After being forced to hold events virtually during the pandemic, Kamloops Pride Week is underway and it promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Kamloops Pride President, Ashton O’Brien, said it has been great to see so many downtown businesses getting involved this year.

“Even businesses that don’t enter the window decorating contest are decorating their windows, even businesses I haven’t seen decorate their windows before,” O’Brien said.

“So, I mean that’s really heartwarming for me, I love seeing that and seeing that engagement and we really hope we can keep that up because that support is just instrumental really in trying to make sure that people stay safe.”

Speaking on the NL Morning News, O’Brien says expect it to be a successful week ahead, culminating with the Pride Parade along Victoria street at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28, which will be followed by an all day party at Riverside Park beginning at noon.

“It definitely did not have the same effect as it does when we’re in person and we’re seeing that now even with our regular monthly events that we’ve brought back this year,” O’Brien added.

“The attendance has been phenomenal, it was never that large before, we’re getting 70 plus people at some of these events to it’s something that we’re noticing people really have an appetite for and I’m really glad that we’re able to bring it back.”

You can find a run down of all this week’s festivities here.