While Vancouver's main Pride parade will be held on Sunday (August 4), there are several other marches around town to take note of.

What's more, the following two marches take place in East Vancouver, which help to highlight not only various LGBT communities but those that exist outside the West End.

Trans, gender-variant, and genderqueer people will participate in the Trans and Genderqueer March, a political protest and celebration of gender diversity on Friday (August 2).

What they will be protesting is: harassment, violence, denial of express protections against discrimination, employment, housing and educational insecurity, and a prison system that places trans people in solitary confinement.

However, they won't lose sight of the gains and triumphs of the community, and will celebrate the lives, struggles, of strengths of numerous individuals.

The march will assemble at 5:30 p.m. at Clark Park (East 14^th Avenue and Commercial Drive) and set off north on Commercial Drive at 6 p.m.

After the march, an all-ages cabaret and dance party will be held at Gallery Gachet (88 East Cordova Street). Proceeds will benefit PACE, a sex-worker advocacy and support organization.

Then on Saturday (August 3), the Vancouver Dyke March will take to the streets to honour the Dyke Decade—the march is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

It'll start at noon at McSpadden Park and head to Grandview Park where the Dyke Festival will take place. The first-ever grand marshal will be former Vancouver city councillor Ellen Woodsworth.

It'll be emceed by comedian Morgan Brayton.

The entertainment lineup includes:

• soul, Motown, and funk band Queer as Funk

• recording artist Melissa Endean

• DJ Kasha Kennedy

• drag king troupe Fake Moustache

• North Vancouver musician Eirene Cloma

• theatre group Leaping Thespians

For more information, visit the Vancouver Dyke March website.

Whether you're participating in these marches or the official Pride parade, we wish you all a happy Pride weekend!