Pride parade held at Louisburg national historic site in Cape Breton

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LOUISBURG, N.S. — Cape Breton’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community gathered at the federal historic site in Louisburg on Tuesday for a parade.

The group walked through the historic streets of the Fortress of Louisbourg and heard a cannon fired by drag queen Rouge Fatale as part of the national historic site’s Pride Week festivities.

Serena Matheson, co-chair of Pride Cape Breton and the Gender Sexuality Alliance adviser at Riverview Rural High School, said the first-time event at Louisbourg was focused on youth.

Activities included a ghost tour and dance party Monday night, overnight camping at the site, and continued throughout the day Tuesday with the parade and workshop sessions.

Lester Marchand, visitor experience manager with Parks Canada, said park staff reached out to a number of community organizations in 2013 as part of the site’s 300th anniversary, and Tuesday’s diversity day was a result of those efforts.