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Building a Community
Strengthening the
City
Queer West Fest - History:
2001- 2005 - The 6th Annual Parkdale Pride at the Community Health Centre began at 4pm after a few musical and BBQ technicalities. It was a fun filled afternoon of activities for everyone, drawing the biggest crowd yet. There were performances by Tantrum, Broadband, Last Nerve Productions, and I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble along with musical interludes by DJ Triple-X. Of course the great BBQ, salads (courtesy of The Drake Hotel) and pastries (courtesy of Dufflet's) were a hit again this year, along with the excellent array of raffle prizes donated by local area business owners. Pride Ride 2005 On June 11th a dozen riders left Sunnyside Cafe shortly after 10 A.M. on their way to the Eastern Beaches, as part of the 1st annual Pride Ride. Despite the plus 30 degree temps, we all made it. Once we reached our destination in the Beaches we had a great lunch on the boardwalk to fuel up for our ride back west. This was the first Pride Ride and from all accounts from those in attendance it was a great success, with many looking forward to the next one on the second weekend of July. It was leisurely paced with us arriving back in the Parkdale area shortly before 3pm, an hour before Parkdale Pride began. A good time was had by all in attendance. Triple-X Productions info@themarsbar.com ( 416-551-1709)
The Parkdale Pride Party took place on Saturday June 10th 2006 , coordinated by the Gay West Community Network, and Triple-X Productions, proudly sponsored by Xtra, and queerplanet. It was full day of activities planned starting with the annual Pride Ride at noon followed by a Community Fair with over 20 participating organizations from 7 PM to 9 M at Rhino Bar (1249 Queen St West). Mix and Mingle Community Fair provided an opportunity to visit various community organizations offering services such as travel, health, lifestyle, sports, literature and more. Complimentary snacks and refreshments were available, and there was no admission fee to this all-ages portion of the evening. Then there was "DJ an Hour full on dance party until 3AM ~ six DJ's over 6 hours! The Dance Party began at 9 PM and was aimed at bringing various members of the community together to celebrate the beginning of summer, and act as a prelude to the Toronto Pride festivities. Various DJ's were spinning throughout the night with an open format ~ BOOTY SHAKIN, FOOT TAPPIN TUNES FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. On June 15, 2007 the Parkdale Pride Committee changed the name to Queer West Fest. Triple-X Productions info@themarsbar.com ( 416-551-1709)
Queer West Fest Photo Gallery queerwestfesttoronto.buzznet.com
About 2nd annual Queer West Fest - 2007
The Gay West Community Network Inc., a not-for-profit
organization and Triple-X
Productions teamed up in 2007 to bring Toronto its second alternative
for queer arts, culture and music. Having successfully coordinated several
queer focused events over the past several years, 2007 marks the first
year that a series of events are being presented over the course of one
week as part of the new Queer West Fest. Which is about cultural diversity
as well as sexual diversity (diverse cité).
In 2007 "Everyone, including the media seems quite interested...and positive about what we are doing with Queer West Fest...I think changing the name (dropping the word Pride from festival name) really peaked alot of interest and was likely one of the best things the QWF Committee has done." said Bryen Dunn, festival organizer.
"Not that Pride is a new phenomenon on this side of town. There have been pride festivals here, for the last ten years. Last year, it was called Parkdale Pride Party, a name that made it sound like it was limited to that neighbourhood, Said Dunn. Unlike Pride Toronto, "Ours is not a city festival, it's a community festival," says Dunn. There's no parade down Queen St. Rather, there are events at a handful of the many queer and queer-friendly businesses in the neighbourhood. Dunn says the use of the word "queer" in the festival's name is not just a play on the word "Queen." It's also a more apt way of describing the neighbourhood, its businesses and its Pride.
While the Church-Wellesley Village is more male dominated, Queen West is much more mixed," says Dunn. "Not just that, we have more lesbians here. We also mean queer in the sense that things are much more odd here."Queer West Fest is also a way to get more people to realize that there is indeed a second gay village to be explored all year long. "We really want to bring attention to Queen West," says Dunn. "We want people to come out to our part of town and see that there are other options." (source: Xtra newspaper) Queer West Fest - Triple-X Productions info@themarsbar.com ( 416-551-1709)
The June 15 to 22, 2007 events ranged from a community fair, bike ride, and guest speaker presentation to the pulsating opening and closing night parties. These events are open and welcoming to individuals of all genders and sexualities.
Opening Night Party - June 15 - Rhino Bar & Grill -1249 Queer Street West-9 pm to 2 am - $5 Cover. Come out and celebrate all things cool with performances, bands and DJ's to keep the beat going all night long -Hosted by the fabulous Rikki Reeves
Mix and Mingle Community Fair - June 16 - Drake Hotel - 1150 Queer Street West-3 pm-5 pm – Free Admission. Featuring over a dozen queer and queer-friendly organizations from within the west end of the city - services ranged from travel, health, lifestyle, sports, literature and more
Pride Ride ( 3rd annual) - June 17-Lakeshore ( westend Sunnyside to the Eastern Beaches) with the Gay West Bicycle Club from 12 noon to 4 pm RSVP / Info: gwbikeclub@hotmail.com.
Java Knights Schmooze Fest - June 19 - Gladstone Hotel - 1214 Queer Street West - 7pm-9 pm with an after-party until 11 pm Guest Speaker former editor of fab magazine Steven Bereznai, author of Gay and Single...Forever? 10 Things Every Gay Guy Looking for Love (and Not Finding It) Needs to Know.
Closing Night Party - Knotty Knights - June 22- Lot 16, 1136 Queen St W, Friday 10 pm -2 am , No Cover 80's Dance Party - "The Only Gay in the Village" DJ Triple-X spins new wave, punk, and junk from the 80's
Plus 30 related events happening thoughout the Queer West Village, Toronto Ontario from June 16 to 24, 2007
What makes our Queer West Toronto Festivals successful year after
year, is that we are constantly reinventing ourselves, because
we are outrageous and positively revolutionary. In 2007 Queer West Fest
added new venues and city locations, more performers, vendors, community
organizations and new affiliated events.
Out
Traveler (Summer issue Cool Canada, 2007)
a division of PlanetOut Publishing Inc. an American gay travel magazine
had this to say about " Gay Toronto" These days the Queer West
in Parkdale and "Queer Street West," as a section of Queen Street
is now dubbed, Sizzle!
Toronto is home to North America's third largest GLBTQ population.
The population of metropolitan Toronto is 5,555,912
(Canada Census 2006) at 10% that means an estimated 555,000 gays and
lesbians, live, work and play here. For queers in Toronto
that means, sophisticated urban scenes, edgy eclectic arts and culture
communities, fabulous dining. An inviting place to celebrate love in
all its diverse and divine forms.
See Queer West Fest Photo albums for 2007:Buzznet
Queer West Fest, is volunteer-driven alternative-event in the Toronto Parkdale area, shifting the focus from Church/Wellesley to a more grassroots approach. It ran between Friday June 15 and 22, 2007, it featured opening and closing parties, community fair, Pride parade on bicycles and events bringing artists and queer-friendly businesses together. It's the 2nd largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender festival in the City of Toronto, during Pride week.
Testimonal - "Pride Toronto has become too commercialized. It's all corporate now. It's all about the big floats. It's the muscle boys in tiny clothes. It's become an opportunity for the city to make money. Pride Toronto has got away from what it use to be about, a celebration of diversity. Queer West Fest gives me an opportunity to be who I am.'' says singer Shean Carmichael of Ra:tio, one of the bands that played at Queer West Fest's June 15, 2007opening-night party.(source: NOW Magazine)
Testimonal - Rikki Reeves, a drag queen in the west village community for 12 years, says festivals like Queer West Fest are becoming more important because they're less gay-focused and more about entertainment and diversity. "It's a big change when an art gallery that is queer-focused isn't even run by a gay couple, but by a straight person," she says. Reeves was the MC for Opening QWF Night Party, June 15th., 2007 (source: NOW Magazine)
Testimonal - "Thank you Michael (Paré, founder of Queer West Fest). I wish you all the very best with your festivities this year! Happy Pride!" Rudy Ticzon Community and Policy Advisor, Equity Initiatives The Law Society of Upper Canada.
Testimonal - Rui Pires, Gay Men's Community Education Coordinator, AIDS Committee of Toronto "Congratulations Gay West! It was a wonderful series of community events and we were pleased to be there. I was also very glad to see fab Magazine there. Paul (Gallant), fab's Editor-in-chief, lives in little Portugal, Lansdowne neighbourhood. I think Queer West Fest, will be bigger next year - but maybe a patio or outdoor event might be better? Anyways thanks again - I think the Lambda Survey people, were also quite happy with the nine surveys they got."
2007 News and Blog stories about Queer West Fest: Toronto's Xtra gay and lesbian newspaper, fab magazine, About magazine,Calgary's Outlooks magazine, EYE Weekly and NOW's entertainment magazine.Press Reviews
Queer West Fest would like to thank the following businesses, sponsors, suppliers and friends:
Official Sponsors: Xtra Newspaper, Drake Hotel, Gladstone Hotel, Lot 16 Bar, Gay West Community Network, Rhino's Bar & Grill,Triple X Productions, In-kind Contributing Sponsors: Living Dandelion, Babbleweb, Come As You Are, ACT Toronto, Bush Boy Adventures, Wild Women Expeditions, Toronto Vegetarian Association, Christos Metropolitan Community Church, (Rebel Access Art Coasters) recessrebelsdesign@yahoo.ca , Canadian Lesbian & Gay Archives, People With AIDS Foundation, The Waterside Inn (Port Credit, Ontario),Gay West Bicycle Club, About Magazine, Ivar Design & Hosting, blogTO, Youthline(glbt), fab Magazine and Nanopod: hybrid studio
Mission Statement
Gay West Community Network Inc., a non-for-profit organization believes that providing a safe and nurturing environment for individuals, groups and organizations is the key to keeping our community alive and vibrant. It is our goal to foster individual empowerment and to give everyone a better sense of the queer community spirit in Toronto's queer west village neighbourhoods. We do this by organizing and sponsoring community activities and by increasing public awareness and understanding of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and queer lives. Gay West welcomes the participation of all, regardless of age, creed, gender, gender identification, HIV status, national origin, physical, mental or developmental ability, race, religion or sexual orientation. Only by standing together can we make a difference.
The Queer Village in Toronto West is comprised of four diverse neighbourhoods, Dupont, High Park, Trinity Bellwoods and Parkdale (founded in 1878) considered by many to be the heart of the village. Our queer Toronto residents say, “We’re here. We’re Queer and We're Waiting For You!" We’re celebrating ourselves, no matter what the rest of you think.” | Definition of Queer
Gay West Community "Network" has been around for nearly 10 years promoting queer events and happenings, as well as the multitude of queer-friendly establishments that are in the west end of Toronto. Parkdale/Trinity Bellwoods is a place to party, as well as a place to call home. For wonderful sightseeing tour in the heart of the Queer West a place where all orientations feel welcome Take a walk in the Queer West Toronto
Queer West Fest Guide - Overview 2008 | Overview 2007 | 2007 Official Events | | Related Events 2007 | Press Reviews | Sponsors
