Calgary is Canada’s only major city with a population over one million not to have a self-described 2SLGBTQ+ neighborhood and it’s with good reason: all the city’s communities are their playground and they all celebrate together! With multiple creative, unique and active communities spread from the city center to suburbs, Calgary’s colorful residents are warm and welcoming to the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
The Calgary Pride Parade & Festival is a 2 day festival at Prince's Island Park!At the end of the summer, usually centered around the Labor Day Weekend in September, the city amps it up as Calgary plays host to one of its most colorful and fastest growing festivals, Calgary Pride. With its Parade on Sunday followed by a large outdoor festival, the city shows extra love for its 2SLGBTQ+ community and visitors who have come from near and far to celebrate.
In terms of dedicated queer nightlife, there is one excellent nightclub, two fun bars, and a genuinely fabulous pop-up party series, Hot Mess.
Edmonton has been a welcoming haven for 2SLGBTQ+ for decades! The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose has been supporting the local community, hosting drag performances and giving back since the 1970s.
To embrace this legacy, Edmonton has developed the Edmonton Queer History App, which guides visitors to notable places within the province and gives background on historical events. Visitors can also support many 2SLGBTQ+ owned business such as The Glass Bookshop and Audrey’s Bookshop, which feature queer authors.
In addition to the robust history of 2SLGBTQ+ Support, Edmonton hosts their annual, 10-day Pride Festival every September. This year’s festival will be the first in Canada to feature a 2-Spirit Powwow, celebrating indigenous people who identify outside the gender binary.
Banff Pride is returning to Banff National Park with the largest and most robust programming yet to mark 10 years of celebrating diversity and inclusion in this iconic Canadian destination. From October 6-15, visitors are invited to enjoy 10-days of festivities in a spectacular mountain setting. This includes a phenomenal lineup of queer-lesque performances, concerts, a Pride market, rainbow tasting cocktail event, and a healthy dose of OUTdoor adventure.
The rainbows displayed throughout pride and the dedication to excellence during the 10-day festival are a small testament to Banff’s dedication to welcome folks of all backgrounds and identities across the world and their commitment to creating a place of acceptance, unity, and hope.
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