Tag Archives: Pride Week

YYC Gay History Input & Walking Tours

Posted on August 3, 2017 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

Gay History is important. The new YYC’s LGBTQ2S+ Legacy Project is looking for community input. What do you imagine a permanent commemoration of our history could be? CALGARY NEEDS YOUR STORY × SHARE IT WITH US.

Also, Pride will be here in no time. The Calgary Gay History Project is offering two history walks again this year. The event is free and for all ages. Everyone welcome.

Thursday, August 31st, 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Downtown Gay History Walking Tour

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 LGBTQ community gathered.

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

Saturday, Sept. 2nd, 2:00 – 3:30 pm

Beltline Gay History Walking Tour

Join the Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen on a walk through the Beltline. We will travel to significant historical gathering spots for the LGBTQ community in this inner city neighbourhood, including Calgary’s first gay bar, Club Carousel.

Meet: CommunityWise (The Former Old Y) 223 12 Avenue SW

{KA}

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Posted in Gay history

Tagged bisexual, Calgary Pride, gay, Gay history, History Walk, lesbian, LGBTQ2S Legacy, Pride Week, queer, transgender

Pride 2016: A Visual Wrap

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

Last week was busy with lots of Pride Programming throughout the City. One of our highlights was the Downtown Gay History Walk. We had a warm evening and an even warmer crowd of 60, who were keenly interested in hearing stories of our past. Our group had an interesting visual resonance with the first Pride Parade held 25 years ago in 1991.

Pride History Walk 2016, Photo: Tereasa Maillie

Calgary Pride Parade 1991, Photo: Luke Shwart

Then on Friday the Calgary Herald published a Pride article putting the Calgary Gay History Project front and centre (thank you Val Fortney). After doing a phone interview, Val asked if they could send out a Herald photographer (ummm…). Thankfully photographer, Elizabeth Cameron, was professional and kind.

Calgary Gay History Project’s Kevin Allen at CommunityWise, Photo Elizabeth Cameron/Calgary Herald

And finally, Parade day – we were worried about the weather, but it proved to be less cool than we thought, and the sun even came out in the Pride Festival grounds that afternoon. We ran out of our historical button reproductions, and talked to hundreds of interested festival-goers about why Our Past Matters.

Historic Button Reproductions that were given away at 2016 Pride

Project Volunteers, Ayanna Smart & Kevin Allen, Sept 4, 2016.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by. We appreciated the comments, questions, donations and kind words. We are looking forward to Pride 2017 already!

{KA}

YYC Pride History Offerings

Posted on September 1, 2016 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Pride. Here is a reminder of the remaining history offerings we have. {Look for our interview with the Calgary Herald’s Val Fortney in tomorrow’s paper too!}

Thursday, Sept. 1st

7:00-8:30 PM Downtown Gay History Walking Tour

Downtown History Walk 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 historical watering holes where gays and lesbians gathered. Everyone welcome.

Meet: CommunityWise (The Former Old Y) 223 12 Avenue SW

U of Hist Walk Saturday, Sept. 3rd

3:00 – 4:15 PM University of Calgary Gay History Tour

Join University Alumnus, Kevin Allen, as he explores the University’s role in the emancipation of the LGBTQ community in Calgary. Combining personal reflections with historical references, the tour was a hit at this year’s academic conference, Congress.

Meet: Q Centre: 2nd Floor. Old MacEwan Hall, University of Calgary.

Sunday, September 4th

12:00 – 6:00 Pride Festival History Booth (in Shaw Millennium Park)

Come visit our table to talk about all things historical in Calgary’s LGBTQ community. We will have some artifacts and old publications on display. And – new this year – we have produced retro gay history buttons. So come by the booth to get yours!

Pride Festival Booth 2