#FIRSTLOOK: THE 2026 PINK AWARDS

Pink Triangle Press (PTP), one of the world’s longest-running 2SLGBTQIA+ media organizations, today announced that Internationally acclaimed and trailblazing actress, activist, and cultural commentator, Peppermint will host the 2026 Pink Awards alongside award-winning comedian and Heated Rivalry actor Brandon Ash-Mohammed. iHeartRadio Canada entertainment correspondent Shannon Burns will return to host the Pink Carpet. Following the event, and for the first time, the Pink Carpet and 2026 Pink Awards will stream on Crave’s YouTube channel.

Returning for its third year, the Pink Awards will take place on November 5, 2026, at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York. Guided by this year’s theme of Queer Joy, with a focus on courage, the annual awards celebrate Queer Excellence by recognizing the contributions of 2SLGBTQIA+ leaders, creatives, advocates and allies. Throughout the evening, award recipients and champions pay it forward by supporting frontline charities serving the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, with participating organizations also taking part in the celebration and receiving a financial donation.

“It’s an honour to join the Pink Awards in celebrating the incredible people shaping Two-Spirit, Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ communities across Canada,” said Peppermint, co-host of the 2026 Pink Awards. “Now is the perfect moment to remind ourselves that our community’s diversity is our strength and that the queer community comprises people of all races, ethnicities, nationalities, genders, sexualities and abilities. I’m grateful to be part of an evening that uplifts both the community and the people working every day to make our communities stronger and more visible than ever.”

The 2026 Pink Awards will also mark a significant milestone as the event expands beyond the ballroom for the first time by streaming on Crave’s YouTube channel. The event recording will make Canada’s premier celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ excellence available to audiences across the country and around the world on the Crave’s official YouTube channel one week following the event.

Over its first two years, the Pink Awards have welcomed internationally acclaimed talent including Emmy Award-nominated actor, writer, and producer Elliot Page, Grammy- and Oscar-nominated musician Sam Smith, Canada’s Drag Race winner Priyanka, Olympic gold medallist Marie-Philip Poulin, acclaimed musician Rufus Wainwright actors Emily Hampshire and Devery Jacobs, writer Harper Steele, and icon Carole Pope, trailblazing philanthropist Salah Bachir and celebrated musician Beverly Glenn-Copeland. The event has also supported leading 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations including Friends of Ruby, CANFAR (Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research), The 519, Native Youth Sexual Health Network, pflag Canada and 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations, among others.

“Each year, the Pink Awards continue to grow in impact,” said David Walberg, Executive Director and CEO of Pink Triangle Press. “As we enter our third year, we welcome this opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our icons and acknowledge the courage and resilience of charities doing so much good in our communities. Thanks to Peppermint and Brandon Ash-Mohammed who will share their gifts leading this incredible evening.”

Since launching in 2024, the Pink Awards have quickly established themselves as one of Canada’s premier celebrations of 2SLGBTQIA+ excellence, bringing together influential voices from entertainment, sports, media, advocacy and business to celebrate individuals advancing equality and inclusion.

The 2026 Pink Awards are presented with the support of DECIEM – The Abnormal Beauty Company returns for its third consecutive year as Presenting Sponsor, while BMO, also returning for a third year, joins Fairmont Royal York as Awards Sponsors. Shaftesbury Inc. is the Entertainment Sponsor, Destination Ontario is a Proud Partner, and The Globe and Mail, Crave and iHeartRadio Canada join as media partners. Additional sponsors and partners will be announced in the coming months.

Tickets and tables for the 2026 Pink Awards are now on sale. For information on ticket and table sales, sponsorship opportunities, or ways to get involved, please visit pinkawards.ca.