20th Anniversary Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film and Video Festival
May 20-30
In honour of their anniversary, they are screening some favourites from the past two decades in the special FLASHBACK series. Happy Birthday Inside Out! One more year till you are legal in the States!

12th Annual Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival
May 27th to June 3
The annual festival, running May 27th to June 4th, showcases independent films made by and/or about the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, two-spirited and queer community.

tri-Pride Festival
May 30 – June 5
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer pride celebration in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and area in Ontario, Canada

Check out some of this week’s talent:

Ottawa Pride
posted by Amy Godin, Ottawa, ON

Relaxing (L) – View the pic
Other Half of my Rainbow (R) – View the pic

Check out more of Amy’s pics HERE

Ottawa Pride Bikers
posted by Perry Voulgaris, Toronto, ON

Ottawa Pride Bikers. View the pic

Check out more of Perry’s pics HERE

Join the Socialize@OUTtv community and see MORE videos and pics from this year’s Pride across Canada.

Check out some of this week’s talent:

Fierté 2009 Montréal
posted by Michel Beaulieu, Montreal, QC

Fierté 2009 Montréal, gai, gay, couleurs, divercité, celebration, party, fête

Watch the video:

Fierté 2009 Montréal from mikeb on Vimeo.

Check out more of Michel’s video HERE

Pride Photo
posted by Kevin Gurr, Vancouver & Ottawa

AIDS Awareness, Ottawa. View the photo

Check out more of Kevin’s photos HERE

Join the Socialize@OUTtv community and see MORE videos and pics from this year’s Pride across Canada.

Jer’s Vision, Canada’s biggest youth-driven queer ambassador, has already announced its line-up of highlights at this year’s Capital Pride, focusing on a 40-year history theme for its parade float and honouring musician Joel Plaskett and his band at the Ottawa Folk Festival with the annual Jer’s Vision Award for Youth on August 23. Jer’s Vision Pride reception on August 27 will feature a boat cruise on the Canal with wine and beer tasting, raising funds for both Capital Pride and further youth initiatives alongside hosts Yasir Naqvi, Diane Holmes, George Bédard and Diane Deans. Tickets are $30. A chandelier lit tent will shelter Jer’s main gala free of charge immediately following at the corner of Bank and MacLaren,  featuring a slew of performances and a visit from This Hour Is 22 Minutes’ Gavin Crawford. Don’t let the tent fool you; Jer’s Vision is encouraging everyone to dress up.

For more info on Ottawa’s Pride celebrations visit CapitalPride.ca. Vision Jer’s Vision for more info on its ongoing youth-focused events. – DAK

Sponsored by Air Canada and AIr Canada Vacations, the live coverage will be hosted from Vancouver Pride’s VIP patio of The Boathouse at English Bay (Google Map) with three cameras capturing the parade at various angles starting at 12:00pm PT.

Additionally, OUTtv will replay the entire Vancouver Pride Parade on Socialize @OUTtv, the network’s user-generated online community, inviting members of the community to share their thoughts about the 2009 Vancouver Pride Parade as well as submit and share their videos and photos.

For more information, visit: http://socialize.outtv.ca

Featuring a multitude of events jam packed into one weekend (will it ever be on a holiday weekend for tourists?), Montréal’s pride events begin with Village Scene Productions opening of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest at Théâtre Ste-Catherine just a click or two west of the Gay Village, alternating French-language and English-language performances. Other arts events, like the Visual Arts expo Per7eption at the Café des arts and the multi-cultural music of Zone Tropicale, will be held in Place Êmilie-Gamelin at Berri-UQAM métro station. While nightclubs pack it in for events like Pride’s Mega T-Dance and the BBCM bash Party de la fierté, the community bands together on Saturday for its annual kiosk fair (get your free condoms here from cute Trojans) while the Parade will feature a “Fiesta” theme complete vying for annual awards recognizing several categories.

This year, Pride also invites celebrated artists to join them for the Porn Flakes Show, a jam “happening” in the park where celebrities are invited to take the stage with the band. The 80s theme at Dream Académie should be enough to  put the virgin back in “Like a Virgin” (no offense Madonna) while Omegadom promises to collide soul, funk, rock and electro-fusion that should blow a few speakers and eardrums in the crowd.

Célébrations de la fierté takes place August 13 to 15, 2009. Visit http://fiertemontrealpride.com/home.htm to download the complete schedule in pdf format and listen to a few housetunes.

