The Davie Street Block Party was a hit last year in its first fence-free year, above. This year’s event kicks off Pride weekend in the Village on Friday, July 29, and will feature pre-loaded wristbands to buy drinks without cash. If you want to drink, pick up your wristband now at Celebrities. (Danny Gray Fox/Daily Xtra)
Thursday, July 28
Aging With Pride
A lot of guys this weekend will be thinking about the parties, the sex and where to find the next bump —and not think much further than that. Others have said goodbye to the late-night parties, the nameless sex and the mind-enhancing drugs, but still want to experience what Pride is all about. This is a celebration for LGBT seniors and their allies put on by the 411 Seniors Society. Come feel Pride, make new friends, and meet others who feel the same way.
2–5pm. The Coast Plaza Hotel, 1763 Comox St. Free event but please register at eventbrite.ca. vancouverpride.ca/
Debauchery
When a club gives Del Stamp free reign to run a night of games called Debauchery — and the tagline is “if you are easily offended you might want to sit this one out” — I know it’s going to be a night of dick, dick and more dick. Events include wet t-shirt, best buns, best blowjob and others that I can’t even post. If you are the last one standing (either clothed or buck naked covered in something) then you will be the winner of an Apple watch. Join Trashpig Stamp and his sidekick Matty “I will swallow anything” Santoro for one of the most interactive game nights of Pride. There must be at least one person out there who hasn’t seen Del’s dick, now that’s the person who should get a prize!
7pm–4am. Numbers, 1042 Davie St. $5 cover. numbers.ca/
Trans Pride Artist Showcase
Part of Matt Troy’s Alternative Pride Festival, this event is organized by trans artists and cultural curators with the goal of highlighting the important contributions of trans people in the arts, LGBT culture, dance music and the larger communities. Everyone is welcome for a night of art, music and friendship.
8pm. Gallery 1965, 1965 Main St. Tickets $10 and a full list of Alternative Pride events at alternativepride.leisure.events/. More info on this event at facebook.com/events/1158753587479862/
Friday, July 29
Davie Street Party
Every year I go to this event and I have fun, but for days after I have to listen to all my friends give their opinion on what was wrong and how it should be run. Cage off the drinking, don’t cage off the drinking, why are tickets sold in the middle of the event, why is it so crowded and on and on. It is what it is: a street party that is run by a group of volunteers who do their best. Just go and have fun. There is entertainment, vendors, food, patios and lots of eye candy. This year the event is cashless, so if you are going to drink you must get RFID wristbands and load them with some money, then just tap to pay for your drink. IAdvance wristbands are at Celebrities front doors today, Thursday and Friday from 12–5pm.
6pm–midnight. Davie Village from Burrard to Jervis Street. All info, including wristband info, at facebook.com/events/1712234635701040/
Unions and The Pride Movement
Seems like a weird collaboration to me, but this event is a collaboration between the Pride and labour movements, as Stonewall activist Martin Boyce tells his story with four decades of hindsight. Sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity, GLISA International and the Hospital Employees’ Union. Stick around afterwards for the comedy stylings of Queer Prov and make an evening of it.
6–7pm. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Cover $5. facebook.com/events/1811028985841379/
Elastic Pride
At this time of year most promoters are focused on the parties, entertaining people and, yes, making money. Kudos to Alternative Pride for providing a different type of Pride for youth. Elastic Pride is a full day of youth LGBTQ+ talent, performance, artwork and workshops from established queer artists and mentors of Vancouver. This event is all ages and has been curated by queer teens for everyone, with special emphasis on providing unique networking and learning opportunities to queer young people. Read our story here.
2–9pm. Fortune Sound Club, 147 E Pender St. Admission suggested $5 donation. Full schedule with times at facebook.com/events/1184321181620238/
PranceHall II
I stress for weeks if I have one event to throw; this promoter has three today. Prancehall has teamed with Vancouver Art & Leisure to bring you a queer dancehall experience. Expect a full night of dancehall and reggae music celebrating Caribbean culture. Organizers say they want to offer an open space for all people of different races and sexual orientations, while exposing a genre of music that’s not showcased enough in Vancouver.
