Friday, June 14

Rainbow Roundtable - Cranium & Cards Games Night

Ready for a good old fashioned games night with a group for LGBTQ2S older adults and elders that are ready to kick some butt. Prizes, goodies and lots of fun so turn off the TV and join in.

6:30—9pm. Mezzanine Room, Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews. $5 drop in. Cranium & Cards

Out of the Hat

A musical revue featuring songs from Broadway musicals, the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. Hear musical medleys performed by a large cast of local talented performers and watch dancers from the Maple Ridge Dance Circle.

7:30pm. Open Door Church, 11391 Dartford St, Maple Ridge. Tickets $10--$15 and info at Out Of The Hat

Saturday, June 15

West End Car Free Day 

Love the West End? Come celebrate the 12th annual West End Car Free Day on Denman Street from Robson to Davie, where they will be bringing together local business owners, community organizations, artists and volunteers to seed the idea of building a better, more liveable city with music stages, art displays, food, and activities for people of all ages. Organized by the non-profit Car Free Vancouver Society and major involvement by Spencer Chandra Herbert this is always a great event.

12—7pm. Denman St. Free event. West End Car Free Day

Vancouver Rubbermen

Who doesn’t like a good afternoon of rubber play? VRM members bring rubber bondage equipment, latex rubber gear, toys, masks, hoods, latex clothing, and lots of lube to try at their monthly meets. This allows the new and curious try out the clothing and the varieties of rubber experiences that are possible in a safe environment provided by the more experienced and seasoned rubbermen in the group. If you've ever been curious about wearing latex rubber or trying out rubber bondage, this is a great opportunity to give it a go! They are behind new sliding privacy doors in the big back room at Pumpjack...it's secluded, the vacuum noise is muted.... we think that's all that needs to be said.... a more private room full of rubbermen!

2-5pm. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. Vancouver Rubbermen

1181 Summer Kick Off Party With DJ Duo Diana Boss

If 1181 is about to celebrate summer with a tropical themed dance party paradise you can bet just seeing those hotties behind the bar in summer gear are well worth the trip, everything else is just topping on the sundae. I have it on good authority Todd will be working in just a sarong so count me in! Summer inspired drink specials will be served all night long while 1181's fave DJ Duo, Diana Boss, are back behind the decks to get your body moving on the dance-floor.

10pm—3am. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. Summer Kick Off

Sunday, June 16

Soda Pop

Bringing back the good ole days of a T Dance, who better to spin than a good ole DJ who was at the original T Dances. Gingerbear will have you itching to get on the dancefloor and when you need a rest Mina Mercury will do her amazing performances for you. Kudos to Todd Hoye for having Summer posters that actually make me feel like sitting and having summer drinks! Check them out.

3—7pm. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. MIna Mercury

Commercial Drag: Yeehaw

For those of you too young to remember this is based on Hee Haw the hillbilly version of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In – look it up kids. Saddle up yer horse and git ready for a rootin' tootin’ real howdy doodie affair! We are putting the try in Country. Your giddy up partners for the evening are Dust and Dj Girl Fieri (Sarah Jean)try! We are blessed to have the YeeHaw princess herself Anne Xiety (Kevin Learning) visitin’ from Calgary.

8pm—12am. The London Pub, 700 Main St. $5 at the door. Commercial Drag

Monday, June 17

Queer Arts Festival

On June 28, 2019, we’ll be 50 years from Stonewall. On XXX day month year (do you know when?) we’ll be fifty long, slow revolutions of the earth around the sun since the partial decriminalization of sodomy in Canada (for some people, some of the time, in some places… ) In fifty years, so much has changed. For some people, some of the time, in some places. Art sparked Stonewall: the queers who fought back that day were gathered to mourn the death of Judy Garland.  QAF rEvolution gathers together artists who push and transgress; engaging with our annals of struggle and erasure to revamp the artefacts of the past and turn them to our own ends: art as the evolution of the revolution. Viewed as one of the top 5 queer arts and cultural festivals in the world and it is here for you to enjoy until Friday, June 28. Check out the website for events, plays, venues and tickets. Queer Arts Festival

Tuesday, June 18

Art Party! @ QAF 2019: Gala Opening Reception

Join in for the Queer Arts Festival’s opening Art Party! where art and conviviality converge at the grand opening. Art Party! marks the opening night of QAF’s curated exhibition, Relational rEvolutions, curated by Elwood Jimmy; the Pride in Art Community Exhibition; and is the kickoff for the incredible exhibitions, performances, and Satellite Academy outreach initiatives that make up the Queer Arts Festival. Their opening night galas are one of Vancouver’s best attended visual arts events, making this a party you don’t want to miss!

