Public Disco's annual Pride celebration takes over an industrial Mount Pleasant laneway and adjacent parking lots for an open air celebration of queer dance music. This 19+ event features international artists Shaun J. Wright from Chicago and Sappho from Portland alongside local favourites Sam Steele, Adam 2 and Grooveheart.
Canada Pride 2024
This event is part of Vancouver Pride Society's Canada Pride 2024 programming, featuring your favourite Vancouver Pride events like VanPrideFest and the Vancouver Pride Parade, along with a brand new Queer Rights Summit and exciting additions to the festival such as the Public Disco Pride Block Party.
ARTIST INFORMATION
Gogo's curated by Gago 007 featuring members of Vancouver Kiki Ballroom Scene alongside music by Shaun J. Wright (CHI), Sappho (PDX), Sam Steele, Adam 2 and DJ Grooveheart. Plus a massive new mural painted on site by two local queer artists. Learn more about each artist and listen to music by them below.
Shaun J. Wright (Chicago) - Soundcloud
2024 Headliner Shaun J. Wright
Born and raised in west suburban Chicagoland, Shaun J. Wright spent most of their teen years immersed in the sounds of house music. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, house music was a powerful force, permeating the mainstream airwaves of Chicago’s most prominent radio stations. With Wright being raised in the epicenter of house culture during this era, their love for dance music began to expand throughout their high school years as they partook in the underground dance scene now globally known as Juke.
While in undergrad at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Wright developed their skills as a dancer in the vogue ballroom scene and professional dance companies. After acquiring an MA Fashion Curation from the London College of Fashion, Wright enjoyed an active career in fashion in New York City. That is where they met Andrew Butler, founder of Hercules and Love Affair, in 2008, and began a whirlwind collaboration with the ensemble as a vocalist. They spent nearly three years touring with the outfit, performing in major venues & festivals throughout North & South America and Europe. They’re also featured prominently on the ensemble’s lauded sophomore album, “Blue Songs’.
Sappho (Portland) - Soundloud
Sappho is a DJ, musical artist, event producer and co-owner of Koritsi Komma Records based out of Portland, Oregon. Currently, they are a resident DJ at Underground SF in San Francisco, Bottom Forty based on the West Coast, and the following nightclubs and party series in Portland, OR: No Request, NoFOMO, Opal Underground, and The Eagle PDX. In addition to their work in nightlife, they are a DJ for the Rose City Roller Derby.
A prominent figure in the music scene in Portland, Sappho is a highly respected DJ and producer known for their eclectic and diverse musical style. Sappho has made significant contributions to the LGBTQ+ community through their music and activism. Their work in and outside of nightlife highlight their commitment queer rights, gender equality, and mental health. Their unique musical style and dedication to promoting inclusivity have made them a beloved figure within the LGBTQ+ community and the Portland dance music scene. They return the love of their community by continuing to work to create safe and creative spaces for dancefloor magic and freedom of expression.
Sam Steele - Soundcloud
Adam 2 - Soundcloud
DJ Grooveheart - Soundcloud
Curated by Nancy Dru
Public Disco’s 2023 Pride Special
VPS Community Bursary Program ☀︎
$2 from every ticket will go towards the Vancouver Pride Society Bursary Program. The program strives to support and uplift Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour communities by redistributing funds to local equity-deserving organizations, projects, or local initiatives.
Origins of Dance Music ☀︎
Public Disco events pay homage to the rich and diverse history of dance music, rooted in the pioneering efforts of Black, Queer, and Trans communities in Chicago and New York. Locally, it flourished within alternative art spaces and iconic gay clubs such as Graceland, Gandydancer, Faces, and the Odyssey. Throughout its evolution, dance music culture has been a beacon of acceptance and diversity, with trailblazers like Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan leading the way. This event celebrates the resilience of Black, Queer, and Trans communities, honouring their commitments to dance music culture, and their ongoing work to bring people together through music.
2024 Public Disco Pride Block Party Site
✿ EVENT DETAILS ✿
Music curated by @djnancydru
Dress to express
2 food trucks on site (Vegan options available)
Shade & seating available
Good Night Out harm reduction on site
Fully licensed event with a pop-up bar
Non alcoholic beverages available
No outside alcohol allowed, bag checks on entry
Ticketed & 19+
ACCESSIBILITY INFO
Located on flat concrete & asphalt, no stairs on site.
Wheelchair accessible washroom available
Lower stimulation zones with less or no music
Picnic tables for seating
Ample street parking available
Email nick@publicdisco.ca for accommodation requests or additional questions.
SUPPORTED BY
2 Hoots Hard Iced Tea
PCI Developments
Vancouver Pride Society
Creative BC
The Province of BC
604 Now
iOTA Non-Alcoholic Craft Beer
Wautier Sound
Dillon's Small Bach Distillers
White Claw
Bearface Whisky
Granville Island Brewing
Eddie's Hang-Up Display Ltd.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
At Public Disco Society, we recognize that our events and gatherings primarily take place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. Additionally, we acknowledge that we are sometimes contracted to host events on Indigenous lands outside of these territories. We honor and respect the Indigenous peoples who have stewarded these lands for generations and continue to do so today.
We acknowledge that the land on which we operate, celebrate, and build community is stolen land. Our events and parties are held in public spaces that have been home to Indigenous Nations long before the arrival of settlers. As team members, it is our responsibility to tread softly on the land and respect it, always leaving the spaces we occupy better than how we found them. We encourage all members of our community to take this acknowledgment to heart, reflect on its significance, and actively engage in respectful and meaningful actions that support Indigenous sovereignty and rights.