- Mado au Casino
- The Sister Sledge performance (Grand Bal)
- Fritz Helder & The Phantoms (Sexgarage)

“It has been quite a hectic 48 hours,” says spokesperson Michel-Olivier Harding. “So the event actually kicks off on Monday now with our screening of LES CHANSONS D’AMOUR at the Théâtre de Verdure in Parc La Fontaine”.

This past Thursday, it was announced that DIvers/Cité, one of North America’s largest and most unique outdoor queer events of its kind, was denied about $155, 000.00 in federal funding programming aimed at tourism, despite meeting all eligibility requirements. Speculation continues the funding was denied in the wake of $400, 000 in Toronto Pride funding, which received harsh criticism by Conservative MP Brad Trost and led to junior minister Diane Ablonczy’s dismissal from the program’s file. The federal government continues to deny a connection between Ablonczy’s dismissal and the Toronto Pride controversy.

Divers/Cité takes places July 27 to August 2, 2009. For more information visit diverscite.org – DAK

It might come as no surprise that Montreal, a city of 350 festivals per year in its own right, also hit the headlines this week when one of its major queer cultural festivals was denied the same right to federal funding despite an equally profitable, municipal venture. Yet waking up to the news story that Montreal Pride was denied funding, I was shocked to discover that it was in fact DIvers/Cité, and not Montreal Pride that was the subject of the news story.

The originator of Pride activities in Montréal, Divers/Cité left Pride activities in the hands of the community only three years ago, creating two seperate entities: Divers/Cité, one of the largest queer, mostly outdoor festivals in North America and Célébrations de la Fierté, the organizers of Pride weekend including its Community Day and Pride Parade. With no affiliation between the two, the split immediately sent both parties back to square one on rebuilding statistical attendance records, and despite their success in maintaining huge economic spinoffs in tourism, the new Divers/cité is by no means any longer the “Pride” event touted on this week’s news, nor an “Arts” event made in other news claims.

As one of Divers/Cité’s biggest supporters and a participant in its earliest Pride marches, I can tell you the event is truly unique in North America’s cultural landscape. With some of the best DJs in the biz and fantastic outdoor stage events that are made free to the public, the event is worth every penny of its million-dollar annual budget for spectators, with a large tourism contigent being held on the Civic Holiday weekend in other parts of the country. Having more than met the requirements for tourism initiative spending that allocates almost 10 times as much funding to other major festivals on the Montreal Island, it’s certainly a strong contender for federal funding, as is Célébrations de la fierté being held in mid-August. And guess what Mr. Trost? There isn’t even a float of naked people at Divers/Cité!

Our fascination with nudity and traditional family values aside, there are significant questions Canadians are asking: should taxpayers fund pride events? Should we fund festivals at all? Where in the land of “artistic” does a festival like Divers/Cité fit in, exactly? Are the Conservatives making a right-wing zinger with a potential election in the air? And if Harper won’t make an appearance at a Pride Festival, when will his party acknowledge queers as part of Canada’s incredible [albeit falsely propagated] diversity?

In my opinion – for which this particular op-ed blog has been written – there are two minorities in Canada – the visible ones, and the invisible ones. Their cultures compose the essence of our particular brand of patriotism, their diversity part of our daily pride, not our annual pride. We recognize their celebrations at key festivals throughout the year and participate in those festivals to honour those cultures. Queers included. As journalists, we are responsible for getting our facts straight – Divers/Cité is not Pride – and as civil servants, we are responsible for creating and managing responsibly spent, intercultural programs that serve and honour not only our visible minorities, but our invisible ones.

As spectators, we want a good show, and yes Mr. Trosk, we also want to protect our kids. We may want to tell them that the naked guy, the one girating on the float, is trying to tell the world it’s okay to be different, because he spends the rest of the year having to hide that from the people around him. We may also want to add that the couple marching behind his float gets to hold hands on the street only one day a year. Or we may want to tell our kids that the group marching behind the couple has been fighting for recognition to protect their families from the same government that allegedly tries to protect all our families from harm on Pro-Life websites.

Just some random thoughts – what do YOU think?

Check out some of this week’s talent:

Toronto Pride Gala 2009
posted by Michael Pihach, Toronto, ON

Xtra.ca videographer Michael Pihach was at the Toronto Pride Gala. Check out his video report.

