I made it to my first Pridefest in Galt Gardens, Saturday, June 25, mostly to see Shaela Miller perform.
But there was much more happening including the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
The park with packed with people emitting love and peaceful vibes. There was plenty of colours food trucks, excruciatingly loud dance music being blasted at full volume, a beer gardens, booths and plenty of drag performers.
Those are always a lot of fun. Justin Time, was an affable host and pulled off a credible Joan Jett lip sync, on top of several other performers lip synching to a variety popular hits, past and present.
The highlight was Spandy Andy, aptly dressed in spandex and promising to get inside a giant balloon, which I don’t think anybody believed would happen.
So after cracking up the crowd, dancing and doing the worm on the ground, the Trochu based comedian blew up a gigantic blue balloon with an air pump, joking with the audience as he stepped inside the now inflated balloon, one leg at time, eventually jumping inside it and leaping around before poking his head out of the opening and climbing out of it.
I think everyone was afraid he would suffocate in it, but he emerged beaming and unscathed.
Shaela Miller and her band played a set of fan favourites including songs from her latest CD “Big Hair, Small City,” including the title track and “700,” a couple of Skinny Dyck’s songs and dug back into her catalogue for older favourites like “Vicious Bitches.”
She showed off a new suit designed by Arianna Richardson and , as always, was a crowd pleaser.
— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
