Guide to the Summer of Pride

By Ron Byers
May 24, 2023

2023 will see the largest number of Pride events the Edmonton has ever seen for the Summer of Pride! Over 36 organizations have put together more than 75 events in three dozen different venues around the city. For a full listing of events and all the details, plus suggestions for where you can pick up your Pride Supplies, visit https://PrideEdmonton.ca.

The Spark Lights the Rainbow

Pride Month kicks off with a preview during Downtown Spark, where you can catch Fruit Loop and Party Queens doing pop-up Drag Shows at Alex Decoteau Park on May 25 and again on June 1! Then, catch lunchtime encore performances on June 9 and June 16 at Michael Phair Park.

Walk & Learn Queer History

Edmonton Queer History Project partners with the Downtown Business Association, MacEwan Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity, and the City of Edmonton to bring the EQHP Walking Tour Series! Explore the people, places, and moments that have helped to shape Edmonton's 2SLGBTQ+ history. The tours offer a variety of themes which take place in different parts of downtown and each starts at unique locations. The tours are free, just make sure to reserve your spot through the ticket links on Eventbrite.

Fruit Loop Street Takeover

Fruit Loop will celebrate their 10th year of popup parties with their weekend PRIDE Block Party presented by TD! Enjoy a series of outdoor live performances, drag shows, workshops, food trucks, beer gardens, and late-night dance parties to kick off Pride Month! Head to the Grindstone Theatre on June 2 to catch Rally Cry, then laugh along with Victoria Banner in a stand-up comedy show, followed by a dance party! On June 3, catch performances on the Outdoor Stage and on the Block Party grounds. TriGuys Entertainment takes over the Grindstone for STUD Vol. 10 where you can bump and grind to the beats of DJ Thomas Culture (18+). On June 4, Fruit Loop is hosting a block party with diverse workshops on topics like makeup tips, dancing, strutting in heels, and GoGo dancing! Join the ultimate fun at the Pride Dance Party presented by TD on June 10 at the Starlite Room, with dazzling drag, aerial acts, and burlesque performances!

Adaption, Progression, Enhancement, Evolution

At the centre of all things Pride is Evolution Wonderlounge: Edmonton’s queer nightclub and entertainment venue. Known for its outstanding lineup of Drag Race stars bringing the best in drag entertainment, burlesque style shows and a hopping dance floor, it's the place to be during Pride Month. Full list of events: https://yourgaybar.com/events/

Dance, Drink, Drag, and a River

Edmonton is a Festival City and a River City, so let's combine them! Join us on the Edmonton Riverboat for dancing, drinks, drag, and an evening cruise down the North Saskatchewan River! DJ Showboy will be spinning tunes, plus you can expect performances from Pepper, Jizz Elle, Karly Klimax, Circules, and more! Riverboat cruise includes admission to Evolution Wonderlounge afterwards for Pride Finale Bash Part One! Tickets are on sale now: https://www.showpass.com/pride-riverboat-party/.

Strike a Pin, Strike Out Hate, and Ball Hockey

If sports are your jam, Strike-A-Pin, Strike-A-Pose with the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose with a Drag Bowling Extravaganza at the Bonnie Doon Bowling Lanes! For baseball fans, catch the Edmonton Riverhawks play the Nanaimo Nightowls in their Second Annual Strike Out Hate Night on June 17. On June 24, Servus Credit Union and the Edmonton Riverhawks team up to present the Second Annual Drag Me Out to the Ball Game! Jasmine Kennedie, star of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 14 throws the game's first pitch and will perform at the afterparty. This is an all-ages charity baseball game featuring some of your favourite YEG drag performers. On August 27, The Edmonton Oilers, Pride Tape, and other community partners bring the Pride Cup ball hockey tournament to ICE District Plaza!

We've Got Artsy Stuff Too

That Sounds Gay! is a deliciously queer concert featuring singer-songwriter Evan Westfal. Westfal will highlight the music of queer icons, pairing witty repartee and cabaret music at the Grindstone Theatre on June 9. Edmonton Vocal Minority marks its 30th anniversary with Dancing Through Life at the Westbury Theatre on June 10. RuPaul star Thorgy Thor returns to Edmonton and joins the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for another spectacular evening of outrageous fashion sense, razor-sharp wit, virtuoso chops on violin, viola, and cello at THORGY AND THE THORCHESTRA II: THE REGAL SEQUEL on June 14. With over 16 hilarious impersonations combined with hilarious stories and a new perspective on life, fall in love with the comedy award winning Shayla Shenanigans on June 15!

A Festival of Drag

With eight international performers and almost 25 local performers, the Edmonton Drag Festival is the biggest display of drag talent all on one stage, and it all happens festival style at Louise McKinney Riverfront Park on June 17! Making its premiere in Edmonton’s Festival community, this festival is about celebrating the art of drag performance and providing a platform for drag artists to showcase their talents. Check out their website at http://www.edmontondragfestival.ca/ for a complete listing of the performers plus ticket links for an amazing array of meet and greet opportunities.

Brunch with the Mayor

Back for its 18th year on Saturday, June 10 at the Edmonton Convention Centre, the Annual Mayor's Pride Brunch (presented by the Fyrefly Institute for Gender and Sexual Diversity) is a favourite event that brings great food, an extravagant drag performance by CHEW Project YEG’s youth performers, and some great music! Get your tickets now as they sell fast.

K-Days Shows its Pride

Pride Day at K-Days is back, bigger, and better! Start off with a Drag Queen Storytime, then enjoy the rides until the afternoon’s drag showcases begin, including The Dancing Kings, Haus of Art, Legends of Drag, a FrancoQueer Drag showcase, an IndigiHauz drag showcase, and more! Local queer DJs will be playing in both the Beer Garden and the Indoor Speakeasy, and enjoy free concerts on the South Stage in the evening, but the day doesn’t end after they’re done, because the House of Hymen has a special late night adults only show in the Cristal Palace Spiegeltent! Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/late-night-special-drag-show/

Catch a History Making Event

They called it Canada’s Studio 54. The infamous Flashback nightclub was established by owner John Reid as a celebratory haven for ‘gay people and their friends’ in the late 70’s and tumultuous 80s. After it closed in 1991, the club’s iconic neon sign was lost from the public view, until now. Join us at Relight The Neon on June 17 as the restored sign is turned on for the first time, joining the many historic signs at the Neon Sign Museum!

Markets for All

Pride is a time for local 2SLGBTQ+ artists and vendors to display their wares, and popup markets are the best place to do it! Check out these markets during Pride Month:

Edmonton Pride Festival Returns to the Square

Expanding on last year’s massively successful event, Edmonton PrideFest Association announces the new week-long Edmonton Pride Festival from August 18-26! This year’s week-long festival will feature headline performances at signature events including the Beaver Hills 2-Spirit PowWow, Y2K @ Churchill Square, and Pride @ Churchill Square. Featuring Stereos • Ria Mae • Jamie Fine • Felicia Bonée • Pep Per • Hyphen Hyphen • Neha Batra • Ronald Morrera • Lucas Silveira and many more!

...And So Much More!

NEIGHBOURING PRIDE CELEBRATIONS

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