Norquay is excited to be hosting its 2nd annual pride ski day:   We are proud to be inclusive and respectful of the 2SLGBTQIA+ all season long; and are very excited to host a day full of events on the hill as part of our partnership with Banff Pride. We will be welcoming ski and snowboarders of all abilities to take to the slopes and celebrate this vibrant community. 

Need a lift ticket?  Show us your Pride at the ticket window and save!

Drag Race 

Where speed takes a backseat to style! 

Join us for a fun filled race with old and new friends in the spirit of Pride!  The colorful race will be a two-run GS held on Cascade with the finish line in the front of the day lodge. 

• Skiers & Boarders welcome, spectators encouraged!

• Trophies & Medals awarded in the Lone Pine

Where: Racers to meet at the top of the Cascade chair.

When: 1pm start 

Cost: Free

How to register: Sign up in Guest Services before midday.

Snow Hosted Mountain Tours

Let us show you our playground! Join us for a free guided ski or snowboard tour of our favorite spots on the hill. A great way to meet other Pride shredders while exploring our gorgeous mountain slopes. Tours will range from green runs to expert. 

When: 10am & 1pm. 

Price: Free with a season pass or lift ticket.

Where: Meet our guides outside of the main lodge at the tour start times.

Registration: Not required, just show up!

S’more the Merrier

Cozy up by a blazing fire, share stories & enjoy some delicious smores. 

When: 3:00pm

Where: Beside the Cascade Lodge

Cost: Free with a season pass or lift ticket.

SAVE THE DATE! Beers For Queers returns the first Wednesday of each month at Banff Ave Brewing Co ‘s Tap Room (ground floor). 8pm-Late.

SAVE THE DATE! Beers For Queers returns Wednesday March 6 at Banff Ave Brewing Co ‘s Tap Room (ground floor). 8pm-Late.

"Summit Connection: Queer Culture in Mountain Communities"

A POW Canada Bow Valley Chapter Event in collaboration with Banff Pride presented by Lux Cinema. All proceeds support Banff Pride and POW Canada.

Join us for a Screening of 'People Like Us' a short film that explores queer identity in mountain towns and snow sports.

Director Ryan Collins explores the implications of being a gay man in Revelstoke, BC while seeking to frame a larger picture of queer life in a mountain small-town. The film follows Ryan as he connects with the queer community of Revelstoke, seeking

their opinions and stories and relationship with mountain culture in the hope of building perspective into what it is like to be queer in mountain towns.

A special community screening, including a panel discussion featuring film participants and local queer voices.

📆 Event Details:

Date: February, 29th 2024

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Lux Cinema, Banff AB

Admission:

$13.99 / Adult

$10.99 / Kids & Seniors

All proceeds go to Banff Pride and Protect Our Winters Canada.

#POWCanadaBowValley #ProtectOurWinters 🌨️🌲

The Banff Pride Society is hosting its Annual General Meeting at 7pm on February 22, 2024. Join us as we welcome new members, elect new directors and look forward to an exciting year ahead!

Membership is available for purchase at BanffPride.ca

The agenda and other document pertaining to the AGM will be distributed to members on February 15, 2024.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Interested in joining the Board of Directors?

With River Lachlan, Easton West and Mason Jenkins

A live show where Juice Boxx and Synthia Kiss talk about all things drag because they're SEMI - qualified to speak on it.

Are you looking to express yourself through makeup? Join us for a collaboration between makeup artist Sean Anthony and Banff Pride, as we come together to host an empowering makeup class that gives back to the community.

Event Overview:

Sean Anthony, a seasoned makeup expert, will impart pro-tips and techniques, fostering self-confidence and self-expression in a safe and welcoming environment.

Event Highlights:

• Makeup class led by Sean Anthony.

• Generous goody bags with full-sized products.

• Opportunity to learn and express in a supportive and inclusive setting.

Giving Back:

All event proceeds will be donated to Rainbow Railroad.

Participation Fee:
$50.00 per person 
*payment processed onsite

Date and Time:
October 14, 2023 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Join us for an unforgettable event that celebrates inclusivity, self-expression, and community support! Let's make a difference together.

Proudly sponsored by,

Mac Cosmetics, One Size, Benefit, Milk Makeup, Urban Decay, Color Pop, Tarte Haus Labs, Vichy, Sheglam

Discover a diverse array of artworks, crafts, and unique creations by talented 2SLGBTQ+ artists.

From paintings to sculptures, jewellry to fashion, explore our vibrant marketplace at historic Mason Hall and support local creatives.

Take a walk on the other side and explore Banff’s hidden history on a ghost walk. From haunted hotels to ghost towns, Banff is full of things that go bump in the night.

Discover the ghostly past of Banff on an evening stroll through the paranormal with stories of haunted landmarks, unsolved mysteries and terrifying encounters at hotels. Hear some of the most spine-tingling stories as we stroll along the historic streets, led by a knowledgeable interpretive guide on this unique tour of Banff.

