This August long weekend, pack together your camping equipment and head to the Watipi Lodge, near Blackfalds, AB, for the “largest and fastest growing gay campout in the west”. This three day event will keep you coming back every year for more! The Campout begins on Friday, August 1st and runs until Monday, August 4th, so mark your calendars.
One of WCPC’s hosts, Leon Thompson, states that the basic mandate of this event is “to provide you with the best gay campout possible, and to reward you for your courage in walking the journey that you have all chosen to take.” WCPC is open to all who are gay or gay friendly, and any straight family or friends that support them.
Traditionally, the WCPC utilizes a theme to frame its weekend, and this year it is “Freedom”. Undoubtably you will have many opportunities to express this freedom through an array of hilarious competitions, dances, and a few other surprises.
In fact, one of the many highlights from past campouts have been the outlandish competitions. Attendees are broken down into tribes consisting of 6 to 8 participants - sometimes composed of friends, or soon-to-be friends. After choosing a name for your tribe (with face paint provided) each team will dress the part. There is no need for extreme physical strength or even aptitude in sports - in fact “your best tools will be a good sense of fair play and the ability to laugh at your friends.” Each event winner is awarded points, and the winning team is the one with the most points at the end. It pays to make your best effort to win, as prizes consist of $300 for best decorated campsite, $200 for best team costume, and $100 for most outlandish costume!
Having fun is a requirement; anyone found not having fun will be arrested. Even the slightest hint of a pout will be found by the Social Police. Not to worry, your punishment is only to wear an incredibly tacky jail shirt, and to be carted off to a ‘rowdy’ campsite. While imprisoned, you will endure countless friendly people offering you their beer. Furthermore, you will be subjected to bad jokes and endless tales of WCPC’s past. The only way to escape is to make the jailors your friends…but that doesn’t sound like too much of a challenge!
WCPC host, Sparky, promises to keep the traditions of past events alive while still amazing you with some great surprises. Not giving too much away, Sparky ensures us that there will be “dances, sports, entertainment, a beef or salmon barbeque, twoonie brunches, awards, love for some of you, romance for others, and whole lot of Fun! Fun! Fun!”
For Leon, the freedom to be oneself is most important during this weekend. He believes that for many in the community, the mantra “we’re here we’re queer, we’re over it” sums it up. In other words, despite the fact that we’re gay, we also have our own unique personalities, and attendees should not fear just being themselves at this event. For him, a major success story was when a guest commented on how welcomed and cared for she felt at this event – and the word “gay” or “lesbian” never even came up.
The only rule for the Western Canadian Pride Campout is to “leave your week behind”, and we could all use a bit of that.
Tickets for the WCPC are available at www.wcpc.ca. If you pay online via Paypal, remember to bring your receipt. This is a pet-friendly event, but make sure you keep them on a leash and are prepared to clean up after them.

Western Canadian Pride Campout
1-877-429-9272
www.wcpc.ca
Tickets: Early-Bird - $100, Gate - $120