Watch the video:

Cali Pride…
posted by Adam Rollins, Vancouver, BC

“This is what happens… the morning after… when you don’t realize you’re being taped…”

Watch this video:

Find more videos like this on OUTtv Socialize

The HRC and Kenneth Cole present the “AWEARNESS” unisex t-shirt to support same-sex marriage. 100% of net proceeds will go directly to the HRC, the largest LGBT advocacy organization in the US.

The cotton t-shirt reads, “Those Against Gay Marriage Aren’t Thinking Straight. (Or Are They?)”??

To purchase the limited edition tee online, Click here.

To celebrate Pride, design house Kenneth Cole New York will host special events in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Dallas to coincide with local celebrations. At the special events, 20% of your purchases proceeds will also be directed to the HRC.

Be sure to shop the special nights in your town, help the economy, and, more importantly the LGBT community.

Los Angeles June 12, 2009 4-9pm Kenneth Cole New York Store, Beverly Center

New York June 26, 2009 4-9pm Kenneth Cole New York Store, Soho, 595 Broadway

Chicago June 26, 2009 4-9pm Kenneth Cole New York Store, Chicago 540 North Michigan Ave

Dallas June 26, 2009 4-8pm Kenneth Cole New York Store, Dallas North Park

San Francisco June 26, 2009 4-8pm Kenneth Cole New York Store, 166 Grant Avenue

 If me being the MC doesn’t sell you on coming down, what about seeing Jackie Beat perform at Gios on the 13th.  (http://gios.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=381&Itemid=41)

Well because Pride is around the corner all over Canada, I thought it would be neat to throw a question at you all..

What have you done lately to make yourself PROUD? Please post a answer in the comments area. Until next time,

Chrissy Dyck’s second photo was the winner of this poll and we can’t wait to see your pics from this year. Send them to us at pride@outtv.ca and we’ll run polls for the best pic from Pride events all summer long!

Pride Photo 1: Chrissy Dyck

Pride Photo 2: Chrissy Dyck

Pride Photo 3: Rob Calimond

Pride Photo 4: Rob Calimond

Pride Photo 5: Rob Calimond

Everyday is like PRIDE!!! Speaking of which, I will slowly spill the beans…The Pride committee has elected me to do a job on the day of the Pride Rally/ Parade and its a good one. Ill speak more of it closer to the date however I am completely honored and proud to be involved with something that means the world to me.  Spring is a slower time in Winnipeg, so Ive decided instead of sitting on a patio drinking gin, id use my time wisely. I begin volunteer training this week at the rainbow resource centre. A chance to give back and become and even more active member of the community. This blog combined with the movie MILK, have inspired me to use my voice and try my best to be a positive member of the LGBT community.

Time to drop the lip gloss and pick up a pen. I was also thinking of running for Mr. Gios Cares, Gios Cares is the charity portion of Gios that raises money, brings awareness and help bring support to those living with HIV/Aids . I think the chances are slim of me getting the position, but I am up to the challenges that the role would bring. Today I was also asked to help with the LGBT night a local hot spot will be having..Along with still hosting my Wednesday Trivia and my day Job, I have become one busy guy. However,  I have made a vow, from this point on I will do my best to be the greatest gay man I can, using my voice and my passion in a positive way daily…WHY? cause EVERYDAY IS LIKE PRIDE!!

Side note- I am currently obsessed with the Patsy Gallant disco hit “From Ny to LA” so so good.

I am writing this while listening to really sad songs form musicals – I finally found a man that I realy cared about and I have to let him go. It’s way too complicated but lets just say I am the other woman. I didn’t know that when we started though, so now I am ending it.

But I am clown and have to put on a hppy face right – the coolest thing I can think about reporting is that the annualk Word On the Street Festival is tommorow. I have hosted the mainstage for the last 8 years or so and this year I convinced the organzaers to throw caution to the wind and feature my gang from Bob Loblaw Queer Comedy Troupe and they said “yes!” How cool is that. An openly Queer group perfoming at a public family event.

http://www.thewordonthestreet.ca/vancouver/home.asp for more details.

If you want to see the video blogs that I made for this site but can’t upload check them out here.

http://iamdavidcjones.blogspot.com/

They were made during Pride. they are way too long but it was a busy week.

Oh – a film – that I made with the previously mentioned man is in a on-line video contest. If you like it registar and vote for it. It is in the Out There contest and is called Caught.

http://www.superu.ca/content/406

So there you have it – my first post.

I am going for a bike ride now. tah.

