25th Annual Whistler Pride and Ski Festival Kicks Off January 22

By Kendell Yan

Shake off the winter blues as the bears (and others) come out of hibernation at the 25th annual Whistler Pride celebration! Whether you’re a dancing queen, a ski bunny, or a fire-side cub, there’s something for everyone under the LGBTQ2+ spectrum, including all-ages fun.

For each day of the festival, Whistler pride will host a complimentary guided ski/snowboard at both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains from 10am-12pm. Skiing/snowboarding will be followed by a 2-hour lunch period at either the Roundhouse lodge for Whistler mountain, or the Glacier Creek lodge for Blackcomb mountain. This is a great opportunity to get out and enjoy the skiing offered at Whistler with members of the community, local and international!

Every day of the pride festival also features an Après Ski social, hosted at a variety of locales in the Whistler Village. The event is an opportunity for everyone in Whistler to come together to recount their day’s adventures on the hills or otherwise, and to meet old and new friends over some libations.  The first Après Ski will be hosted at the CABN at the host hotel Aava from 3pm-6pm. Cocktails served by celebrity bartender Ryan Steele.

Here are a few of the main events:

Tuesday, January 24th:

Charity Ski Race
Blackcomb Mountain
10:00-11:30am

Race down the GMC racecourse on Blackcomb with speed and style and show off some tricky tricks to raise funds for Safe n Sound Squamish. Safe n Sound’s mission is to “Celebrate and honour lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer + citizens, their families and allies, through awareness, education, visibility, and resources.”

S’NO HO’S – A Drag Extravaganza Extraordinaire
The CABN – Aava Whistler – 4005 Whistler Way
9:00pm-12:00am

An all-inclusive evening of fun, frivolity, and most importantly, drag! Hosted by Conni Smudge and Carlotta Gurl.

Wednesday, January 25th:

Snow Landing Starring Pam Ann
Whistler Conference Centre – 2010 Whistler Way
7:00-10:00pm

International celebrity Airhostess Pam Ann lands in Whistler for a night of unforgettable gut-busting humour. Pam is the alter-ego of Australian comedian-writer-producer Caroline Reid. Pre-boarding at 7pm, show at 8pm. Followed by a meet n greet after party at the CABN from 10pm-12pm.

Thursday, January 26th:

SPLASH Pool Party
Meadow Park Sports Centre – 8625 HWY 99
10:00pm-2:00am

Indoor pool party with non-stop hits spinning by DJ Pacifico. Bring a swimsuit and get soaking wet while you whet your appetite with Finlandia cocktails. Free shuttle to and from the Aava hotel running every 30 minutes from 9:30pm.

Friday, January 27th:

Whistler Pride Ski Out and March
Mid Station on Olympic run on Whistler Mountain
Starts at 3:30pm

Whistler’s 7th annual pride march begins from Mid Station on Whistler Mountain as skiers hoist aloft the larger than life pride flag while slaloming down the mountain to the village where they greet pedestrians and continue the march to the Whistler Olympic plaza. A cascade of colour, a dazzling display of pride, loud and proud as always.

Pride Movie Night
Whistler Public Library – 4329 Main street
7:00-9:00pm

All ages LGBTQ2+ film night with OUTtv and the Whistler Public Library. Bring the whole family!

Saturday, January 28th:

SASHAY: A Benefit for the Foundation of Hope
The CABN – Aava Whistler – 4005 Whistler Way
8:00pm-12:00am

pre-SNOWBALL25 party with all door proceeds going to The Foundation of Hope and coat check donations going to the Rainbow Refugee Committee. DJ Smoothie and Phenomenon playing sounds to dance to, a photo booth, and dancing performances.

SNOWBALL25 – The Main Event
Whistler Conference Centre – 4010 Whistler Way
10:00pm-4:00am

The weekend culminates in a massive final night celebration of Winter Pride at the conference centre. Big sounds, mesmerizing visuals, and international DJs The Cube Guys. Chill-Out space provided by HiM.

For a full list of daily events, and more information regarding the services provided at Whistler Pride, please visit gaywhistler.com

What: Whistler Pride 2017
Where: Various venues in the Whistler Village
When: January 22-29, 2017
Why: Pride isn’t only reserved for the sunshine months in the big cities. Partake in the values of the all-inclusive rainbow and show your winter pride in Whistler! Skiing, dancing, live music, culinary delights, comedy, and a pool party to boot!
Tickets: Full-week pass starting at $389, Weekend pass (Thurs-Sat) starting at $209, Après Pass starting at $109, individual tickets available at the door or online at gaywhistler.com.

Kendell Yan is a queer, second-generation POC who navigates the hyphen of mixed ethnicity LGBTQ2+ living in Vancouver. Kendell has a penchant for drag Queens and Kings that borders on obsession, and he favours events that encourage free expression, inclusivity, and love in all flavours.

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