PRIDE 2007, come on girls!
If you're planning on coming to Vancouver this Summer, Pride week is the time to come and as a bonus, the weather is usually hot and sunny for at least some of the week's events. Vancouver has a lot of events and a huge parade, this year it will all take place July 28 – August 5.
Check for updates and/or sign up for the newsletter here:
http://www.vancouverpride.ca/index.cfm
Keep in mind that the Parade itself will occur downtown Sunday August 5th and for the girls in particular, Saturday August 4th is the East Side Pride Festival, more commonly known as the Dykemarch, in Grandview Park on Commercial Drive - this is a free event in the heart of the city's largest lesbian community and everyone is welcome - live music, food, and lots of topless ladies are the landscape of this event.
BOOK YOUR HOTEL NOW! Tens of thousands of people travel to Vancouver for Pride week and so the hotels book up quickly. Here are some recommendations for more affordable, clean, non-backpacker style hotels (i.e. no curfew, your own washroom/restroom, but not any or many frills).
The Comfort Inn downtown is central to many Pride events, walking distance to most, and close to popular gay dance clubs and pubs. There are two drinking establishments in this hotel but bear in mind that it tends to be a super straight frat-like crowd that frequents here so you are better to wander a little further down Davie Street to find the truly queer friendly places (check back for more on this later). The rooms are pretty basic but clean and comfortable and cheaper than the downtown hotels generally considered "gay" hotels:
http://www.comfortinndowntown.com/
For information and links to hotels considered to be gay friendly or gay oriented hotels, check here:
http://www.vancouver.com/community/gay_vancouver/index.htm
All the hotels endorsed here are central and some of them, particularly the Opus, market themselves as gay accommodations all year round but they are not particularly cheap and some are already all booked for the Parade weekend.
Check my next blog entry for specific women's Pride events and club nights to look out for.
See you soon!
