There was quite a crowd at the Marcel Noel Hall on June 25th for the very first Pride Fest 2022. The fundraising event, organized by West Nipissing Pride, attracted approximately 200 people to go watch local Drag Queens Quinta Sential and Jenna Seppa, as well as guests stars Steak and Rosie who came from Toronto to perform.
Ryan Conway, who goes by Quinta Sential while in drag, called the Pride Month events a major success. “Each event proved to detractors that queer advocacy is here to stay in West Nipissing and throughout the northern parts of Ontario.” The crowd at the event surprised Rosie in particular, as she has always lived in Toronto and usually performs there. When asked if both Steak and Rosie would return to perform again in West Nipissing, Conway raves “They absolutely loved it! They cannot wait to come back!”
Conway acknowledges that such an event could not have been so successful without the help of the community. “These events were made possible by the hard work of our committee, volunteers and our community partners and sponsors. These folks have brought so much to this committee; and as a queer person, I cannot express in words how thankful I am to be a part of this wonderful family.” The West Nipissing Fire Service was one of those community partners, and Conway thanks their “handsome” members who manned the bar during the show. He hopes to include more local groups in future events.
