Vancouver Pride Festival 2023: Food and drink are on local menus to celebrate
From rainbow-themed cakes to colourful cocktails, the weekend is loaded with flavour
Hyatt Regency Vancouver.
THE 2023 VANCOUVER PRIDE FESTIVAL hits its peak on August 5 and 6, with the Parade kicking off on August 6 at noon. It starts at the intersection of Davie and Denman Streets, heads down Beach Avenue and Pacific Street, then winds up at the festival site at Concord Community Park.
All weekend long, in between parties and drag events and more, is a full slate of colourful, celebratory food and drink. Here are a few highlights.
Parq Vancouver.
As the official sponsor partner of VanPrideFest, Parq Vancouver is serving up its famous Rainbow Pride Cake at Honey Salt, The Victor, BC Kitchen and D/6 restaurants until August 7.
Running through to August 15 are two special Parq thirst-quenchers: The Rainbow-Rita Cocktail (1800 coconut tequila, blue Curaçao, simple syrup, lime juice,) at the casino’s Centre Bar and Lotus Bar; and Let’s Reconnect (Teremana blanco tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, agave), an ode to this year’s Pride Week motto, at the Victor, Honey Salt, BC Kitchen and D/6. A dollar from each drink goes to Vancouver Pride Society.
Honey Salt is hosting Run of Show Drag Brunch on August 6, feautring items like Lobster Benedict, Chicken & Waffles, Avocado Toast, Biloxi Chicken Sandwich, Backyard Brunch Burger, Poke Bowl and more.
Cactus Club Cafe.
Cactus Club Cafe has crafted a Cactus Love cocktail made with Smirnoff Vodka, with $1 from every drink donated to Vancouver Pride Festival Society.
Over at Hyatt Regency Vancouver, there’s a Rainbow Cake & Cocktail Package. “In making the rainbow cake, we referenced the color grading from Harvey Milk's rainbow flag,” executive chef Daniel Chiang, says in a release. Two cocktails from the hotel’s summer menu form part of the deal. Two dollars from every sale will be donated to the Vancouver Pride Society.
Havana Vancouver.
At Havana Vancouver, Pride is a Protest Gin Sour is a liquid representation of the movement’s origins, in 1969, with Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village.
Floral, citrusy, and earthy, the cocktail contains Empress Elderflower Rose gin, Fleur de Sureau Sauvage, guava and soursop, rose water, lemon, egg white, and rainbow crystal bruleéd sprinkles. Proceeds will support of the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Three dollars from every Pride is a Protest cocktail will be donated to QMUNITY.
Tall Shadow Bakery.
East Van’s Tall Shadow Bakery has launched a Pride Menu featuring four new rainbow-inspired treats, available individually or as a boxset. A portion of sales from will be donated to Rainbow Refugee, which supports people seeking refugee protection because of persecution based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or HIV status.
The menu includes a Mini Cheesecake with a funfetti cookie base and decorations plus fresh fruit; Bostock, a slice of milk bread topped with almond cream, icing sugar, and funfetti (think of it as a cross between French toast and almond croissant); Breakfast Cookie: Fruitloop Edition (‘nuff said); and Funfetti Cookie Sandwiches filled with vanilla cream.
“Proudly inauthentic” Mexi-Cali hotspot Gringo Davie Street is marking its first anniversary and Vancouver Pride with with special features. With Flight of the Divas—a serving of Rumiah Carey, Ginet Jackson, Tequila Turner and Bourbra Streisand—$2 will be donated to QMUNITY, which supports queer, trans and Two-Spirit people and their allies. Then there’s Pocket Full of Sunshine cocktail, with tequila, blue raspberry, coconut syrup, and lime juice, topped with Jarritos pineapple soda. Twice a day, Buy The Bill sombrero draws happen, with Gringo taking care of the entire bill for one lucky table. All throughout Pride weekend, Gringo will also be handing out cinnamon sugar churros and a of Jarritos flavoured sodas. Gringo’s Gastown (27 Blood Alley Square) and West End (1074 Davie) are both are open for walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis Sundays through Thursdays from noon to 1 a.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 a.m.
Earnest Ice Cream has created the "Got Pride?" sammie to celebrate. Made with a sense of nostalgia, folding in flavours inspired by tangy hard candies from the 1990s and 2000s. The cool treat is flavoured of blue raspberry lemonade layered within the colours of the trans flag in a vanilla cake sandwich. There’s a limit of two sammies per person, with proceeds going to QMUNITY.
Over at Whole Foods Market on Robson Street, Vendor Discovery bags contain treats from the likes of Chiwis, Mindful Oat, Roar Organic, Enercheez, WakeWater, Four O’clock Tea, The Good Crisp Company, and more are available for pick up on August 6. They’re valued at $50 and are going for $15, with full proceeds supporting the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation programs and services at the Dr. Peter Centre. The centre manages a day health program, a 24-hour licensed care residence with specialized nursing care, and an enhanced supportive housing program.
Pride Pit Stop at BC Place is a first. On August 6, it’s hosting a beer garden at Gate E on the outer concourse. From 11 am to 7 pm, there will be food trucks, drink service, plus live music featuring DJ O Show, a proud member of the Squamish Nation and recipient of the 2018 Stand Out Award from the Vancouver Pride Society, and DJ Diz.
Moxie’s.
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