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Pride Toronto volunteer anticipating What I’m Doing At Pride This Year!

DJ Blackcat back to rock your block Pride Toronto!

Words of Pride daily news!

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Lesbianism, true love, and relentless beats: Fagget Fairys!

Jazz Musician, Broadway Diva, Actor Writer and Stand-Up Comic: Lea DeLaria!

Words of Pride daily news!

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Pride Toronto announces All That Jazz @ Queen’s Park!

Go completely wild! The red hot Dragonette is today’s artist!

GGT blogger Maha set host the Village Stage!

Mandy Goodhandy and Todd Klinck reach a goal – Pride Toronto’s New Grand Marshal’s!

Trans programming at Pride Toronto 2010: Transverse, Trans March and Trans-Form-Nation!

This year for the first time, Pride Toronto will present an entire segment devoted to the music of Jazz. On Sunday July 4^th at Queens Park pride-goers will be able to relax with the family and get ballroom dancing lessons from Rainbow Ballroom, listen to the silken sounds of the John Alcorn Quintet, discover transgender artist/activist Jennifer Leitham and catch Lea DeLaria, a featured artist on the Newport Jazz Festival Tour.

“We are really excited about this new program! It creates a relaxing atmosphere in a luscious green space with an incredible line up of artists both emerging and established,” says Mary Zondanos, Arts and Entertainment Manager at Pride Toronto.

The day begins interactively with GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS FOR QUEERS: WHAT ‘OUT’ IS ABOUT’s YogaPalooza – Peace Love & Pride. The event will be a celebration of freedom and conscious connection with queers around the world. This is a Kriya for Peace and Human Rights, and representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records are expected to be on hand as participants attempt to reach a world record.

It’s also possible to get ballroom dance lessons the Rainbow Ballroom, says Zondanos. “This great organization is a working group governed by consensus. They welcome people from all backgrounds and respect individual life choices.”

The John Alcorn Quintet hits the stage for some mid-afternoon seduction. Alcorn, 2009 National Jazz Award nominee, has been tearing up the scene since the mid-nineties and performing all over the world. He has earned a prestigious Dora Mavor Moore Award, a National Jazz Award for Best Jazz Vocals, a featured performance in many films, the Toronto International Film Festival, the Genie Awards, the Juno Awards, the Gemini Awards, a series of sold out performances at the Royal Ontario Museum and was hand picked by the Art Gallery of Ontario to launch their popular jazz series.

Transgender artist/activist Jennifer Leitham continues the afternoon with her stellar jazz musicianship. After reaching the pinnacle of success as a Jazz musician, transgender artist/activist Jennifer Leitham publicly transitioned in 2001 while a member of Doc Severinsen’s Orchestra. Her feature on the TLC documentary “Sex Change” brought her music and story to a much wider audience, skyrocketing her to global notoriety. Jennifer has ben a featured artist at many of the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals and clubs and at one time performed alongside the legendary Mel Tormé.

Lea Delaria has distinguished herself in every form of entertainment that she touches. Jazz Musician, Broadway Diva, Actor Writer and Stand-Up Comic, makes it plain to see why Ben Brantley of the New York Times describes Lea as “every inch a star.” As a comedian, she was the first openly gay comic to appear on national television in the United States (Arsenio Hall, 1993). Her work is as unique as it is varied and Zondanos says she can’t wait for her to take the stage and close out the first year of this fabulous new program.

Words Of Pride daily news!

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She’s the thing to make you go hmmn! Vocalist Zelma Davis!

Pride Toronto Award winners blogged, recognized and applauded!

Gender renegade Buck Angel: featured Artist of the Day!

Lifetime Acheivment award winner, Kyle Rae.

Ladies and Gentlemen, your Pride Toronto Awards 2010 winners!

Arts and Culture
Robert Sirman

In recognition of his leadership on the award-winning redevelopment of the National Ballet School and the Radio City condo towers, home to hundreds (if not thousands) of LGBT community members, the City of Toronto named Sirman Lane in his honour.

Community Service
Michelle Walker

Michelle Walker is both a virtual- and real-world activist. Founder of the Vancouver Dyke March, she is also creator of superdyke.com, a 20,000-member strong social networking site. Michelle, who operates and maintains the website as a labour of love, has provided refuge and community for many rural and Trans Canadians who often feel isolated and alienated.

Human Rights
Neill Kernohan

Neill Kernohan, an Ontario civil servant, is the driving force behind the creation of the Ontario Public Service Pride Network’s “Positive Space” Campaign. A unique public sector initiative in Canada, the Campaign provides a supportive space for Ontario government employees of all sexual orientations and gender identities and fosters a more inclusive public service environment. Neill’s commitment of personal time and energy to the initiative has contributed to a new awareness of LGBT issues at every level of the provincial government.

Lifetime Achievement
Kyle Rae

Kyle, the first openly gay City of Toronto councillor, has been a tireless advocate of queer rights for almost 30 years. For Torontonians, his name is synonymous with the struggle for LGBT rights that began with Toronto’s first lesbian and gay pride celebration in 1981 and has included the fight to amend the Ontario Human Rights Code to include sexual orientation. Kyle has also campaigned for the provision of employer-sponsored same-sex partner benefits.

