Notes of Pride

Celebrate queer talent at our first FREE concert of the summer! This unofficial warm-up for the Pride Festival will take place in small but beautiful Cridge Park (beside the lawn bowling club at Blanshard Street and Belleville Street).

The concert will feature live, bicycle-powered music by Zofah and Finley Rose, and poetry by Wilder Simpson (performer bios below). Invite your friends, grab a blanket or a lawn chair, and bring along a picnic!

The event will take place on the homelands of the Lekwungen People and we are honoured and grateful that TEALIYE/Brianna Bear will be joining us to provide a welcome. Please try to arrive on time so that you don’t miss her heartfelt words.

Accessibility details: The event will take place on the grass in Cridge Park. There are paved pathways that provide access to the park and there are accessible parking spots behind the Church of our Lord, which can be accessed from Humboldt just west of Blanshard. If you have questions or concerns about accessibility at the event, please contact us at engage@victoriadra.ca.

We encourage those who are able to walk, cycle or take public transit to the event. The closest bus stops are on the north side of Belleville west of Douglas and on the east side of Douglas in front of the Crystal Garden building. There is paid street parking on Humboldt between Penwell and Blanshard and paid parking in the WestPark lot at 646 Superior St.

About the performers:

Zofah (she/they) is a singer-songwriter based on lək̓ʷəŋən territory. With reflective lyrics and a playful spirit, she creates music rooted in expression and connection, exploring themes of meaning, belonging, and the inner and outer landscapes that shape our lives. Beyond the stage, Zofah offers supportive music lessons and facilitates inclusive community music spaces.

Finley Rose (they/them) is a fiddler, singer-songwriter, banjo player and music teacher. Finley’s songwriting draws on the darkness and light of human experience; a soaring vocal line over a resonant violin phrase, a heartfelt song, intricate and intimate. Finn also delves into traditional folk material – bringing a fresh interpretation of songs from many different places. From the Appalachian mountains to Quebec to melodic Irish tunes, they cover wide musical ground with articulate playing. Finn also performs frequently with their band Clanna Morna.

Wilder Simpson (he/him) is a poet, an athlete, an academic, a creative mind, and a presence within a large and loving family. He’s a transgender man, and his poetry explores what it means—and how it feels—to live authentically and vulnerably in such a harsh and beautiful world.