Montreal hosts annual Pride Parade

Tens of thousands of spectators witnessed the 2011 edition of Montreal's Pride Parade Sunday afternoon in the city's downtown.

The parade featured about 2,500 participants as it travelled two kilometres along René-Lévesque Boulevard from Guy Street to Sanguinet Street.

Several prominent politicians made appearances at the event, showing their support for the LGBT community.

Those included Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay, acting NDP leader Nycole Turmel, and Liberal Party of Canada interim leader Bob Rae.

No members of the governing Conservatives made official appearances.

The theme for the 19th annual Pride Parade was a futuristic one, entitled Odyssey 3011.

A family-friendly affair

In recent years the parade has expanded to a week-long festival called Célébrations de la Fiereté Montréal, one of two major LGBT festivals held in the city each year.

This year, organizers made efforts to change the festival's image by making it more family-friendly.

"The reason was to include the community, the show the world that gay is more than sex, drugs and parties. We're all about families," said festival organizer Jean-Sébastien Boudreault.

For the first time in its history, the festival held a kids day in the park bordering the gay village, and banned nudity during its events.