JULY 16
Nothing says the launch of Pride season better than Gay Day at Playland on the PNE grounds.
This year the event takes place July 16 and participants are encouraged to wear red to show their Pride while they ride the roller coaster, eat cotton candy and try their hand at carnival games. And what would Gay Day be without performers, particularly of the drag kind. Watch for Conni Smudge, Hope Diamond, Symone, Joan-E, Kiki Lawhore, Foxy DeRossi, Isolde N Barron and Danni L. The Black Parade Kings, DJ Jason DJ Riot and the Bobbers will provide the music to help Gay Dayers get their groove on. Gay Day runs from noon to 8 p.m.
Meanwhile on July 23 one of my favourite Pride events, Picnic in the Park, takes place at Brockton Oval in Stanley Park. This is one of the most family-and cute dog-friendly Pride events each year. New this year is a children's area featuring the Hat Lady. And heads up, this mention gives you more than a week's notice to practise your high-heel toss. I didn't see any mention of the annual drag race, but it's always a favourite competition at the picnic, even if some of the guys struggle to get their bras done up.
JULY 19
The Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»screening of the documentary film Breathtaking takes place July 19 at 7 p.m. at Vancity Theatre, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»International Film Screening, 1181 Seymour.
The film documents the loss of filmmaker Kathleen Mullen's father to asbestos-related cancer. Mullen's grief leads her to examine this dangerous product she says is so entwined in Canada's history and economy that we can't stop mining or profiting from it.
Mullen says after she began working on the film, she realized the story was much more far reaching than her own and that everyone she spoke to about it had a story of their own loss and grief. Mullen uses clips of her dying father's testimony, family photos and Super 8 home movies as narrative for her investigative journey, which takes her from her family's home in B.C. to Quebec, India and Detroit. Entrance is by donation.
JULY 23
Britannia Community Centre is hosting the Draw Down Finale, July 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the courtyard outside the Commercial Drive centre. The event is part of the city's Summer of Ten Thousand Drawings initiative and includes drop-in drawing workshops, an outdoor art gallery, face painting, music and more. For more information call 6047185800 or check out vancouverdrawdown.com.
JULY 24
To be honest, the idea of trying to sustain more than one loving relationship at a time sounds like it would take a lot more energy than I've got to offer, but hats off to the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Polyamory group for making the effort. The group is offering a forum called Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Polyamory 101 featuring guest speaker Allena Gabosch of the Seattle-based Centre for Sex Positive Culture. Gabosch will present The Good, the Bad and the Poly at a workshop at the Railway Club, 579 Dunsmuir, July 24 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Twitter @sthomas10
