Even if naughty puppeteer, Ronnie Burkett, won’t be appearing at Calgary Pride this year, he has inspired at least one Pride event.

East Villagers Michael Wright and Steve Gin both remember being in the audience during the latest incarnation of Burkett’s Daisy Theatre, and roaring with laughter when one of the puppets joked about ‘all the East Village sweater fags in the audience’.

It was an image neither could get out of their minds when they met for coffee a few weeks later – especially given they both arrived with sweaters slung over their shoulders.

Conversation turned to the burgeoning queer population in East Village, and events that might be a draw for Pride 2016. Wright, the board chair for Fairy Tales Film Society, suggested a gay piano bar in the Simmons Building.

"I laughed it off as a bit of a cliché at first," remembers Gin. "But then things started mysteriously falling into place."

During another coffee date, Gin (the founder of Calgary’s first queer theatre company, Teatro Berdache) was introduced to the events manager of Charbar, who mentioned that they would be delighted to host a Pride event.

The raison d'être for staging an event was still missing – that is, until Orlando, and the realization that a simple kiss could motivate unspeakable acts of violence.

Shortly after, Gin found himself seated beside a board member for Calgary Pride at the opening of the Nickel Gallery’s Trans Trans exhibition. The two exchanged ideas on an evening celebrating the queer kiss through theatre and song.  An introduction to the coordinator for the Coming Out Monologues YYC cemented the concept, with The Fairy Tales Film Festival and East Village’s Loft 112 coming on board shortly after.

The result? Passionate Kisses: An Evening of Story and Song, running 8 to 10:30 pm on Wednesday August 31^st, on the second floor of Charbar in East Village’s historic Simmons Building. Central to the evening will be newly-commissioned performances from Calgary’s Coming Out Monologues YYC, celebrating "My First Queer Kiss". Joining the storytellers will be Calgary’s acclaimed Allison Lynch Trio, performing a set of jazzy, romantic, kiss-inspired ballads.  Tickets will be available online through Brown Paper Tickets ($25 plus service fee, or $35 at the door with limited availability) with snacks included in admission, and a cash bar.

Down the street on Friday September 2nd, Factory 112: Snap! comes to Loft 112 at #112, 535-8th Avenue SE. From 7 to 10 pm, the team of Loft 112, Fairy Tales Film Festival and Teatro Berdache join forces to meld queer art, film and performance with a night of Warhol-inspired debauchery.

Featured painter Lisa Heinricks will be unveiling the latest installation of her Awesome People series at the Loft throughout Pride Week, while Fairy Tales will be curating an intimate showing of video shorts and web series throughout the night. DJ Scootz will be on hand to spin tunes, and an interactive photo booth is in the works, courtesy of the Miscellaneous Youth Network. Last year’s Factory 112 was branded as "the Pride event you shouldn’t miss" by Swerve magazine, and they expect the same for 2016.

Tickets for Factory 112 will be available at the door for $10 each; cash only with no minors admitted.