Pride Checklist: 11 Things to Bring to Toronto Pride

When I first went to Toronto Pride, I had no idea what to bring. So if you are thinking of going to Pride and need a checklist on what to pack, here are 11 things to bring to Toronto pride!

1. Outfits

I still have people ask me what they should wear for Pride and I always tell them… there’s no dress code. Wear whatever you want! Pride is all about celebrating our individualities and what’s amazing about Toronto is that we are people of diversity, and this comes across with everyone’s personal style. In terms of material, cotton is great since it allows your body to breathe better, but if there’s a chance you might get wet during pride (hehe) then you may want to consider a synthetic fabric that dries up fast!

2. Bandanas

Ever since last summer, I noticed more and more gays were adding bandanas to their summer OOTD’s! Also, I saw Antoni wearing them on an episode of Queer Eye, so I feel like I need to wear them all the time. Mean Girls reference anyone? Either way, you can wear bandanas in all sorts of ways, and depending on the colour/pattern, they can really make your outfit on point.


3. More Accessories

Wear whatever you’re proud to wear! I know that’s vague, but if you’re really into leather straps or harnesses, be proud to wear it. If you’re really into rainbows, be proud to wear rainbows from head to toe! Accessories are a great way to express who you are, so take the day to add little touches to your outfits and stand out of the norm and express yourself with pride!

4. Protection 😉

It’s usually hot and sunny in Toronto during the summer months, so make sure you protect your skin by wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. You’ll be spending a lot of time outside during pride so take care of your skin y’all! I’m all about protection and believe this is something you need to bring to Toronto Pride.

5. Glitter or Rainbow Body Paint

From sprinkling glitter all over you to painting your body or face with rainbows, you can use these two essential items to really make your OOTD really stand out! When in doubt, just add glitter! These are some of the best things to bring to Toronto Pride.

6. Comfortable Pair of Shoes

With the all parades, dancing and walking around, a comfortable pair of shoes are ESSENTIAL. Most comfortable shoes might not look pretty or fierce, so I recommend getting into the DIY spirit and adding rainbow colours or glitter to glam them up. I usually wear my Adidas white sneakers that have rainbow paint splattered all over the sides.

7. Rainbow Canada Pride Flag

The Canada Pride Flag is my favourite items to bring to any Canadian Pride! The best thing to have in your hand at Toronto pride is the rainbow flag, the Canadian flag, or the Rainbow Canadian Flag! This is my top pick for things to bring to Toronto Pride!

gay pride justin trudeau
Photo: Mark Blinch (Reuters)

8. Extra Socks

Carry an extra pair of socks in case it rains and your feet get wet, or it’s so hot that you get super sweaty. Carry an extra pair of socks will prevent bad odours and skin infections like athlete’s foot. Your friends or someone you meet on that day will thank me later.

9. Sunglasses

Like I said above, it’s usually sunny in Toronto and so it’s important to protect your eyes and give them the shade they need (the good shade that is)! Also, sunglasses are great for staring at cute boys without them noticing.

Things to Bring to Toronto Pride

10. Fanny Pack or some sort of bag

You’ll want some sort of bag to carry all your essential pride things as well as for all the free swag you get! Instead of carrying a bag on my back all day, I prefer to strap on a cute fanny pack around my waist that has enough room to fit my sunscreen, lip gloss and all my other pride accessories.

11. Popsocket or iRing for the back of your phone

The worst thing that could happen is that you’re talking selfies at Pride with friends and your phone slips out of your hands and onto the cement.

I always have a popsocket or iRing on the back of my phone to have a better grip for photos or texting in case someone bumps into me.

I just picked up a pride/rainbow iRing at my nearest Telus store for Pride season! For every iRing purchased, $5 will be donated to LGBTQ+ charities across Canada! If every one of my Canadian followers bought one, we could raise up to $20,000 this Pride season🏳️‍🌈Like Beyonce said… put an iRing on it! 😉

Telus Share Love iRing Pride

What do you bring to pride? Any essentials I’m missing?

HAPPY PRIDE Y’ALL!

Related Post: Win A Trip To Montreal Pride

(Sidenote: Telus is one of my sponsors for Toronto Pride content and has been sponsoring me and my content for over a year now! Telus has always been my cell phone provider since I was a teenager and will continue to support what they do for our LGBTQ community in Canada.)

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Out With Ryan
Out With Ryan

Ryan Thomas Woods is the voice behind Out With Ryan. He’s an LGBTQ+ Activist & Travel writer for this website and many other publications. He was recently voted 2018’s Travel Influencer of Year in Canada and dedicated the award to all LGBTQ+ travelers making the world a better & safer space for our community, as he strives to do on his website & social platforms.

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2 Comments

  1. July 7, 2018 / 6:43 pm

    Good tips, nothing like showing up to an all day event unprepared

    • July 24, 2018 / 8:12 pm

      Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the tips! It’s always best to be prepared then unprepared 😉