The first local Queer Prom will kick off Pride Month this June to celebrate and bring together youth in and around Airdrie.
Together with the BGC Airdrie Club, the Airdrie Pride Society is in the middle of planning the inaugural event, which is open to all students in grades 9 to 12 on June 4.
“Queer Prom is essentially going to be as the name describes – a prom-like dance with lots of music and fun and activities,” explained Taylor Stevens, Airdrie Pride’s community engagement director.
“Hopefully, there will be a photo booth as well and a chance for people to connect with their community and have some fun while dancing to some really good songs.”
The event specifically invites LGBTQ2S+ youth from in and around Airdrie to have the chance to be their authentic selves in a safe space surrounded by a supportive community.
Stevens added she hopes the event reaffirms there is a place in Airdrie for these youth, and they don’t have to leave their community to find like-minded people or participate in events like this.
She explained the idea for Queer Prom came up at an Airdrie Pride Society board meeting as they were brainstorming ways to reconnect the community since COVID-19 kept most people at home for the past two years.
Their theme for Pride Month this June is ‘re-ignite community’.
“And so we thought this would be a really good event to kind of kick off June and a way to bring our youth together,” Stevens said. “This is a really good opportunity to make new friends and connect with old ones.”
Over the years, Airdrie Pride and BGC Airdrie have formed a great relationship and they have offered to host and help out with the event. Airdrie Pride’s Pride Youth Social Movement (PRYSM) event is also hosted by BGC Airdrie.
“When we were thinking of places or buildings to host, BGC really just popped into our minds first as a great space,” Stevens said. “They have a lot of connections already with the youth in Airdrie and it just fits together perfectly.”
Airdrie’s second annual Pride Festival is also being planned currently for June 18 in Nose Creek Regional Park. Vendors can register a booth for the festival via eventbrite, linked on the Airdrie Pride website.
Queer Prom will take place at the BGC Airdrie headquarters at the Ron Ebbesen Arena on June 4. Tickets will be available via eventbrite on the Airdrie Pride website as of May 1.
To help out or sponsor the event, people are encouraged to reach out to Stevens at [email protected]
