Tag Archives: gay

Calgary Pride & June—the History!

Many ask why Calgary’s Pride Festival is on the Labour Day weekend when internationally Pride Month is in June. In fact, Calgary Pride used to be a June festival but moved to September in 2009 to take advantage of drier weather and the potential for long-weekend tourism.

June is the month of Pride because it honours the Stonewall Riots in New York City, which began on June 28, 1969—a galvanizing event in the modern gay liberation movement.

Back in 1987, delegates from many of Calgary’s gay and lesbian organizations came together to form an umbrella organization called Project Pride Calgary. Inspired by the Stonewall Riots, they produced a Pride festival locally to celebrate community. Their first festival in June 1988 included a concert, workshops, a dance, and a family picnic – but no public rally or protest.

In June 1990, that changed. The Calgary Lesbian and Gay Political Action Guild (CLAGPAG), one of the Project Pride partners, organized the first political rally, which they internally described as a media stunt. One hundred and forty people mustered at the Old Y to pick up lone ranger masks and then gather at the Boer War Statue in Central Memorial Park.

And then, in June 1991, CLAGPAG more ambitiously, held its first Pride Parade. Four hundred people at City Hall cheered gay Member of Parliament Svend Robinson, who gave an inspiring speech despite gloomy weather and even gloomier protesters, three of whom were arrested.

Over the next 18 years, Pride Calgary remained a June event. It was entirely volunteer-run, and the parade and festival waxed and waned based on the enthusiasm of that year’s steering committee.

In 2008, the organization was in debt and nearly collapsed, with most of the committee abandoning ship. Sam Casselman stepped up at that autumn’s AGM as President but was shocked to learn that Pride Calgary was not an incorporated society—just a group of volunteers with a bank account. By March 2009, the new board was actively fundraising to retire its debt and incorporated a non-profit society.

They also decided to move the festival to September. The 2009 theme was “Your Rights, Our Rights, Human Rights.” There was pushback from the community, who said they were not adequately consulted about the date change, and a handful of gay businesses refused to participate. However, on Sunday, September 6, 2009, Pride had its best attendance ever.

Quirkily, I used to be a freelance reporter for Xtra.ca and reported about Pride that year.

I wrote: “The day began at noon with the Pride Parade travelling east on Calgary’s historic Stephen Ave Mall. The event was 25 percent larger than in 2008, with 40 parade entrants and 400 people participating, but there were some noticeable changes in the lineup: mainstays such as Priape Calgary and Twisted Element were absent. However, there was more participation from the Calgary community at large, including a local financial institution, a local daily newspaper and a handful of politicians.

By 1 pm the parade spilled into Olympic Plaza as people took in the Pride street gala, which included a dance stage, beer garden, food, vendors and kids zone. Speeches were kept to a minimum by organizers and community leaders, while people checked out the vendor booths where they could enter contests, buy rainbow and cowboy swag, or learn about local queer community groups. The beer garden lineup was long, there were dogs and kids everywhere, and the dance stage was packed. Tourists took photos of themselves in front of the throngs. There seemed to be more young people than ever before at Pride.

As the afternoon progressed, people retreated to the lawns surrounding the Plaza or moved on to community events and fundraisers that were happening throughout the city. The sun broke through by late afternoon, rewarding the hundreds who stayed to dance in the Plaza. By this time the Pride Calgary organizers looked pleased, albeit a little tired, as the day had been seemingly executed flawlessly.”

The decision to move to September proved decidedly successful. Calgary’s Pride Festival was the fastest-growing Pride in Canada for much of the 2010s, with attendance growing to 100,000+.

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Empathy Week: June 1-7

The Calgary Gay History Project has been invited to participate in Empathy Week: a seven-day festival where people come together to celebrate human connection and foster empathy. The festival features events, discussions, workshops and exhibitions which discuss or promote empathy, diversity, inclusion, and our shared humanity.

On Sunday, June 4th at 4 PM, join the Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen on a walk through the city centre. We will highlight significant political and social events that affected the gay community. On the way, we will pass several former watering holes where Calgary queers gathered. Reserve your free tickets: here. The one-hour walk begins and ends at the Hyatt Regency Calgary (700 Centre Street SE), specifically at their 8th Avenue Entrance.

Steve Polyak, from Gay Calgary Magazine, taking a photo the 2017 downtown gay history walk.

Empathy Week has amplified the voices of hundreds of artists, changemakers, and people who experience systemic barriers in the last six years. Thousands of Calgarians have participated. Please consider volunteering for Empathy Week. Sign up: here.

Come out for empathy this week!

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Upcoming Gay History Walks

Jane’s Walk YYC is this weekend. In fact, Jane’s Walk 2013 was our very first gay history walk. A decade of queer walking and we have learned so much—sometimes from the people who come out for the walks!

Join the Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen on a walk through the city centre. We will highlight significant political and social events that affected the gay community. On the way, we will pass by several former watering holes where Calgary’s LGBTQ2 community gathered.

Jane’s Walk Sunday, May 7th 2:00-3:30 PM

Free: Register Here.

Meeting Place: CommunityWise, 223 12 Ave SW

The very first walk in 2013
In 2014, it snowed on Jane’s Walk Weekend!

Kevin is doing another walk for Empathy Week in early June. Empathy Week is a seven day festival, where people come together to celebrate human connection and foster empathy. The events take place online, as well as in the city of Calgary and area. The festival features events, discussions, workshops and exhibitions, which discuss or promote empathy, diversity, inclusion, and our shared humanity.

Empathy Week Walk Sunday, June 4th 4:00-5:00 PM

Free: Register Here.

Meet: Hyatt Regency Calgary (700 Centre Street SE) specifically at their 8th Avenue Entrance.

Downtown Gay History Walk in 2017.

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