OTTAWA STREET BIA LOOKS FORWARD TO WINDSOR-ESSEX PRIDE FEST EVENTS
The Windsor-Essex Pride Fest continues this weekend, and many local businesses are feeling the excitement.
Events will be taking place between August 11 and August 13, including visiting Pride’s home at Lanspeary Park on Ottawa Street for the main festival.
Lanspeary Park will be the host of many Pride events including the Friday Night Live between 5 p.m. and midnight on Friday, the Pride Fest Saturday Marketplace starting at 11 a.m., the Queens of Pride from 8 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, the Pride Fest Sunday Marketplace starting at 11 a.m., and Pride Day on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Another event for Sunday morning is the Pride Fest Parade starting at 11 a.m. on Ottawa Street.
Businesses in the Ottawa Street area are feeling the excitement for the upcoming events.
Ettore Bonato, President of the Ottawa Street Business Improvement Association, says part of Ottawa Street will be closed.
“Luckily we also have our tent sale going on, on Ottawa Street. So, we’re in collaboration with Pride Fest and we’re closing part of the street to have move people walk around and just enjoy the area.”
He says Ottawa Street offers so much.
“We have offices, we have doctors, we have the retail shops, we have the restaurants and bars. It is amazing what there is to offer on Ottawa Street. It’s like one of those one-stop shopping places, but it’s just the whole street.”
Bonato says business owners in the area are very excited for the weekend.
“People do see an increase in business, there’s a lot of people walking in and out of stores. And there’s many, many people that actually discover Ottawa Street for the first time.”
There are roads closed on Saturday on Ottawa Street between Pierre Avenue to Lincoln Road from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. And on Sunday for the parade there will be rolling-road closure starting at Argyle Road and Ottawa Street, and makes its way to Lanspeary Park starting at 11 a.m.
This is the Windsor-Essex Pride Fest’s 31st year, which ran from August 2 to August 13.
Originally published by AM 800 CKLW
