Let’s gather: Canby Pride sets event of inclusion and support
Published 8:54 am Monday, June 9, 2025
- Canby Pride will host its annual event at Wait Park on June 22.
Annual event offers supportive voice for Canby’s LGBTQ+ community in uncertain times
For those feeling marginalized or unsafe within the Canby community, Canby Pride is working to create a place where the LBGTQ+ community can feel they belong.
And with that, the group’s fifth annual Pride in the Park celebration will be Sunday, June 22, from noon to 4 p.m. at Canby’s Wait Park.
Holding the event matters to a community that often isn’t sure where it stands in a small town.
“In a time when rhetoric and policies from the national stage increasingly target LGBTQ+ individuals – especially transgender people – it’s more important than ever for rural communities like Canby to create space for joy, visibility, and connection. Pride in the Park isn’t just a celebration – it’s a statement that everyone belongs here,” said Kristi Smith, founder and board president of Canby Pride.
Canby Pride’s Pride in the Park event is coming to Canby on June 22.
She noted that a sense of belonging and welcoming within Canby hasn’t been a message that’s been forthcoming from the city.
“Unfortunately, our local government has yet to take meaningful steps to support the LGBTQ+ community,” said Smith. “Year after year, symbolic gestures like proclamations are denied, and attempts at engagement are often ignored or dismissed. This lack of acknowledgement sends a clear message to queer residents that our lives and experiences aren’t worthy of recognition.
“Pride is our response to that. It’s grassroots, community-driven, and deeply needed,” she added.
This year’s Pride at Wait Park on June 22 will feature live music, family-friendly activities, inclusive vendors, community resources, local food, and “a spirit of joyful resistance,” said Smith. “We’re also hosting a Let Yourself Glow kickoff party on June 20 (Cutsforth’s Market), bringing a little sparkle, dance, and self-expression to Canby ahead of the weekend’s festivities.
“For queer people who often feel invisible or unsafe – particularly in small towns – having a public, community-supported event sends a powerful message: You are seen. You are valued. You are not alone,” Smith noted.
