concept), Gay Jesus, Jake DuPree and Nox Falls strut their stuff during an immersive show (with live shows beforehand that even include Shibari) after guests are treated to cocktails and food, followed by a dance party with by DJ LFHOMME spinning.

Le National (1220 Ste-Catherine E.), Friday, Aug. 4, 8:30–10:30 p.m., $28.25/$46 for VIP/meet&greet

Your guide to Fierté Montreal Pride 2023

Klô Pelgag

The ICI Musique-sponsored ImmiX concert will go down at Parc Olympique, with a house band backing a vast array of local talent. Though there’s plenty of amazing music to be heard there (Kanen, Blxck Cxsper, Jade Above and Lumière come to mind), Klô Pelgag is the biggest name on the bill. The singer-songwriter from Gaspésie has yet to release a follow-up to 2020’s acclaimed Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs, but rest assured she’ll have the crowd at Pride/Fierté well and truly in their feelings when she takes the stage. The ImmiX show happens at Esplanade du Parc Olympique — Scène TD on Wednesday Aug. 9, 8–11 p.m., free

Rita Baga

There’ll be a host of incredible drag performances at this year’s Drag Superstars show (Jimbo, Lady Boom Boom, Océane Aqua-Black and Alexis Mateo, for example), but arguably none bigger than drag icon and the queen of Montreal herself, Rita Baga. Known for her appearances on Canada’s Drag Race season 1 and Canada Vs. the World as well as  Big Brother Célébrités, she’s also the first-ever drag queen to grace Elle magazine’s cover. The Drag Superstars show happens at Esplanade du Parc Olympique – Scène TD on Thursday, Aug 10, 6–11 p.m., free

Vivek Shraya

A transgender artist who’s a true multi-hyphenate, Vivek Shraya is bound to put on one hell of a show. The Calgary-based artist comes to Montreal riding on the May release of her first non-independent album, Baby, You’re Projecting, with her debut play How to Fail as a Popstar set to be adapted for TV by the CBC. Shraya is a musician, visual artist, author, publisher, makeup brand ambassador, filmmaker, playwright and even a creative writing professor at the University of Calgary — in other words, is there anything she can’t do? The DistinXion show happens at Esplanade du Parc Olympique – Scène TD on Friday Aug. 11, 5–11 p.m., free

Mýa

The R&B queen of “Case of the Ex,” “Lady Marmalade,” “Ghetto Supastar” and “My Love Is Like.. Wo” fame will headline this year’s DistinXion concert, bringing a healthy dose of pop nostalgia to Fierté Montréal. Now 43, Mýa is still actively touring and releasing music while looking and sounding as good as ever, which will be a treat for all in attendance at Parc Olympique. The DistinXion show happens at Esplanade du Parc Olympique (Scène TD) on Friday Aug. 11, 5–11 p.m., free

Xcellence and After Xcellence

LGBTQ+ culture helped give the world electronic music in the first place, and this year’s edition of Fierté Montréal offers no shortage of DJing talent who’ve cut their teeth spinning for queer audiences. Eclectic, bassy local DJ Honeydrip is among those performing at Xcellence, with ASH BANKS, pony, TEYKIRISI and San Farafina also on the decks. Friday, Aug. 11, Esplanade du Parc olympique (Scène Loto-Québec), 4–11 p.m., free

If you’re feeling wide awake and ready to keep the party going, head to SAT’s Dôme for After Xcellence, headlined by a DJ set from Pierre Kwenders and featuring KidCrayola and DJ Karaba. Friday, Aug. 11, SAT Satosphère (1201 St-Laurent), 10 p.m.–3 a.m., $32.79

Your guide to Fierté Montreal Pride 2023

Syana

The SuXession concert during this year’s Fierté Montréal will be showcasing the best in underground local queer talent, with DJ/producer/businesswoman Syana as its marquee name. Fans of electronic music will enjoy this Montréalaise’s hard-hitting, restless, trance-fuelled beats. Some may also recognize her from her Boiler Room set in Toronto from earlier this year, and she also owns a local DJing studio DJTAL Studios. SuXession happens at Esplanade du Parc olympique (Scène Loto-Québec), Saturday. Aug 12, 8–11 p.m., free

RÊVE

Toronto-based local girl done good RÊVE (now based in Toronto) is coming home to help close out Fierté Montréal as its closing show headline act. With her music being featured in Canada’s Drag Race, the 27-year-old chanteuse born Briannah Donolo is fresh off a Juno victory for her platinum-certified/Michael Pezzetta-approved hit “Ctrl + Alt + Del” and looks to show those in attendance why she’s earned her ongoing rise to pop prominence. The Closing Show happens at Esplanade du Parc Olympique (Scène TD) on Sunday, Aug. 13, 10–11 p.m.

Pride Parade

Montreal’s annual Pride Parade is back, with thousands of participants and spectators expected as they once again take to the streets to fight for LGBTQ+ rights and campaign for further societal progress on top of what’s already been accomplished. 

The parade will start at 1 p.m., with a moment of silence scheduled for 2:30 p.m. to commemorate those who have lost their lives to homophobia (in all its forms), transphobia, and AIDS, as well as missing and murdered Indigenous women and members of the Two-Spirit community. Sunday Aug. 13, 1 p.m., Boulevard René-Lévesque from Metcalfe to Alexandre DeSève

Your guide to Fierté Montreal Pride 2023

For more on Fierté Montreal Pride 2023, please visit their website.

This article was originally published in the Aug. 2023 issue of Cult MTL.

For our latest in arts and life, please visit the Arts & Life section.

Posted in Arts & Life, Music

by Dave MacIntyre

Contributing editor for Music
Dave MacIntyre is a Montreal-based freelance journalist. His primary topic of interest is music, but is equally comfortable writing about sports, current events, and Montreal-related initiatives. Outside of Cult MTL, his bylines can be found in publications like BeatRoute and Northern Transmissions. And no, he is not related to Reba, nor to the WWE wrestler Drew, nor to Joey from New Kids on the Block.