10pm. Fortune Sound Club, 147 E Pender St. Tickets $14 at alternativepride.leisure.events/
Info at facebook.com/events/458159864388320
Saturday, July 30
Do What U Luv With Pride
Sure I get up early as a rule, but 9am after visiting four Pride Friday-night parties? I might not even be home by 9am. But for all my athletic and poser friends, this is a great event for you! It’s a sun-up yoga/dance party. Plus you can get all limber and pumped up for the filming at noon of Better Together, a video campaign for the Vancouver Pride Society to increase awareness of the issues our community faces such as poverty and isolation. Every participant can take part in the filming and the theme is Pride parade, so dress up in whatever you would wear for Pride.
9am–1pm. 3713 Kensington Ave, Burnaby. Tickets $20 at picatic.com/event14678292355284787.
Info at facebook.com/events/1780069858893556/
Denim Vest
Sweet Resistance is a dance party as a form of resistance, so come and dance it out together with all the queer family. A portion of profits will go towards the Black Solidarity Fund, which donates $1 for each song by a black artist played throughout the night.
10pm–3am. Red Gate Arts Society, 855 E Hastings St. Cover $20–25 sliding scale. facebook.com/events/1054951437913953/
Swallow Your Pride
This is Vancouver’s only queer BDSM play party on Pride weekend. The lights go down, the music goes up, while you get beaten by your butch or put a fist in your feline. All genders are welcome so if you are a daddy, genderqueer, a DOM, a baby dyke, a kinkster, a butch, or whatever, just come down and have a great BDSM Pride.
8pm–1am. Maritime Labour Centre, 1880 Triumph St. Tickets $20 advance at brownpapertickets.com or $25 at door. facebook.com/events/135655963525372/
Sunday, July 31
Ice-T Pride Patio Party
When I was in my early teens, a friend said he could make this great drink from his dad’s stash that tasted just like ice tea. I believed him and one Saturday night he made a big jug and we hid on the roof outside his bedroom window and drank the entire jug. That was the first and only time I fell off a roof and luckily landed totally shit-faced on a shrub. I’ve never been able to drink ice tea again. DJs G-Luve, Almond Brown and Charles Guilterre are going to rock this patio party all afternoon on a great patio in the heart of the Village.
1–9pm. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Cover $10. facebook.com/events/484758885050369/
Bye Felicia
The perfect dismissal, “Bye Felicia!” is a goodbye given to any unwanted, irritating, or disliked person, place or thing. I’m pretty sure Conni Smudge coined it! Now come say it to all the negativity in your life, and dance to a night of hot sweaty music. Performances by Alma B Itches, Shitney Houston, Maarqui, Dai Burger and more.
11pm–4am. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Cover $12–$15 at door. facebook.com/events/664673480352763/
Monday, Aug 1
Two Spirit, Queers, Trans, Intersex and Bi People of Colour March
With recent events, we have seen the rise of anti-black racism and Islamophobia. Gather with queer and trans people of colour and two-spirit people to march down Pender Street together, through Chinatown to Main Street then to Crab Park, where there will be a healing circle. They are asking their allies to help in solidarity with marshalling and security.
1–4pm. Victory Square, 200 W Hastings St. facebook.com/events/601585963341932/
Recovery Cruise
I love this cruise, except that all the guys I have done or dumped seem to go on this last cruise too to say goodbye, which is why I start drinking two hours before. In a huge crowd at a Pride party you can easily lose someone who’s hounding you; not so true on a boat. CruiseyT cruises are among the most popular events of Pride. This one is the crème de la crème, where a lot of the industry people who have worked their ass off all weekend to serve us, can now take a break and party for Pride themselves. So if you see a particular server you like, be sure to get them a cocktail or two, so you can carry it over to them for a change. Oh and me, I’ll have a vodka soda tall, please!
4–8pm. Harbour Cruises, 501 Denman St. Tickets $65 at cruiseyt.com/
(Think there’s an upcoming event I should attend? Click here to list your event on dailyxtra.com or send me a note at oitc.vancouver@dailyxtra.com)
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