7pm. The Roundhouse, 181 Roundhouse Mews. Free admission. Art Party

Thursday, June 20

Almost Solstice LOUD PICNIC

Celebrate the warmer longer days and our Community by joining for Networking 'al fresco' at David Lam Park. A little more casual than normal, but we are rarely formal! Everyone gets to introduce themselves as always, and say what they are looking for, maybe give a testimonial about another LOUD member. Look for the LOUD pink umbrellas and the pop up tents. Some chairs/blankets will be provided, consider bringing something. There will be a catered box lunch by Emelle's Catering. A sandwich, salad and a personal pie. Mmmm Megan, there’s pie.

12—2:30pm. David Lam Park Fountain, 1300 Pacific Blvd. Tickets $26--$31 and more info at LOUD Picnic

Project Empty Bowl

The premise of Empty Bowls is profoundly simple and has been repeated thousands of times by small groups and large. A few people get together to create bowls. They invite guests, as many as they have bowls, to share a simple meal and to donate a small sum, which provides food to those in need. In return, guests take home their empty bowl as a reminder of the continuing hunger within their own community. Project Empty Bowl has become an annual signature fundraising event for A Loving Spoonful. The sole purpose of Project Empty Bowl is to raise funds so that A Loving Spoonful can continue delivering free meals and nutritional counselling & education to men, woman and children fighting HIV/AIDS.

6:30pm. Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, 1180 West Hastings St. Tickets $100 and info at Project Empty Bowl

World Refugee Day - Drag Fundraiser

1181 is hosting a drag show curated by local non-profit organization 'Rainbow Refugee' to help raise funds to support their cause. Hosted by 1181’s own home-grown Queen, Venice, with performances by Alma Bitches, Madam Lola, Bratpack, Nadya Business and more. Please come out to show your support & of course to see some AMAZING DRAG! Please consider showing your support w/ an online donation at Donations

8:30—11pm. 1181, 1181 Davie St. World Refugee Day Fundraiser

Friday, June 21

Cultivate: Artist Support Circles for Indigi- and other Queers

Two events that create space for a community of practice amongst queer and 2Spirit artists. 4-5pm is open to indigenous queer, trans and 2spirit folks. 5-6pm open to all queer and Trans identified. Artists from all disciplines encouraged to attend. Need a creative sounding board? Struggling to overcome artistic isolation? Join other artists just like to to chat about goals, process, and accountability and just about anything else that we can support one another through. Share work, challenges, ask for advice, soak up the energy.

4pm. Queer Arts festival, 268 Keefer St. Cultivate

Clubhouse Patio Sessions

I’m always ready for a good patio session: drinking I mean. For one season ~ no more no less ~ we get to enjoy the glorious parking lot oasis that is the Clubhouse's back yard, by the sunny light of the afternoon, pre-party style! Lounge, flirt, shoot some hoops, and then stick around as the sun sets on the city's sickest queer parties coming your way!! Nestled amongst blackberry brambles, auto shops (hmmm sweaty, muscled auto shop workers is what I am reading into this), and the very heart of Mount Pleasant, come take advantage of this rare gem of a patio,

6—10pm. The Clubhouse, 238 East 1st Ave. Clubhouse Patio Session

The Queen in Me @ QAF 2019

The Queen in Me explores conventional opera roles and their reliance on gender and sex stereotypes and explodes traditional expectations of demure muses and femme fatales by turning opera on its head. Combining Mozart’s, the Queen of the Night with original text and classical opera, the performance serves as a critique of the opera industry and a reimagining of what it could be. Created and performed by Teiya Kasahara and directed by Andrea Donaldson. Runs tonight and Saturday.

7pm. Roundhouse Performance Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews. Tickets free--$30 and info at The Queen in Me

Saturday, June 22

East Side Pride 2019

Celebrate Pride on the East Side for the annual free and all-ages East Side Pride Festival. Throw down a picnic blanket and take in an array of diverse performances, visit our Community Market with over 30 vendors and Community Partners, and grab a bite to eat at a food truck. East Side Pride is directly beside a large playground and mini water park and features several activities for children. Families welcome!

11am—6pm. Grandview Park, 1657 Charles St. East Side Pride

LEVEL UP! Queer Hip Hop & Rap Dance Party

Become your best self on the dance floor at Vancouver's only monthly queer hip hop, rap and r&b dance party! DJ sets by Softieshan and ZAM ZAM with performances by South Eastt and Muther Gearth. Remember the patio is open early so you can relax in the sun and have a few bevvies before the fun begins.

