By Chad Ingram

Published Aug. 16 2018

For the third consecutive year Minden willbe draped in rainbows for a celebration of diversity and inclusiveness duringMinden Pride next week.

The inaugural event took place in the summerof 2016 with a Pride Picnic and last year blossomed to include a week offestivities.

That will be the case again this yearevents kicking off with a raising of the rainbow flag outside the Minden Hillstownship office at 10 a.m. on Monday Aug. 20.

“Last year we had about 80 people and Iwould like to have 180 this year” says Sinclair Russell a founder andorganizer of the event. Attendees are encouraged to wear bright colours to showtheir support

A reception at Up River Trading Co. willfollow the flag-raising ceremony.

On Tuesday Aug. 21 a film night will takeplace at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre commencing at 7 p.m. and will includea screening of the award-winning film Were The World Mine.

On Wednesday Aug. 22 the chair's receptionmeet and greet event will be happening at Boshkung Social on Water Streetstarting at 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday Aug. 25 a tea dance will takeplace at Grill on the Gull from 4 to 8 p.m.

Festivities will wrap up on Sunday Aug. 26with a Loud & Proud church service at St. Paul's Anglican Church at 12:30p.m. followed by the Minden Pride Street Fest along Water Street from 1 to 4p.m. The street fest will include food entertainment games and prizes.

“The whole town council has been quitesupportive and so has most of the town” says Russell who muses that in thefuture he would like to see the festivities expand to include a parade.

“I would like to do it on the water” hesays in reference to the Gull River which flows through Minden's downtown.