The Central Alberta Queer Community Association is giving people plenty of chances to celebrate Pride Month.
Queer Prom, Pride in the Park and High Tea with the Queens are just some of the events that the association will be putting on throughout June.
“We’re really excited to have our Pride events coming up this June,” said Alex Pugatschew, vice-chairperson of the association.
“We’re very determined to make these events as fun and interactive as possible.”
The association first began celebrating Pride Month by participating in Lindsay Thurber Pride Week.
Next, the RDQCA’s second annual Pride in the Park will run at Rotary Park from noon to 4:30 p.m. on both Saturday, June 10, and Sunday, June 11. Pride in the Park will feature vendors, information booths, as well as games and activities for all ages.
“We’re very excited with how much the community has jumped in and wanted to be involved with us,” said Pugatschew.
On June 17, there will be a Car Pride Parade from noon to 3 p.m. – the location is still to be determined.
The RDQCA will be participating in the first day of Innisfail Pride’s two-day celebration, which is set for June 23-24 at the Royal Canadian Legion’s Innisfail branch.
Two local drag queens will be present for the High Tea with the Queens event at Cronquist House on June 24 from 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Pride Month will wrap up with the second Queer Prom at the Snell Auditorium in Red Deer Public Library’s downtown branch on June 30 from 2-6 p.m. This event will serve as a year-end celebration for many young Central Albertans.
“It’s a great way for them to all blow off steam and wrap up the school year – exams are done and everything,” said Pugatschew.
“Queer Prom was an absolute blast year. We had like 90 kids show up. It was phenomenal.”
Pugatschew said Pride Month is “incredibly important” right now.
“So much of the media everyone is hearing and so much of the messaging that these kids are hearing is that they don’t belong, they’re unwanted, they’re abnormal for being the way they are.
“Pride Month is … a remembrance of us making a point, making a stand and making a place for ourselves.”
For more information on the RDQCA’s Pride Month plans, visit www.rdqca.org/pride-2023.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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