This upcoming Easter long weekend, Apollo Calgary will be celebrating the 27th anniversary of Western Cup - the longest running annual LGBT multi-sport tournament in North America.
While Western Cup will have the usual assortment of athletic events for attendees, Apollo president Brad Bostock wants all to know that the event has a large social component open to family, spouses, friends, supporters and the athletes.
Continuing a slight format change Apollo initiated last year, there are three social events for each night April 9th to 11th. Thursday April 9th is the Participant Check-In where attendees can meet old friends, and make new ones. An addition to the Thursday night set-up is the return of the fun-money Casino. Bostock mentioned Apollo will also “…invite a lot of social service groups and community groups as well as our sponsors to set up booths” so visitors can be informed of what our community has to offer.
Friday’s social event is a banquet with entertainment provided by comedians Lori Gibbs, Marcus Beaubier, and Karen O’Keefe. The Friday night banquet is the second iteration of this newer event, replacing the Sunday farewell brunch.
Then, of course, Saturday is the Dance. All three functions occur at the host hotel – the Westin downtown. Bostock told GayCalgary and Edmonton Magazine that for those just wanting to attend the dance, tickets will be $20 in advance and $25 at the door, and will be available soon at various locations around town (check the Western Cup Website for updated information).
If there are fans, family and friends considering attending ALL social events, Apollo offers a Party Pak of admission to all three for $75 ($90 after March 12th).
For the actual participants, checking Western Cup’s website will also give you the varying rates for each of the athletic events – athletes can choose “Sport & Socials” or “Sport Only” when they register. The “Sport & Social” is the better deal – with prices ranging (per sporting event) from a minimum of $140 before March 12th to a maximum of $165 March 13th and on. But don’t wait too long…registration closes March 26th!
The list of sporting events this year includes Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming and Volleyball. Brad expects a good turnout this year – while most attendees come from Calgary, Edmonton, and various parts of Alberta, they’re also expecting folks from Vancouver, Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto and even a few from the United States.
Finally, while they have everything fairly well planned and organized, Apollo appreciates anyone wanting to step forward and volunteer for this event. As always, it looks to be a great weekend event and a fabulous way to usher in Spring.
Western Cup quick snapshot:
Thursday: Casino Night & Participant Check-In starting at 7:00PM
Friday: Sporting events running all day. Banquet starting at 6:30PM
Saturday: Sporting events running all day. Dance starting at 9:00PM
