Edmonton will be beaming with rainbow colours from June 11th to 20th as they celebrate thirty years of Pride festivities with Edmonton 2010: A Pride Odyssey. Each year’s attendance has been building - 2009’s festivities were their biggest yet, at an estimated 22,000 attendees and 26 events throughout the week.
Back in 1980, about 75 brave individuals initiated what became today’s Edmonton Pride, celebrating simply with a baseball game and a campfire. In modern times, festivities have included rallies and fairs, poetry reading, art shows, picnics, croquet tournaments, baseball games, a film festival, and of course the Parade and the Celebration on the Square. Today this repertoire has expanded festivities, as many organizations have developed traditional Pride celebrations of their own.
The Edmonton Pride Week Society (EPWS) has organized Edmonton Pride since its inception in 1999. Their mission of celebrating and bringing together the LGBT community, their family, friends, coworkers, supporters, and the business community at large has definitely shown in their preparation for this year’s Pride Festival. The events this year are numerous and sponsorship support is amazing.
Kicking off the festivities on Friday, June 11th is the Big Queer Dance-A-Thon at Prism. This is a fundraiser for the Pride Centre of Edmonton, and promises to be a riot with awards for best costume, dance moves, and the last one dancing. All of the details for this event and other official Pride events are available on the Edmonton Pride website.
That night also has events ranging from the HIV Edmonton sponsored Jeffery Straker concert at the Kasbar Lounge, to the Official Pre-Event Party at Flash for Pure Pride 2010.
The Pride Parade will commence on June 12, beginning at 1pm. The Parade route begins on Jasper Avenue and 108th Street, travelling east on Jasper Avenue, than left onto 99thStreet towards its final destination at Churchill Square. It is free to attend, and make sure you grab a seat early along the route as it is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
The TD Celebration on the Square at Churchill Square begins once the Parade ends. There will be many vendors, and fabulous acts including The Boyfriends, The Diva’s, The Be Arthur’s, The Wet Secrets, and DJ Jazzy Geoff. There will be special guest appearances from Steven Daigle from Big Brother, and adult film star Johnny Hazzard. Rounding out the evening is PURE Pride: Men’s Night Out at PURE, and Diamonds and Denim at Flash.
As a chance to recover from all of the events the day before, Sunday offers some quieter choices. There will be a Pride Church Service at MacDougall United Church, the 5th Annual Mayor’s Pride Brunch at Chateau Lacombe Crowne Plaza, and The Pride Centre of Edmonton Brunch. Later on there will be the Edmonton Pride Awards at The Art Gallery of Alberta, honoring those well deserved parade participants for their extra effort in ensuring the parade maintains its excellent standard. The Best Float will win $200, Best Vehicle wins $100, and the best walking entry is $50.
The rest of the week provides numerous events that are sure to please everyone. Perhaps most intriguing is the Queer History Bus Tour. This event, hosted by the exuberant and outspoken Michael Phair and Darrin Hagen gives the public a peek at hidden queer history tidbits.
Rounding out the week’s festivities is Pride’s official Dance, 2010: A Pride Odyssey at Play Nightclub. Keeping the floor hopping are DJ Pierre Fitch of Montreal, DJ Riot of Vancouver, DJ D3Viant, and TIanna J. Level 2 Lounge will offer the sounds of Calgary’s Niki.B.Nottie, and Fat Franks will be on location to keep the crowd fed.
After thirty years, the momentum and growth of Edmonton Pride is substantial. Show your Pride and enjoy everything Edmonton has to offer.