Chrissy Dyck’s second photo was the winner of our poll and we can’t wait to see your pics from this year. Send them to us at pride@outtv.ca and we’ll run polls for the best pic from Pride events all summer long!

Pride Photo 1: Chrissy Dyck

Pride Photo 2: Chrissy Dyck

Pride Photo 3: Rob Calimond

Pride Photo 4: Rob Calimond

Pride Photo 5: Rob Calimond

Pride Photo 6: Rob Calimond

Happy Pride everyone! We hit Ottawa’s Capital Pride this weekend and captured tons of great pics! We will be posting them up this week for you to vote on your favorite one! This year’s winner will become OUTtv’s poster picture for Capital Pride ’09!

CHECK BACK this Wednesday for a good look at the pictures to vote from!

Cheers!

Pride in the nations capital is here! This year’s theme is Live Your Pride embodies the spiritual mantra and philosophy of living in the present. Embracing the moments that we experience that inspire and invigorate our lives both individually and collectively. Live and do so to the fullest is very much part of the festivities set to take stage throughout the week and weekend (Aug 18th – 24th.) That being said, many of the events hosted are contributing their proceeds to local charities. One more way pride festivities continues to make a difference in people’s lives. The Capital Pride events are so plentiful that you are best to follow an itinerary of sorts, even if you end up being side tracked by the countless hotties running and cycling along the Canal. No joke. The nation’s capital region not only boasts majestic scenery, overlooking the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River, Gatineau Park and incredible historic sites and architecture, Canada’s finest museums and galleries and endless choices of restaurants, bars and coffee venues, it also boasts exceptionally beautiful people!

Here is a snap shot of what you can expect at this year’s festivities! Our camera’s will be rolling around the city capturing all your moments of Pride.

For more on what’s happening in the nation’s capital, go to Capital Pride 2008:

http://www.capitalpride.ca/2008/events/pride2008.php

Montreal Pride Celebrations are kicking off Aug.14-17 and OUTtv Ambassador Rob Logie, freshly returned from last weeks Divers/City festival, reveals the best way to enjoy Montreal and why he loves VIA so much.  This is a four part blog series so be sure to check out this blog everday for the complete story!       

Blog 1 of 4.

When approached to write an article of an experience going to and being in Montreal, I jumped at the chance … I just love Montreal.  The catch, leave my car behind and hop aboard VIA, VIA 1 specifically.   My car is my lifeline to friends, family and the exploration of near and far.  How was I to manage without my trusted companion?   I was to smile, pack, hop in a cab and go.  Downtown Toronto to downtown Montreal in around 5 hours … sounded like the simplicity I deserved AND riding in first class? Fabulous!

One quick cab ride to union station found me sitting in the Panorama Lounge, VIA 1’s exclusive lounge.  Boarding was a snap and I was tickled pink to find that I had oodles of leg room, such a rarity in most any type of public transport.  Stunning scenery, lots of cocktails and a fantastic meal found me nuzzled in first class comfort and falling into a nice deep sleep … something I would need for the remainder of the weekend. 

Another quick cab ride from the train station to the hotel, a quick turnaround shower, one minor fashion crisis and I was ready for cocktails chez naughtiness.  I always find it easy to slide into the fast pace of a weekend away with a starter drink or two at the local watering hole featuring the less than clothed type of entertainment.  I highly suggest Stock Bar on rue Sainte-Catherine (www.stockbar.ca) as a thoroughly enjoyable way to start a weekend!

With so many great bars in Montreal, the choice is not easy.  I followed a few  folks I had met previously and was told I would not regret spending some time at SKY (www.complexsky.com).   Beautiful people, one fantastic roof top patio and copious amounts of beverages led me to dancing the remainder of the night away with a couple of boys who really helped with my practice of frenching … errr, I mean speaking French. Until tomorrow….

From Salsa dancing in the park to Le Grand Bal Disco with Deborah Cox there are tonnes of shows planned for both inside and outside to keep you entertained. Be on the lookout for your first peek at our COVERguy finalists!  They will be at the parade and hanging out at various events.

Check out the Montréal Divers/Cité website here for the whole schedule of events (if you prefer English change the language at the top right)

Who’s going?

To coincide with the festivities, a new Island-wide queer website launched created by AIDS Vancouver Islands (AVI), Mens Wellness Program and Queer Youth Development Program along with a few community volunteers. This new site will connect the community with events and resources on the Island. Find out more at www.queerislandwest.ca