Apollo, Friends in Sports will bring Calgary the 23rd annual Western Cup this Easter Long weekend (March 24th to 27th), bringing both local and out of town athletes together for social activities and sporting events.

Spectators and participants will be heading out to the University of Calgary to check out badminton and volleyball, the Calgary curling club for curling, and Bowlerama in the northeast for 10-pin bowling. While competition is the foundation of the event, Apollo also has a number of social events planned throughout the weekend at the Westin hotel in Downtown Calgary.

"We kick off Thursday night with registration at the Westin, and curling begins that night. Friday the other three sports – badminton, volleyball and bowling – begin in addition to curling. Friday is our social ‘Viva Las Vegas’ at the Westin, which is open to both participants of the cup and the general community. It allows our attendees to interact on a social level with the different sports as well as those who have traveled from out of town," Brad Bostock, Co Chair of Western Cup XXIII and the Social Director of Apollo Calgary told GayCalgary.com. "As well, on Saturday night we present one of the hottest dances of the year ‘Forge’ at the Westin Ballroom. Tickets are $15 in advance and $25 at the door and are available at Money Pennies or PRIAPE. Thursday night there will be a meet and greet at Boyztown, and Sunday a Survivors Party at Money Pennies."

A new addition to "Viva Las Vegas" will be "Western Cup Idol." For two weeks before the event, members of Apollo will be judging at various venues throughout the community; the finalists will belt their hearts out onstage at the event.

"People who want to participate can come out and perform for our panel of judges and go through the elimination process. Friday night at Viva Las Vegas will be the finals. There will be prizes awarded."

While the social events are hot tickets in town, it is still the sporting that is bringing the more than 500 participants in the event, including more than 200 from outside of Calgary.

"The whole purpose of APOLLO is to provide our membership with well organized, fun sport events and other activities to allow them to participate and interact in a positive social framework. Not only are we providing the sports interaction but on a social level as well. Western Cup is Apollo’s biggest event of the year in that aspect."

The slogan for this years cup, "Challenging our past, forging our future", refers not only to Apollo itself but also the GLBT community.

"As we come up to the 23rd year of Apollo, we need to look at what we have done and where we have been, and evaluate where we are going. The community as well needs to do this, looking at the challenges of the past status quo and push ahead to forge a new future for our community that allows us to have the equality and the rights of certain institutions."

When it all comes to a close on March 27th with the celebration brunch and survivors party, Bostok expects participants will go home feeling satisfied.

"It truly is a feeling of achievement. Everyone who participated in the sporting events leaves with a positive experience and a feeling of having had fun and healthy competition and interaction with other participants."

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Contributor Jason Clevett |

Locale Calgary |

Topic Apollo Calgary | Sports | Western Cup |