BANFF – With a rainbow walk and the raising of the pride flag to kick off the Banff Pride week once again, people from all over the community will be gathering to celebrate the LGBTQ+ pride in the Bow Valley.
Banff Pride has been active since 2013, but this year marks its second time organizers have put forward a full week of Pride events.
“Over the years, we’ve slowly been building upon the original drag show as Banff Pride. We had the temporary rainbow crosswalk, banners, drag queen storytelling at the library and Show Us Your Pride initiative come into the picture over the years,” said one of the volunteer organizers Corrie DiManno.
Extending the pride celebrations from a single day to a week was simply a natural next step for Banff Pride, she added.
“Banff Pride Week 2019 is our biggest, boldest, in my opinion most inclusive week that we’ve had to date … we’ve really tried to make an event where anyone could feel comfortable coming to and we’re really proud of that,” DiManno said.
From Oct. 1-6, Banff Pride will have various events throughout the week celebrating LGBTQ+ pride from a Pride Speakeasy, to its first ever Drag Brunch, which is a collaboration with the Fairmont Banff Springs.
On Oct. 5, local drag queens including Argintina Hailey, Penny Tense, and Visa De’Klein will take part in Banff Pride’s Drag Brunch at Waldhaus Pub.
The art of drag has played a huge part throughout LGBTQ+ history as gender norms and sexuality were challenged and redefined. From the iconic 1990s documentary Paris is Burning to today’s reality TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race, drag has since boomed in today’s pop culture.
“A big part of drag, I find, is it is one of the uniquely queer or LGBTQ artform because as a community we deal with gender and sexuality minorities,” Tense said. “It allows us free expression to kind of parody and make statements about the nature of gender and the absurdity of the origins of gender norms. It lets us play and perform in that space.”
But while drag queens are more accepted today, their history in the LGBTQ+ community represents so much more than just wigs and costumes.
“Drag queens were one of the first people who helped fight for our rights in the Stonewall Riot,” De’Klein said. “One of the first punches, or bricks, were first thrown by a drag queen, so that’s a pretty visible part in our history that I think most people like to say that they’re keeping alive for that reason, but it’s mostly because of RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Initiated by a police raid back in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn gay bar located in Manhattan, New York, a riot ensued between patrons and police in protest for their rights. The Stonewall Riot became one of the most significant events within the gay liberation rights movement.
“That’s the biggest significance I would say in today’s society, is that people would recognize it from that, but drag queens are a lot deeper in history than just on TV,” De’Klein added.
At this year’s Banff Pride, the week will include events for all ages with Banff Pride partnering with local organizations. Throughout the week people are invited to attend the Pride Potluck in collaboration with BanffLIFE, the Rainbow Reels screening at the Lux Cinema, Pride Live Music Performances at Good Earth Coffeehouse, Pride Run with lululemon and RunUphill and Pride in the Park in Central Park.
“One of the events that we really want to showcase this year is Pride in the Park and we really want to make that the flagship event for families. Anyone’s welcome, but we are really trying to craft schedules to hopefully interest kids,” DiManno said.
Throughout Sunday (Oct. 6), Pride in the Park will host many family friendly activities, including live music, face painting, drag storytelling and a mini Pride parade.
“I think it would be absolutely delightful if people could make time in their day to come down at some point and just check it out and let their kids run around and just soak up Pride in the Park,” DiManno said.
Banff Pride week begins next Tuesday (Oct. 1) with ongoing festivities until Sunday (Oct. 6). For a full list of Pride Events in Banff, visit the Banff Pride Facebook page.