6—10pm patio. 10pm—2am dance party. The Clubhouse, 238 East 1st Ave. Cover $12 begins at 10pm. Level Up

Mixed Messages: A Drag Variety Show

Welcome to the first edition of Mixed Messages: A Drag Variety Show at Cafe Deux Soleil. An evening of drag with a special twist! Come watch as our roster of guests wow you with their incredible talents, hidden or otherwise. Live singing? Reading poetry? Literally playing with fire. Anything could happen at this wild and wacky show! With your hosts Tara Beladi (Jack Foster) and Dank Sinatra (Elizabeth Holliday)

8—11pm. Café Deux Soleils, 2096 Commercial Dr. Suggested donation $5. Mixed Messages

All Genders + All Bodies Clothing Share for Youth & Adults

BIMPOC & LGBT2QIA+ welcome! Our House is an identity-affirming space for people who identify as Black, Indigenous, Multiracial, People of Colour, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Two Spirit, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual/Agender, plus many more identities! Please bring yourself, and any gently-used clothing you’d like to swap—or just bring yourself. We’re unable to accept clothing donations without making advance arrangements. Please contact Jenny if you’d like to donate plus-size clothing in advance: jvanenckevort@mpnh.org   or call 604.879.8208. Everyone is encouraged to wear shorts and a top to make it easy to try things on quickly. We’ll also have change areas set up, and folks are welcome to use the single-stall all-gender restrooms, or multi-stall gendered washrooms to try on clothing.

9am—1pm. Mount Pleasant Neighborhood House, 800 East Broadway St. Suggested donation $10. Clothing Share

Sunday, June 23

Greek Day

Some wait all year for this day and unless you have been you need to be a Greek convert. No Syd this is not Steamworks type of Greek Day. This is a celebration of all things Greek: food, entertainment, liquor, beer all day long. Greek Day on Broadway is the largest one day Greek festival in Vancouver and the grand finale event in a month long Greek Heritage Festival. Presented by the Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC, the festival aims to share the rich Greek culture which spans 2500 years of history, including over 100 years of social and cultural contributions to the City of Vancouver. A five block stretch on Broadway measuring almost one kilometer, from McDonald to Blenheim, is closed off to traffic to make room for a world of delicious Greek food and drink, market vendors, entertainment, and live music offering a laid back, yet lively Greek atmosphere. This award winning festival presents valued community partners the opportunity to exhibit products, promote travel experiences, or showcase their brand to a massive captive consumer audience.

11am—9pm. Broadway & MacDonald St. Greek Day

Two Spirit, Dyke, Queer & Trans Community Town Hall

Coalition Against Trans Antagonism & the Vancouver Dyke March are teaming up to hold an important community discussion. Join us to debrief, reflect on, and strategize with regards to last year's and this year's Vancouver Dyke March and the TERF/SWERF fascist violence and oppression. (Folks are welcome to bring cis/het allies.)

6—9:30pm. Brittania Community Centre, 1655 William St. Two Spirit, Dyke, Queer & Trans Community Town Hall

Tuesday, June 25

Pride Bowling

Wear your BEST Pride outfit and come on down and knock back some drinks, bowl and knock down some pins and have an Awesome evening with the Empire of the Peace Arch.

6:30—9:30pm. Dell Lanes & Lounge, 10576 King George Blvd. $10 includes rentals. Pride Bowling

Re-writing Gay Men's Lives

A talk by Walt Odets & Danny Ramadan about gay lives, trauma, identity and healing, followed by a group discussion. Walt will focus on the idea of "the homosexual" and its influence on self-identities, lives and relationships.

7—9pm. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. Rewriting Gay Men's Lives

In Advance

Sometimes there are gay events that are so popular they sell out weeks before you may even hear about them. If there is an event like that which gives back to a good cause, then I will be posting one of them here, so you have a chance to get your tickets before they are gone.

Monday, July 1

CruiseyT Canada Day Fireworks Cruise

CruiseyT brings back the Canada Day Fireworks Cruise! Join for the gayest Canada Day party where we will soak up the sun, enjoy a front row view of the Fireworks at Canada Place and hear the best music provided by DJs Del Stamp & Darren Kerr. Even better than the dazzling fireworks are the performances by Bratpack, yes Jane Smoker, Gia Metric and Kendall Gender will be on board to strut their stuff. Don’t wait as this ALWAYS sells out.

6:30—11:30pm. Harbour Cruises, 501 Denman St. Tickets $45 and info at CruiseyT Fireworks Cruise

Pride is fast approaching so if you have any events you would like listed for pride please let me know at tomsnewlistings@outlook.com don’t wait until the last minute or you will be missed.

Written by
Tom Coleman

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