In 2009, as rainbow stickers began popping up in windows across town, the community started rumbling about the need for a pride festival.
According to Abner Brown, many in the LGBTQ community wanted to see a more open and connected community, and thought that a pride festival 鈥渨ould kind of open up the doors to show other LGTBQ people that Jasper was a really accepting place to be.鈥�
Lynn Wannop, who at the time sat on the board of directors of HIV West Yellowhead, approached the organization鈥檚 executive director, Andrea Quick, and floated the idea.
Soon, Wannop was canvassing local businesses in town for draw prizes, and by the spring of 2010 the first-ever Japer Pride Weekend kicked off.
That year the event was little more than a party held at the Downstream Restaurant and Lounge, with between 40-60 people in attendance.
Brown, who worked for OUT Jasper organizing the event for years, said the whole thing came together in a 鈥渨hirlwind鈥� over a couple of months. Organizers had no idea how successful it would be.
Quick has similar memories.
鈥淭he first year鈥檚 always challenging. There鈥檚 lots of little kinks to work out, and money, and organizing,鈥� she said.
Giggling at the memory, she recalled the team鈥檚 disappointment at the posters they made for the event.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 feel they were gay enough,鈥� she said with a laugh. Despite the questionable sexuality of their promotional material, however, the event garnered an incredibly positive response from those who attended.
Brown remembers walking into the Downstream the night of the party and being blown away.
鈥淛ust seeing the place packed with locals鈥攚hich was just a great thing to see鈥攂ut also meeting 30 or 40 people from out of town that were just so over the moon about having this here and encouraging us to have it again, was just amazing,鈥� he said.
Wannop remembered that 鈥渢here were more prizes than people鈥� to give them to, because businesses had been so supportive with their donations.
With the positive response coming from their first event, organizers were excited to see what they could do with a whole year of planning.
In 2011 HIV West Yellowhead secured funding to support OUT Jasper鈥攁n LGBTQ advocacy group鈥攁nd together the two agencies organized the Jasper Pride Weekend.
That year they brought in the drag performers Guys in Disguise, and the energy the group brought to the Saturday night gala brought the festival up a notch.
Since the beginning, the festival has grown in size each and every year. In fact, for last year鈥檚 event, hundreds of people turned up for what has become a weekend-long celebration.
Quick said that in the festival鈥檚 short history it has garnered a reputation as one of the best and most unique pride festivals in the area.
And while every year the party brings the LGBTQ community to town enforce, Brown and others said its impact stretches well beyond the weekend.
鈥淪ince that first event鈥攕ince that first pride鈥攜ou see couples come here and you see them holding hands and you see them kissing: that never existed before,鈥� Quick explained.
Wannop and Brown both agreed, saying that they鈥檝e noticed a significant change in the town鈥檚 overall acceptance of the LGBTQ community. Gay people feel safer here now, and it鈥檚 easier to come out than it ever has been in Jasper. Brown explained, in five years Jasper has become a safe space for the LGBTQ community.
Quick remembered one pride celebration, late in the evening at the gala party.
鈥淚t was getting pretty late in the night, and there was this big dance party. And all of a sudden I looked around and pretty much people were topless,鈥� she said. 鈥淪eeing that take place I remember thinking, 鈥榊ou鈥檝e got to feel really safe to express your body like that.鈥欌��
For most of Pride Weekend鈥檚 life, HIV West Yellowhead managed all of its financial and administrative aspects. But, last year, the Jasper Pride Festival Society formed, and it has now taken on all of those duties.
This was an important step in the festival鈥檚 history, because it put the festival鈥檚 organization and administration firmly in the hands of the local LGBTQ community. The society is a grassroots movement, and unlike OUT Jasper, doesn鈥檛 operate under the umbrella of another organization.
鈥淭hat to me was the end goal, and the fact that it was achieved in under five years is amazing,鈥� said Brown.
With the Jasper Pride Festival Society taking the reins this year, and the added gravitas of the festival鈥檚 five-year anniversary, the ante has certainly been upped for this year鈥檚 Pride Weekend.
Between the society鈥檚 heavy promotion and the snowballing momentum of the event, this year鈥檚 festival will undoubtedly be the biggest yet.
As well as moving from the Jasper Activity Centre to the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, this year will feature a guided snowshoe excursion to Maligne Lake, a dinner theatre featuring selections from Calgary鈥檚 Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival, and even a morning yoga session.
And on March 22, Mr. Gay Canada will be in town, participating in the ski competitions at Marmot Basin. That event will see competitors dressed in their wildest jungle-themed costumes as they compete in both speed and style.
Following the outdoor adventures of the day, that night the Guys in Disguise will return once again to perform during the weekend鈥檚 signature event, the Pride Gala.
鈥淚鈥檓 so excited for this year,鈥� Wannop said with a smile, 鈥渋f there鈥檚 one thing Jasper knows how to do it鈥檚 put on a drag show.鈥�
The Jasper Pride Weekend is March 21鈥�23. To see a schedule of events or to buy tickets for any of the events, visit www.jasperpride.ca.
聽Trevor Nichols
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