It’s time to let your flag fly and blanket Blue Mountain with every colour of the rainbow! Building on the success of the inaugural Rainbow Ski Weekend, this year’s 2nd annual promises to be an even bigger celebration of inclusion and LGBTQ pride with interactive activities and events on and off the mountain. “It’s a winter pride celebration like no other in Ontario”, says Andrew Siegwart, President of the Blue Mountain Village Association, “and an important one for our local Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. But on top of that, it’s an incredibly fun weekend at Blue Mountain.”

Join this LGBTQ celebration of winter pride on and off the mountain with an official flag raising ceremony, interactive outdoor entertainment, DJs, parties, drag performances, après, and more! All are welcome!

It starts with the flag raising Friday afternoon. All are welcome to join local politicians, business leaders, community groups and members of the LGBTQ community to officially launch the festival. The party continues with Proud FM’s DJ Alejo spinning live in the Events Plaza from 2-6pm. Later that night, mix and mingle  – and maybe spot some special guests – at the Traffic Light-themed Welcome Party at Copper Blues Bar & Grill.

Play all day.

Join the mountain tour with Andrew Siegwart, President of the Blue Mountain Village Association, on Saturday morning, grab your skis or board and hit the slopes to explore 43 trails of exciting mountain terrain. Best price lift tickets will be available online a couple of weeks before the event. Between runs, or when you’re done, enjoy a Saturday afternoon packed with special events and awesome photo-ops including the remarkable Slalom Rainbow Run shooting plumes of colour in the air and down the Mountain, interactive groove dancing, and the main stage drag show featuring Xtacy Love, Farra N Hyte, Katinka Kature, Baby Bel Bel, and more Toronto Queens warming up the winter weather. Be sure to keep your camera handy!

 Party into the night.

Wind down from your brilliant day and gear up for a big night at the Hat & Helmet Après Party at Twist Martini Lounge. The Toronto Queens return and get hot, hot, hot after their earlier family-friendly shows. After the après, grab some dinner at over a dozen Village restaurants and head to the After Dark Party at SMASH Niteclub. A special guest DJ, more Drag Queens, and a chance to get your groove on and keep it on into the wee hours. This is THE bash of the festival.

Who wants to groove and go home?

Nobody. So plan to stay. Blue Mountain Resort is offering a special Rainbow Ski Weekend lodging package including a 2 night stay and party tickets! Discounted lift tickets are available for hotel guests. There’s even a deal on transportation to the resort with AUC Tours from Toronto.

Pamper Yourself

iwa Spa is making it easier to pamper yourself with their Rainbow Facial Pacakage and their special yoga sessions! View the schedule below and call 705-293-2492 to book!
Don’t miss this chance to celebrate diversity and show the distinct winter pride of the LGBTQ community.

Click the following links for a complete event schedule , buy party tickets , and book your transportation and accommodations.

About the Village:

Between the foot of the Niagara Escarpment’s scenic Blue Mountains and the rugged shores and crystal-clear waters of Georgian Bay, the picturesque Blue Mountain Village is Southern Ontario’s premiere four-season destination.  A cobblestoned pedestrian village framed by turn-of-the-century Ontario architecture, the Village offers a wide variety of family accommodations, activities and attractions including over 50 unique shops and restaurants, mountaintop skating, Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster, 43 ski and snowboard trails, hotels with outdoor hot tubs, and much more. An incredible natural retreat, the Village offers as much – or as little – as you’d like to do.

www.bluemountainvillage.ca

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist based in Toronto with a focus on tourism, lifestyle, entertainment and community issues. He has written several travel articles and has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He’s willing to take on any assignments of interest, attend parties with free booze, listen to rants, and travel the world in search of the great unknown. He’s eager to discover the new, remember the past, and look into the future.