This content was created by Xtra’s branded content team alongside BMO, separate from Xtra’s editorial staff.
If you found yourself near Nashville North at this year’s Calgary Stampede and heard cheers, sparkles and the click of cowboy boots hitting the dance floor, chances are you stumbled into Pride Day – one of the most joyful, high-energy events that the midway has to offer.
What started back in 2012 as an informal gathering of a few dozen friends has grown into a full-fledged celebration of queer joy, western charm, and community resilience. This year’s Pride Day brought together hundreds of 2SLGBTQ+ folks and allies to celebrate under the Calgary sun.
One of the standout moments? BMO’s Rainbow Deposits photo booth which invited attendees to snap a pic and turn it into real-world support. For every rainbow photo that is uploaded to BMORainbowDeposits.com until August 31, BMO donates $1 to Rainbow Railroad, an organization that helps at-risk 2SLGBTQ+ people around the world, up to $50,000 CAD. In three years, the campaign has donated $150,000, and now in its fourth year, $200,000 is in sight.
“Similar to BMO’s Rainbow Deposits campaign, Pride Day has been taking action for queer inclusion at the Calgary Stampede for over twelve years, and in partnership with BMO for seven years,” says Charles Macmichael, Founder of Pride Day and Calgary Stampede’s Community Projects and Development Pride Day Subcommittee Chair. “It is amazing to see the positive impact Calgary Stampede and BMO can have together in continuing to work to make the Calgary Stampede a place for all, including the queer community.”
Also returning this year for the seventh year was the Western Trailblazer Award, presented by BMO, which honours individuals who are leading the way in making Alberta more inclusive. This year’s recipient is Tom Barker, who is recognized for his relentless work to advance inclusion in rural Alberta and within the country music industry, as the Chair of Okotoks Pride and President of the Board at Country Music Alberta.
Whether you were two-stepping your way through the day or depositing your rainbow photos to BMORainbowDeposits.com, Pride Day is a joyful reminder that being out and proud can be a part of western tradition.
Want to keep the momentum going? Upload your own rainbow photo at BMORainbowDeposits.com and help support Rainbow Railroad, one photo at a time.
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