A message from the Founder, Celeste Lalumiere
I moved to Orillia in 2018, and year after year, I watched June come and go without seeing Pride in our community. I would see smaller communities hosting Pride events, and kept thinking that Orillia needed something.
By the spring of 2022, the idea of Lake Country Pride was already in my head. That June, the Orillia Public Library hosted a drag show and drag story time, and seeing so many people come out in support moved me to finally do something. Surrounded by people showing up at the event – I sat in the crowd and created the Lake Country Pride Instagram account then and there.
By October 2022, we held our first meeting with five interested board members and started building from there. Lake Country Pride started as, and remains to be, fully grassroots. We began by hosting community events like book club, skating, bowling, and roller skating, creating low-pressure spaces where people could gather and connect.
In June 2023, we held our first Pride march. Due to the construction at the waterfront, we marched from the library to Front Street and back. It was the start of something, and the community showed up for us. It was our first time trying to host a parade, navigating the world of permits, insurance and more.
In June 2024, we expanded the march to end at the pavilion by the waterfront. Welcomed gathered and had community organizations as vendors, such as The Sharing Place and Green Haven. This helped Pride become not only a celebration, but also a place where people could access support, information, and connection.
In 2025, Lake Country Pride continued to grow. We expanded to include a vendor market and hosted a drag show within the Terry Fox Circle.
This year we also collaborated with Couchiching Brewery, who has continually showed up for us. They created a Queer Beer called ‘All Grains Welcome’. LCP called for local artists to design the beer cans and posters, and Lisa and Jenn submitted fabulous work. Couchiching Brewery helped us spoil them in thanks.
Couchiching Brewery also threw the Pre-Pride Parade Party, where we enjoyed queer beer, celebrated and enjoyed a drag performance put on by Champagne Top’Her and Rodaysha Red Ashes.
In June 2026, we are excited to expand further with the addition of Pride on the Patio. Each year, Lake Country Pride grows a little more, shaped by the people who show up, volunteer, support, and believe in the importance of creating visible, welcoming spaces for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Orillia.
What started as a dream has become a community-led nonprofit rooted in visibility, connection, celebration, and belonging. I am so grateful for this small but might team, and the friends I made along the way.
Today, Lake Country Pride continues to grow through the support of volunteers, board members, local organizations, performers, vendors, and community members who believe that Pride belongs in every community, including ours.
