Thousands march in Winnipeg’s Pride parade

WINNIPEG — Surrounded by thousands of rainbow-clad strangers, Mira Kopiova and Jamie Komarniski celebrated their historic wedding — the first of its kind to kickoff the Pride Winnipeg Festival — over the weekend.

The pair tied the knot in a surprise ceremony on The Forks main stage on Saturday.

Less than 24 hours later, the newlyweds led the 39th annual parade in celebration of Manitoba’s LGBTTQ+ community.

“We hope we’re going to inspire people — more gay, lesbian and different-identity couples,” Kopiova said as she and her wife fulfilled their grand marshal duties on Sunday.

The 27-year-old described the weekend’s events as “therapy,” and a stark reminder of the ongoing human rights violations in her home country.

Ukraine does not legally recognize same-sex marriage, although its Supreme Court recently upheld a landmark lower court decision that recognized a gay couple as a de facto family.

Kopiova fled Ukraine — where she said she was hospitalized when she told her parents she liked girls and, after she was released, thought she’d have to live the rest of her life in the closet — in 2023.

“In Canada, I finally understand I have nothing to lose. It’s actually very important for me to slay, shine, be part of community,” she said.

Kopiova and Komarniski were met with cheers and congratulatory remarks at a pre-parade rally in front of the Manitoba Legislative Building.

The morning event drew more than 10 times the number of people who participated in the inaugural gathering on the grounds.

“We’ve come a long way,” Jim Kane told the crowd as he reflected on how much has changed since he and 249 others marched in 1987.

“It’s gone from a Pride Day to a Pride Week to a Pride Month.”

This year, the legislature is officially recognizing June as a month dedicated to celebrating LGBTTQ+ history, dignity, equality and visibility.

The Pride Month Act, introduced by NDP MLA Tyler Blashko, received royal assent in the fall.

History was also made this weekend when a painter was hired to create two pride-themed crosswalks in front of the steps at 450 Broadway.

Manitobans in drag, multi-coloured capes and rainbow socks gathered around the symbolic walkways for speeches on Sunday.

One year after the Progressive Conservative leader faced criticism for missing the event, Obby Khan showed up to the rally with his son in tow.

“The decision this year was a simple one — to come, to be part of the community, to celebrate the community and all Manitobans,” Khan told the Winnipeg Free Press.

The PC leader recalled there was “a misunderstanding” last year; at the time, Khan said he had a prior commitment and hadn’t received a formal invite.

“We made a choice to be here super enthusiastically and he made a choice to be here in a white t-shirt,” said Blashko, who was flanked by government caucus colleagues wearing orange shirts with the Progress Pride flag emblazoned on them.

Asked about his outfit choice, including a plain white shirt, dark shorts and blue sneakers, Khan said he was wearing colours “represented in the rainbow.”

There were more than 130 groups, including local businesses, advocacy organizations and faith groups, represented in the 2026 parade.

Mobile DJ sets and marching band floats could be heard as colourful floats travelled down Memorial Boulevard, Portage Avenue, Main Street and William Stephenson Way.

Members of the Winnipeg Roller Derby League skated down the thoroughfares in colourful helmets.

Pride Winnipeg named Phoenix Harper, a two-spirit student at the University of Winnipeg who is originally from Red Sucker Lake First Nation, as its youth marshal this year.

Bahaghari Pride Manitoba, a community-led organization with a mandate to uplift and celebrate Filipino and Asian-Canadian voices, was the community group marshal.

Unbeknownst to the newlywed parade marshals, Kormarniski’s colleagues were trailing behind them — dressed in veils and wedding gown-white — with a “Just Married”-themed float.

Academy Hospitality, a local restaurant and catering company, rented a 1979 Rolls Royce to celebrate its kitchen manager’s nuptials.

The vintage car was decked out with bows, tulle and empty tomato cans strung behind it to clatter and clang en route to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Jamie and Mira’s names, as well as their anniversary, were written across the back window in white marker.

Kopiova and Kormarniski, a 38-year-old Winnipegger, met in 2024 when they were both working as cooks at Hargrave Street Market.

Both women have had to repeatedly “break the glass ceiling over our heads,” Kopiova said, adding that her wife has faced no shortage of challenges as a trans woman navigating the workforce.

The newlyweds were married by Rae Gunn, vice-president of advocacy and impact at Pride Winnipeg.

Kormarniski said she hopes the symbolic ceremony marks the start of a new trend during the annual festival.

» Winnipeg Free Press

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca