Queer West Fest Toronto

Building a Community
Strengthening the City

EVERYTHING ABOUT QUEER WEST TORONTO:

History of Gay Toronto and the Birth of Queer West Village

Media Inquiries, Images, and Interview Requests: Call - Michael Paré- 416-551-1709

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.

The 1st Annual Queer West Fest took place on Saturday June 10th 2006 , coordinated by the Gay West Community Network, 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, Parkdale). 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.

About 2nd annual Queer West Fest - 2007

Queer West Fest - Toronto logo The Gay West Community Network Inc., a not-for-profit organization is bringing Toronto its second Non Pride Festival for queer arts, culture and music. Having successfully coordinated several LGBTTIQ2S queer focused events over the past ten years, 2007 marks the first year that a series of events are being presented over the course of 10 days, 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, volunteer 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)

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

Cover of Summer 2007 Out Traveler 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: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 Michel (Paré, founder of Queer West). 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."

The Queer West Village 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.

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