Who knows, you may even meet a ghost yourself!

Tour begins are 7:00pm outside of Mason Hall and finishes at Banff Ave Brewery. The tour can accommodate up to 20 guests. Registration required.

With Raymond Brown

An open discussion speaking on two spirit identity, ANTIRACISM, decolonizing queerness, mental health and substance use.

Raymond "RJ" Johnson-Brown (they/them)

A changemaker, conversationalist, and creative professional transforming systems for over 13 years. Whether on the set of "1 Queen 5 Queers" or advocating for Indigenous Resurgence, Raymond seeks to facilitate a courageous dialogue on what is possible. As a two-spirit, queer, ethnic anomaly, Raymond is motivated by opportunities to meaningfully engage with communities served. Guided by their lived experience in foster care and breaking the cycle of generations of mental health/addictions, Raymond pushes communities to move from transactional relationships, to transformational relationships.

This event is for everyone that identifies as QUEER.

WHAT'S ECSTATIC DANCE & SOUND HEALING?

In essence, this workshop offering combines Ecstatic movement and Sound healing to bring participants into a journey through their body and mind.

Ecstatic dance is a free movement dance created by the Greeks to connect the human body with the Divine Spirit. Allowing the body to move in an organic way with no expectations, judgements or structure, creating a healing journey. The music follows a wave form, starting slow, moving to a peak, and descending into stillness.

It is a moving meditation with the goal to still the mind while moving the body. Like in yoga postures, when the individual put the entire focus and attention into moving the body the thoughts just naturally drift away. In ancient Latin American communities the music played by the shamans was used actively to support and connect the soul of the participants with the spirit world.

Sound healing has been used by ancient civilisations since the beginning of time. This primordial teaching is based on the premise that all living matter vibrates at specific frequencies and that external sounds significantly change the vibration of different objects - such as our body.

The sounds of nature alone instantly provides you a sense of immediate connection, creating an opportunity to release shields and masks we wear in our everyday life. In this state of deep meditation, participants will be able to access parts of the self that have been hidden, and give awareness and love to a part of the self you haven’t explored yet.

Connect to the source of everything and to yourself, through the guidance of the drums, instruments and your heartbeat. Through sound healing, it’s an opportunity to discover the hidden power that exists inside us.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND THIS EVENT?

This is a safe space for everyone to connect with themselves and let go from judgments and stereotypes from themselves and others. Not everyone has access to spaces of vulnerability and connection

During this event, participants will have the opportunity to dive into a deep journey into their bodies and consciousness. Being able to move it freely to release energy and then to be guided in a deep sound meditation, followed by the use of shamanic instruments to bring the participant to a pure state of presence and relaxation.

REGISTER & SAVE YOUR SPOT

Join Hugo Lopes Medicina on this Ecstatic dance + Sound Healing journey if you feel like there are sorts of energy that needs to be acknowledged in a safe space to be moved and released so there is space for new outcomes to our lives.

WHO is HUGO LOPES - Hugo Lopes is a Yoga instructor, Sound Therapist and Facilitator of Men's work that has been living in the Bow Valley for the past four years. Hugo believes that the power of sacred and safe containers for people to connect in vulnerability and community in order to get to know more about themselves.

He believes that we are all able to connect to the source of everything and to yourself, through the guidance of the sounds, movement and your heartbeat. His goal is to create welcoming spaces for all and to help his students to find the hidden power that exists inside them.

Banff Pride is so proud and honoured to offer up the stage once again to our community as a safe space for folx to tell their stories, speak their truths, and share their talents. These have come to be some of our favourite nights in Banff!

Our Mic is open to all your hidden talents!

Read Poetry! Belt a ballad! Unleash your inner Drag Queen! Make us giggle with stand up!

Have a Question? Message our legendary host Aurora Borin on Instagram

Queer Current Events:

The queer community has been experiencing collective trauma related to our lived identities in western society. Recently, drag bans, all ages drag shows, and anti-trans legislation have been sweeping through the United States and are affecting our communities everywhere. This session, taught by Victoria Bucholtz will move through these current events through a historical lens and share how these events are allowing us to see history repeating itself.

Speaker:

Victoria Bucholtz holds a doctorate in History and Gender Theory from the University of Calgary. She is an instructor at Mount Royal University in Calgary. She also works in the EDI field (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) for the Queer Education Foundation as a consultant and facilitator. An avid mountaineer, performer, and dog mom, Victoria is a passionate advocate for rights for the gender and sexually diverse community.

Do you want to learn about symbiotic relationships in nature with expert interpretive guide Travis Rider? 

Do you just like being outside with a bunch of other 2SLGBTQIA+ folks? 

SIGN UP FOR THIS BANFF PRIDE SPONSORED HIKE!  

WHEN: WEDNESDAY, Oct 11 | MEET AT 10AM
WHERE: WE’LL MEET At the lower parking lot on St. Julien Road

Makaylah (they/them), and their wife, Fia-Lynn (she/her) are a queer local couple in the Bow Valley and have two local businesses, Frankie D's Donuts & Scale Naturally. They are passionate advocates for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and strongly believe in the power of representation, inclusivity and building empathy based connection.

