The organizing of the picnic grew from the gay liberation movement that was rapidly developing in Canada during the early 1970s.
Around 300 people followed the poster’s directions to what was billed as “Toronto’s first gay picnic”-the first of a series of events held throughout the 1970s that served as precursors to the current annual Pride celebration, established in 1981. It was a simple poster, one that asked people to bring food, drink, and music to Hanlan’s Point on August 1, 1971.
