Inuit drummers lead Montreal’s 2026 Pride parade

Spectators lined René-Lévesque Boulevard on Sunday, taking in the bright colours of Montreal’s Pride Parade.

Bobby Manning-Leduc, a member of Southern Quebec Inuit Association and workshop host, says he enjoys seeing other Inuit take part in Pride events. (Photo by Cedric Gallant, special to Nunatsiaq News)

Near the front of the parade was a group of Inuit drumming performers, backed by the Southern Quebec Inuit Association. 

The Inuit association was busy that morning, running a brunch table at the Place du Canada park alongside non-profit organization Native Montreal. On the menu were breakfast burritos, pancakes and eggs, and muskox and potatoes. 

Near the brunch table was Bobby Manning-Leduc, a member of Southern Quebec Inuit Association who has lived most of his life in Montreal, but has family ancestry from Kinngait.

“When I was younger, I never really saw Inuit at Pride,” he said.

“It is good to see that younger generations do participate in Pride.”

He said it can be helpful for northerners to see people in larger urban centres who are not afraid to celebrate Pride.

“I had a cousin up north who is gay, and he hid it for a long time,” Manning-Leduc said. “But he knew since he was 14, he just hid it.” 

Seeing the Southern Quebec Inuit Association join forces with other Indigenous non-profits during Pride creates a welcoming atmosphere, and can help make life less lonely for Inuit who live in the city, he said.

Back at the parade, the Inuit traditional drummers led the way for more drummers and singers, some of them hoop dancing while standing on a pedestal. The caravan was hosted by Indigenous non-profit organization Projet Autochtones.

As the Inuit drum-dancers broke out into a dancing pattern, the crowd cheered.

Pride Montreal, which ran from July 31 to Aug. 9, bills itself as the largest celebration of its kind in the French-speaking world. It attracts an estimated 750,000 people to various events, including music performances, film screenings, workshops and panels.

This summer marked 20 years of Pride Montreal.