Tag Archives: Edmonton

Book Launch: Cruising the Downtown

Posted on October 29, 2025 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

We couldn’t be happier that the Edmonton Queer History Project has just launched its first book, Cruising the Downtown: Celebrating Edmonton’s Queer History. Edited by Kristopher Wells, it is a collaborative history that celebrates the people, places, and moments that have shaped and continue to shape the Capital City by moving through civic landmarks, sites of queer resistance, nightlife, celebration, and activist spaces.

Cover: *Cruising the Downtown: Celebrating Edmonton’s Queer History*

In Calgary, the book is currently in stock at Pages and Shelf Life. I have already picked up a copy; it is a colourful and lively read.

Calgary and Edmonton’s queer histories intersect and interact. Not only did the Alberta government historically impact our rights in both cities, but there has always been significant movement between the cities. For example, Calgary’s Club Carousel and Edmonton’s Club ’70 considered themselves sibling organizations, and early gay activists from both cities collaborated on provincial gay newspapers and magazines, and then later on community cable shows. The Alberta clubs built on their regional networks and helped initiate the first gay liberation activities on the Prairies in the early 70s.

*Edmonton’s Club ’70 Newsletter, citing one of the first gay rights conventions in the Prairies.* Source Edmonton Queer History Project

There are two book launches planned in Edmonton: November 1st at Evolution Wonderlounge and November 6th at Audreys Books. Read more queer history—pick up your own copy of Cruising the Downtown. Congratulations, Edmonton Queer History Project!

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Flashback at CUFF.Docs

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

The Calgary Underground Film Festival loves queer history! This year, their documentary festival running November 20-24, is featuring the Canadian Premiere of Flashback about the legendary gay bar in Edmonton that existed between 1974 and 1991.

Flashback is the story of a defiant disco dance culture of sweat and sex and drugs and fashion. Despite community hostility to queer people, Flashback became a sensation on the international club circuit facing police raids, threats of violence and the scourge of AIDS. Flashback is a ghost. However, it comes alive again in the memories of the people who were there and the legends they left behind.

Cool kids in the feature documentary *Flashback*

In Calgary, the Parkside Continental was the analog of Edmonton’s Flashback—they are of the same vintage—and there was frequent to-ing and fro-ing between the two cities for those looking to dance with a different crowd.

Flashback features more than 30 interviews recounting the story of the beloved gay bar: a tribute to a place where young people could just be themselves. A soundtrack with two new disco recordings (recorded at Calgary’s National Music Centre) and archival photographs and footage takes us back inside the famous venue and blends with re-enactments shot with today’s club kids in Edmonton’s last remaining gay bar, Evolution Wonderlounge.

All this is framed by the rediscovery, restoration and resurrection of the club’s iconic neon sign. The blue glow of the old Flashback sign now shines from a wall of the Neon Sign Museum in Edmonton, and its journey to restored glory is documented in the film. Flashback is a TELUS original feature documentary film shot in Edmonton, Alberta.

The Calgary Gay History Project is pleased to be a community partner for the screening. Learn more about our Province’s queer history and join us for Flashback on Saturday, November 23, with Calgary director Peter Hays in attendance!

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Posted in Gay history, Press Release

Tagged AIDS, bisexual, CUFF.Docs, Edmonton, Evolution Wonderlounge, Flashback, gay, gay bars, Gay history, lesbian, Parkside Continental, Peter Hays, queer, transgender

Edmonton Queer History Collection

Posted on May 23, 2024 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

The Calgary Gay History Project recently contributed historic gay media to our colleagues in Edmonton for digitization. Heroically, they have already digitized hundreds of magazines! You can find the collection: here.

Most of this online collection focuses on Edmonton, but several publications have a provincial reach. We contributed issues of Modern Pink, Alberta Gay and Lesbian Press (AGLP), and Outlooks Magazine, which were all published in Calgary but distributed province-wide.

*Outlooks Magazine, September 1998 Issue with GLCSA’s OK Campaign*

The close connection between our two cities is long-standing. Importantly, this collection includes several Club 70 Newsletters. Club 70 was the sister organization to Calgary’s Club Carousel, and the Club 70 Newsletter was similar in format and style to Carousel Capers. In their newsletters, one can read about the camaraderie between the Clubs.

For example, on July 29, 1972, Club 70 hosted their “Klondike-Calgary Night” after a blanket invite was sent to the members of Club Carousel.

*Club 70 Newsletter with Calgary Invite!*

This digital archive has been spearheaded by the Edmonton Queer History Project, an innovative university-community project designed to help celebrate the people, places, and moments that have helped to build Edmonton’s 2SLGBTQ+ community.

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