Makaylah & Fia-Lynn will be hosting an open discussion "Donut Make Assumptions: Queer Pride & Intersectionality" and will be bringing together a diverse panel to discuss the intersectionality of queer pride with other aspects of identity that overlap, and are often misunderstood and judged.

Come to this open discussion to enjoy Frankie D's Donuts and hear personal experiences and stories from queer Bow Valley community members.

About Frankie D's Donuts

Frankie D's Donuts was started in 2020 by business partners and wives, Makaylah Rogers (they/them) & Fia-Lynn Crandall (she/her) and is named after their goofy labradoodle, Frankie D. They set out to spread awareness about mental health and give their community something to look forward to during difficult periods of lockdowns and isolation. 

Makaylah & Fia-Lynn are open about their struggles with mental illness, and they saw that others started talking more openly about their struggles too. At their Donut Day pickups, they write special messages inside each box to encourage their customers to be kind to themselves. Community members come to pick up Donuts, and connect with each other through conversation, laughter, and sometimes a few tears.

Frankie D, Makaylah & Fia-Lynn care deeply about creating space for people to feel seen, heard, valued and celebrated for who they are. This is what inspired Makaylah & Fia-Lynn to begin developing more guided experiences for people to form deeper connections and feel less alone in the world. 

With Ren Lavergne, Janet Wong , Charlotte Kruszewski and Sarah Jackson

Sharing the perspective of a queer rock guide.

• How working with 2SLGBTQ+ groups has changed the way I guide

• What I have learned from these outings,

• How we can use the outdoors to build queer & trans community

• Queer representation in the industry.

Ren (they/them)

Ren is an ACMG Rock Guide who is passionate about climbing, teaching, and connecting with community at the crag. They believe in the power of affinity spaces and take joy in collaborating with local grassroots organizations to offer outdoor rock-climbing courses that are accessible, supportive and welcoming. Ren is a queer non-binary white settler and they live in Canmore, AB.

Janet Wong (they/them)
Janet is an ACMG Toprope Rock Climbing Instructor who has a passion for climbing with tools and shredding down mountains. They have participated in creating inclusive spaces and access for climbing in the past couple of years in different capacities, as a participant, organiser, mentor, recreationalist and instructor. Known for tooling around on rock upside down as well as climbing remote icefalls, Janet is queer and non-binary with Chinese immigrant parents and is based in Canmore.

Charlotte Kruszewski (They/Them)

Charlotte grew up climbing, beginning with a bookshelf and quickly moving onto solid walls at their local gym. This start in the outdoor recreation industry led them to become a whitewater canoe guide, bicycle mechanic, rock climbing competition belayer, the EDI Chair with the Alpine Club of Canada Edmonton Section, an Arc’Teryx Brand ambassador, and a co-founder of the Queer Climbing Collective in Edmonton. Charlotte is a huge fan of the outdoors. They are a white settler and live in Amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on treaty 6 territory.

Sarah Jackson (she/they)

Sarah is a climber, skier, and hiker, currently based a few blocks away on Treaty 7 territory. After university in an effort to better understand her Ukrainian-Canadian settler identity, the land she was raised on, and responsibility related to the space that we take up, she spent two years walking 12,000 kilometres coast-to-coast on the Trans Canada Trail. 

The journey fueled a deep interest in the intersection of outdoor pursuit with inclusive and diverse community engagement, and in 2018 (alongside her friends and climbing partners) Sarah co-founded The Crush Collective, a non-profit working to remove barriers to access, foster safe and welcoming community, and celebrate representation in the outdoors. More than anything, she loves sharing absolute psych for all things outside with everyone and anyone interested.

Between Two Trans: An engaging discussion about trans issues between local educator and musician Aurora Borin and Banff Pride Board Director River Lachlan.

Aurora is a queer, geek, pianist, Wiccan priestess, gamer, animal lover, hobby cook, extreme Taurus, and avid reader. She reads, hikes, eats charcuterie, drinks wine and scotch, and imagines new ways to live the dreams of her childhood. Aurora has been advocating for and educating about 2SLGBTQIA+ folks for 9 years. She is the founder of bow Valley DEI, is a regular public speaker in the Bow Valley, and is a successful career musician and collaborative pianist. She has been described lovely, impactful, engaging, and a force of nature.

River (he/they) is a non-binary trans man living in the Bow Valley over the past 6 years. Throughout his time, River has been devoted to creating safe spaces for queer people to be themselves through outreach and engagement in the community. They celebrate their accomplishment of starting the first queer discussion group at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in 2019, leading him to currently sit as a Board Director on the Banff Pride Society. He fosters connection with members in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community by volunteering, participating, and performing in many pride events. River strives to challenge binary ways of thinking, and this is ignited by the array of spaces and connections that they have made in the Bow Valley.