Sports
PRIDE House

If there were an Olympic category for queer awareness, PRIDE House would take home the gold. PRIDE House, a pavilion at the 2010 Whistler Olympic and Paralympics Games, provided a venue for LGBT athletes, the community and allies to celebrate diversity through sport. The initiative provided LGBT athletes the opportunity to expose the hidden homophobia that characterizes the sports world and the issues that would otherwise remain invisible – and unacknowledged.

Youth Leadership
The Unity Conference

For some years now, The Unity Conference has united and supported youth and educators across Ontario in creating gay-straight alliances in their schools. The success of the organization demonstrates the need for school-based queer-friendly organizations that provide safe, positive spaces to explore the diversity of queer and Trans experiences.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

The awards will be presented at the 6th Annual Gala & Awards ceremony, to be held on Wednesday, June 30, 2010, at The Carlu, located at 444 Yonge St.

KELIS IS HERE!

Pride Toronto and Prism present KELIS at Aqua Pride!

The first girl to scream on the track…

KELIS  hits Toronto on Saturday, July 3  2010.

Alterna-Queer, Pride Toronto’s alternative music program, goes big this year with programming at three different locations.

“I’m super excited to be part of the Alterna-Queer growth, and of having the opportunity to showcase both local artists and international talent from around the world.” says Bryen Dunn, Programming Coordinator for Pride Toronto.

The Alterna-Queer Warm-Up Party happens in Toronto’s West Queen West arts district, taking over the Great Hall for the evening of Friday July 2nd. Performances include-Vancouver based new romantic upstart, Lovers Love Haters, and Debora Cohen from The Organ’s newest project. This is also the first opportunity to catch Denmark’s Faggett Fairys for an intimate experience. These gals have ridden the pony to great success in Europe, and it’s now time for North America to get a taste. Rounding out this stellar line up is MEN, featuring the awesomely talented JD Samson (Le Tigre). And of course, the Alterna-Queer warm up wouldn’t be complete without its resident, DJ Triple-X.

On Saturday July 3rd Alterna-Queer takes over the South Stage on Church Street just north of Carlton. Local hip-hop duo Roney & Nani, performance diva Ryan G. Hinds, and electro darling Coko Galore kick off the afternoon in style. Vancouver’s Stink Mitt make a rare appearance strutting white trash rhythms, followed by Toronto’s loudest rock and roll machine Crackpuppy. Later we get our groove on with Toronto’s indie dance favourites Woodhands, followed by an encore performance by MEN. Josie Cotton and her band hit Toronto for their first ever Canadian gig, and ask us and Johnny if we’re queer. Finally, Mistress Barbara LIVE W/ Girls On A Ducati hits a Pride Toronto stage with a special performance and closing out is Fagget Fairys, the electronic queens of Europe and the people behind the hugely successful Trailer Park festival and the ArtRebels festival in Denmark.

Sunday July 4^th, Alterna-Queer happens in sunny Alexander Parkette with a solid line up of Toronto’s finest. Starting the day off is sweet sensation duo Airheart, followed by the brassy, in-yer-face, politically incorrect antics of Adolf Glitter and the dark-rave sounds of The Torrent. Tomboyfriend get down with as many performers they can cram on stage while Señor Kasio rock out, and Heavy Filth keep the dirt flying loud and low. People You Know show us how youngings can rawk the party, before Diamond Rings glams up the stage in an amazing solo show followed by labelmate Private Life, featuring the one and only Katie Stelmanis.

Pride Toronto is hoping festival goers will come early and stay late. “We’ve got you covered with a triple shot of Alterna-Queer love,” says Dunn.

For a full schedule of events, including dates, times and locations, keep checking www.pridetoronto.com.

This year, Toronto’s Pride Week will include the second Women’s Golf Day as part of the annual Pride festival. The event was a first in 2009, and 2010 is likely to build on the success of the day.

“As part of our efforts to reach out to the broader queer community in Toronto, we felt that a golf day was an event that would appeal to the more mature, suburban population,” says Tracey Sandilands, Executive Director of Pride Toronto.

Scheduled for Wednesday 30^th June, the Golf Day will be held at the Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, and will be an 18-hole scramble format. Hosted once again by popular comedian and entertainer Maggie Cassella, players will tee off at 1 pm for a day filled with games, prizes and a silent auction, topped off with a three course dinner. A Mini Cooper is up for grabs for the Hole-in-One Contest.

“Not only is this is a great addition to our festival program, an added benefit is that all profits go to funding Pride Toronto’s Dyke Program,” says Sandilands.

This year’s Dyke Day has expanded from being the ‘Dyke Day Afternoon’ with programming that takes place after the annual Dyke March, to a full day of entertainment for the ever-increasing crowds.

But that doesn’t mean that only women are welcome, adds Sandilands. “Our Dyke March and Dyke Day events are not only for women, but have grown over the years to include people that are bisexual, transgender and intersex. By the same token, the Women’s Golf Day is for women and their friends – whoever they are.”

To register for the golf day, please visit www.pridetoronto.com and select Festival/Golf Day. Cost per player is $150 including golf, cart, dinner, swag bag and prizes. Dinner only costs $50.

This is the time of year that our Pride Office begins to get a certain buzz about it.

Our community has begun its 60 Day Countdown …

Which means that we are less than 2 months away from our 30^th Anniversary celebrations.

Our Pride Guide elves are hard at work.

Our first Entertainment Line-up has just been launched out to the media world.

And our phone has begun to ring off the hook as volunteers, businesses, and Toronto-at-large begin to prepare.

60….59….58.…57….