In the August edition you would have noticed that the Publisher’s Column had been replaced with an article called "Privilege and Pride – VOICES: The Coalition of Calgary’s POC Equality". The article placement was important, in that it was the first thing people saw written in the magazine. It was there to help explain the other side of what goes on during pride, while ads for pride events were scattered throughout the edition. Sometimes we forget that we still have steps to make in our diverse community; that everyone should feel welcome. Pride, as an event, should be a safe space for everyone in our community. Hearing the stories of discrimination, based on skin colour or gender, happening in certain gay bars makes evident we still have a long way to go. Now, with both gay bars and straight bars acting as venues for gay events, people have options. For Calgary Pride, Backwards Nightclub was able to do some great fundraising for the Dyke and Trans March, as well as be the location for the Saturday night party for it. Backwards showed that they are open to our complete community; not to just a segment of it.

I will talk more about Calgary Pride in the October edition, along with several pages of photos from the Pride weekend. I still have to sort through over 10,000 photos that were taken across the five days.

August was a crazy month in Edmonton. It started with the Great Canadian Bear Weekend, put on by the Fellowship of the Alberta Bears (FAB). Attendance was more than they expected; they were at capacity for most of Saturday night! Even the water park and other events on the side had more people attending than last year. This group has helped bring out members of the community that usually don’t get a chance to make it out. FAB helps create an environment where body shape or size doesn’t matter; you are all welcome.

Rob and Justin came up with me for the weekend, to also help celebrate my birthday, too. There was a small screw up in dates, so Justin and Rob surprised me with a DQ Birthday Cake on Friday night, even though my birthday was on Saturday. It was decorated with Snoopy and, as the cake was coming out, I was already taking photos of the event so unlike typical birthday photos, I took photos of the cake coming towards me. Check out the spelling of my name on the cake. Photos of the event appear on page 44.

The weekend following saw the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Championship. The event hosted participants from around the world. Though the championship was week-long, I was only able to attend the last two days. Though I have covered tons of events over the past 20 years, this was a first for me – to cover so many aquatic events. These people sure know how to play and party hard. Enjoy the photos on page 46.

Following a weekend of water, came the weekend of all drag. The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose (ISCWR) had their 41st Coronation. It was a great celebration of the year that Empress HISM Myra Maines and Emperor Yeust Bobb had, as they stepped down with their upper house, and the crowning of Emperor Bull Dozr and Empress Ruby Hymen capped off the end of the night. Check out the photos on page 48

After being around for 16 years, Woody’s in Edmonton closed its doors at the end of June. Lisa Robinson, who was manager of Woody’s, is holding onto the space and reopened the last weekend of IGLA as Mama’s Gin Joint. Rob, Justin and I were able to check out the space during the renovations and a lot was done in two weeks. A new stage was built on the dance floor as well as a new DJ booth. The place was adjusted for better air circulation, using the fresh air from the big windows along Jasper Ave, which should help cool the place down. The bar will still be a LGBTQ+ spot, so Edmonton will continue having two bars for right now. Hopefully more will happen soon.