"A big party is a lot of fun! We’re looking to create some strong presence, and I think that with me going out into the community, and doing a few events here and there, is one way to do it, and I do that. But bringing the community to something that’s fun and exciting does it better and quicker. Then it becomes something that is not (only) our drop-in centre and peer-support groups but also recognizes that our community is about fun."

So says Mickey Wilson, Executive Director of the Pride Centre of Edmonton. He’s talking about their benefits, and specifically their upcoming "Paint the Town Red" gala, the virtues of which he extolls with enthusiasm.

And, according to the Pride Centre’s website, "On September 28, along with our sponsors and friends (we) will be presenting PAINT THE TOWN RED! A benefit evening to support the work of the Centre."

But, that doesn’t really do it justice.

"I think it’s definitely a changeup from what we have been doing, I know (we) did some larger events a decade ago, but we reopened (after the 2011 fire) in April of 2012 without a bunch of fanfare."

After renovations, remodeling, and Mickey’s arrival in November of last year things have come back together for the Pride Centre, and now they’re trying to broaden their participatory community with this $100-a-plate dinner.

"It is a bit of an upscale event: it’s a themed event, and the intent is to make this big, benefit gala a higher-end event that’s purpose is to raise money as well as create that energized presence in that strata of our LGBT community that often isn’t connected with the Centre.

"We do provide a $60.00 tax receipt with each ticket. It comes with an evening full of appetizers, and there’s a midnight lunch, a free drink, a swag bag filled with stuff from our sponsors and the silent auction people."

As their site describes: "The evening is set in the theme of modern burlesque and will include buskers under the lamplight and a variety of entertainers in the dance hall. They include Tony Olivares, Capital City Burlesque, Vocabella, Toni Vere and Hashmagandy along with a little drag!"

Mickey continues: "And then all of that is followed by a live auction and a dance! So it’s really a full evening’s entertainment."

A real focus is on broadening the people who think about the Centre.

"For example, up here we have The Capital Club, which is an organization of queer businesspeople, but they don’t come to our Friday night movie nights; they do dinner parties. They don’t very often get an opportunity to attach themselves to the Centre, or even think about supporting the Centre because it’s not right in front of them.

"So what we want to do is to capture an event that middle- to upper-middle class people can access. $100 for a full evening out is not crazy, especially if you’re in an income bracket where a tax receipt makes any difference.

"It’s also to create community: to connect with people in an environment that they wouldn’t necessarily connect with... It’s nice, once in a while, to get really dressed up and go out. And the queer community doesn’t often provide opportunities for that. I mean, we have our bars, our drag shows, we have our barbeques in the park; we have all those kinds of things, and they’re all really important. But we don’t often have the opportunities to do this kind of thing."

It’s about getting more people to know about the Pride Centre of Edmonton.

"There’s some people that maybe haven’t accessed the Centre, but are familiar with it, and support it, who will (hopefully) engage parts of the community that aren’t (familiar with us), and that they all come together and have a great time."

Ah, such grand designs and high ideals! Party party party...for a good cause.