Many Calgarians consider Apollo Western Cup and ARGRA to be the two “biggest” events that occur in our city, however, next year Canada will play host to an event that’s probably the biggest and gayest in world history! The Outgames are the gay equivalent of the Olympics – a monumental sporting competition that involves participants from across the entire globe. Canada will be hosting the first ever World Outgames in the city of Montréal from July 26th to August 5th, 2006.

The Outgames will include many of the sports covered in both the Summer and Winter Olympics, however many other additions help to give the competition a gay flavor. Aerobics, Dragon Boat, Physique, and Water-Polo are only a few of the sports unique to the Outgames.

GayCalgary.com was the only representative from Western Canada, among only 40 delegates from around the world, to attend the Montreal Outgames press conference. Our tickets, accommodations, and food were all paid for, and our stay was an experience we won’t soon forget.

At the “Breakfast with the Mayor” conference, we hung out with former Calgarian Mark Tewksbury. The Mayor of Montréal delivered a speech to the gay media on the city’s sentiment toward the gay community, and upcoming games. To paraphrase his words: “In Montréal, we do not just ‘tolerate’ the gay community – we celebrate it!”

On the last day of our stay, they blocked traffic along the entire gay stroll on St. Catherine Street to do sporting demonstrations. They filled an entire park with sand for the Beach Volleyball, and set up a large plastic-polymer surface on a stage to demonstrate the Figure Skating. As we walked along, we saw demonstrations for the Aerobics, Line Dancing, Wrestling, and Chorus!

As Calgarians, this is a rare chance for us to participate and attend an event of this magnitude. Montréal is reasonably within reach of us, as compared to the next Outgames slated to be held in Copenhagen in 2009. GayCalgary.com would like to sincerely thank the Outgames Commission for involving us in the making of this landmark event – it will not only help to unite the GLBT community from around the globe, but will also be symbolic to the entire world that we’re no longer just an invisible minority.

1st World Outgames
Rendez-Vous Montréal 2006
www.montreal2006.org