’Tis the season once again; Edmonton Pride is less than a month away. Angela Bennett, executive director of the Edmonton Pride Festival, took the time to speak with us about the challenges and intricacies of marshalling such a massive and occasionally (from an organizational perspective) unwieldy event. Her comments give some excellent background into what it takes to ensure Pride is representative, significant and – above all – fun and fulfilling for its participants. Bennett, now in her sixth year as executive director, speaks with an indefatigable enthusiasm as she describes just what is involved in putting on this kind of show.

Gay Calgary: For someone who has been in attendance at previous Edmonton Pride festivals, what might they notice in 2016 that is new or different?

Angela Bennett: We’re going to be at the same location on Whyte Avenue. As to what we have implemented new this year – from an outsider’s view you might not notice – but as one of the participants, specifically in the parade, we have made quite a few changes with respect to how the parade is going to be staged, as well the expectations of the parade entrants. There’s a mandatory volunteering aspect to being part of the parade now; there is also team lead orientation... We have far more space for staging, and [we have] implemented a lot of tighter guidelines and tighter rules around the parade itself, just because it is getting so big; it’s becoming hard to manage without implementing those things. Last year... we were in a new location, we had some late entries, we had not enough space to stage the parade. The general onlooker might not notice, but behind the scenes there were some struggles and challenges that we had faced.

GC: We understand that you have also been taking some steps to ensure that attending the parade is a safe and fun experience.

AB: As wonderful as it is to have lots of people come and watch, it’s also a challenge on the other end to make sure we can properly manage the people along the parade route – to ensure the safety of the spectators – so that is why this year we have asked specifically for each parade entrant to provide us with one volunteer, because the other side of that coin is that we pay approximately $122 per hour for each EPS officer along that parade route. [So if we] want to see 25 or 27 police officers on the parade route, times three hours... So it is looking for some help from the community and the organizations that are a part of it, and want to support it... Because of the change there is some hesitation, and some organizations who are not as in favour of the mandatory volunteering aspect of it, but there needs to be greater understanding of the challenges that we’re facing. We understand that it isn’t convenient for every single group but, on the other side, it is hard for us to keep the parade fees very low – keep the event accessible – so that we are still trying to represent the LGBT community properly; so we’re trying to balance all those things.

GC: Any changes in 2016 on the volunteering front?

AB: We are really looking at beefing up our volunteer program overall. Everything from better training and better understanding of what the expectations are for volunteers, to a greater appreciation and [finding ways to] work with our sponsors to find ways to say thank you that are cost-effective – let’s say.

GC: There are those who don’t feel that, let’s say, ‘mainstream’ Pride events represent them well, or at all. For instance, in Calgary, we have the Calgary Dyke and Trans March alongside the main Pride events, to ensure the visibility of trans people and queer women. How have you worked with similar groups in Edmonton?

AB: We do try our best to make sure that we are as inclusive of everybody, and that we are representing all groups fairly. I know that some still feel that the festival, and parade specifically, is too commercialized. The argument that I have is that, unfortunately, the reality of it is that that’s where the money comes from. Fifty-four percent of our funding comes from sponsors. It’s a tightrope, basically, trying to be representative, but trying to find ways to have an event of this magnitude still happen. Last year we had partnered with the Pride Centre, to do the Women & Trans Festival and March, and we had partnered with them right from the beginning. The issues were discussed that this is maybe an underrepresented group as part of this festival. We said, we get that; that’s perfect. Let’s help elevate that, and what can we do. So from the festival perspective we provided the infrastructure – we provided the stage, we provided the techs for the stage, the tents, beer gardens area, porta-potties – all those kinds of things. We had extended our rentals on those, we had provided security, and had the women and trans mini-festival, and it seemed to go well. This year... they are partnering with a different group.

(The 2016 Queer Women & Trans Festival and March will be held on Saturday, June 11th at noon.)

Because we do recognize that... in the past there has been an underrepresentation of the trans community, so we are very excited this year: we have two trans people on our board. So we’re... able to include different things, even right down to our volunteer orientation... so that we’re educating our volunteers as well as the general public [about things] that are less obvious, or that people are less familiar with.

GC: Have you found a bit more traction in your dealings with the government, in terms of getting your gaming license from AGLC that I understand has been stymied for several years now, with the current provincial government?

AB: Yes, absolutely.

GC: What are you, as an organizer, most excited about?

AB: For the most part, it’s about streamlining and perfecting the new location. Oh, and we have a kickoff party – that is very exciting! We’ve put the awards night, and the Rainbow Gallery... on the Friday night and then there will be a kickoff party afterward, with a DJ and dance to follow. And the Raddisson is offering a sweet deal for all those Calgary folks out there – $109 a night!