2026 EVENT SAFETY

MARCH & FESTIVAL SAFETY INFORMATION

Heat Safety

Because our festival is in the hottest month of the year, be sure to be attentive about heat-related safety. As our summers get hotter, we would like to encourage attendees to bring their own reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and other heat protection. Those joining our march should be prepared to march in the heat for upwards of 30 minutes in a large crowd. 

Our first aid volunteers can treat heat emergencies. More information about water access, shade, and cooling space at our festival can be found in the Accessibility webpage. 

Volunteers & Safety Marshals

Volunteers and Safety Marshals will be present at McSpadden Park before the march, will be scattered along the march route, and present at the festival as well. Traffic Marshals will be conducting traffic and marshaling march safety. Attendees can approach volunteers in high-visibility vests for help with safety concerns, incidents, and active listening. 

VPD/Police Presence

The Vancouver Dyke March does not invite the police to our march and festival. However, attendees should be aware that the VPD always sends traffic control officers in uniform to Commercial Drive during the march. We actively discourage police from attending our event and engaging with our community. VDM will have a designated police liaison to minimize police interactions with attendees and other volunteers. 

COVID-19 & Other Respiratory Diseases

COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases continue to be a huge safety concern for disabled and immunocompromised members of our community. Our 2024 event is approaching in a season when COVID-19 infection rates are particularly high. All attendees are encouraged to wear a mask at our event. If you feel ill, have symptoms, or have been in close contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19, please stay home. More information about masking and mask-mandatory areas of our march & festival can be found in the Accessibility page.

Counter-Protestors & Agitators

On occasion, our event encounters organized or individual counter-protestors and agitators. In the past, this has included TERFs/SWERFs, homophobic preachers, and right-wing independent media reporters. We encourage attendees to inform volunteers first when these folks are spotted. The Vancouver Dyke March has trained volunteers and safety marshals to de-escalate counter-protest situations and bigots. Please do not engage in any situations alone. 

First Aid

First-Aid certified volunteers will be carrying a first aid kit through our march. We will have a volunteer-run First Aid tent at Grandview Park during the festival. This red tent will be located on the left side of the grass field when facing the stage and across the pathway from the VDM tent. 

Harm Reduction

The VDM tent will have a small supply of naloxone kits and various harm reduction supplies for anyone who needs them. 

Hate Symbols & Graffiti

Hate speech, symbols & graffiti are not tolerated at our event. VDM volunteers and supporters go through our parks and march route to remove hate symbols ahead of our event. Attendees are encouraged to remove or inform a volunteer if they see any homophobic, transphobic, sex-worker-phobic, racist, anti-Indigenous or otherwise harmful symbols and messages during our event. 

Incident Response

For any other incidents at our event, please inform a volunteer in a high visibility vest and walkie-talkie or come to the blue VDM tent to inform an organizer at the festival. 

Buddy System

We encourage everyone attending and leaving the event to do so with a buddy. If you are leaving the event and need someone to walk you to a car or bus stop, please ask any volunteer in a high visibility vest.