Enza’s guide to pride
Photo courtesy of Prism Toronto
The Arctic Babylon tour (with a polar ice setting) hits Kool Haus Saturday night.
Just like the hot weather these past few days, today, Pride Week festivities get even hotter.
Need a break from too much pink in the gay village? … Then go west.
The Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Ave, will have you seeing the production of the Paris Letter by Jon Robin Baitz.
This performing arts production brings together the juicy gay tale of sex, power and money that intertwines a tragic game of financial and moral betrayal between two friends.
Get it while it’s hot. The show debuts tonight, 8p.m., and runs way to June 30. Visit www.tarragontheatre.comor call 416-531-1827 for tickets and showtime.
Further west, talk about the party that’s going to sizzle. Hosted at the Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. W., LIBIDO is the party that will get you caught up on all that’s naughty. A fundraiser for Pride Toronto’s Dyke March Committee, the event encompasses a night of seduction and scandal.
The night features musical performances by Faith Nolan, spoken word performances by Zoe Whittal, Lisa Foad and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. And while drag performances round out the night, the famed sexy burlesque troupe, Skin Tight Outta Sight will top it off.
A kissing booth provided by the Toronto Women’s Bathhouse Committee will get your libido revved up even higher. At the end of the night, it’s one big dancing party. Tickets available at Good for Her, 175 Harbord St. Call 416.588.0900.
Moving east…the AIDS Candlelight vigil remembers those who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS.
Organized by AIDS service organizations, the somber evening event will be marked with performances by Juno winner Billy Newton Davis and the sing group Singing Out.
Allens Gardens, located on the south side of Carlton Street, between Jarvis and Sherbourne, is the setting with ceremonies starting at 9 p.m. Call 416-392-6878 ext 312.
Get ready now, this is where things really heat up. It’s Prism Toronto’s opening night of four full nights of hop ’til you drop dance parties.
“Toronto’s Pride is the largest in North America with over a million people,” says Prism Toronto organizer Darren Bryant. “And for those people coming into town, every night there’s going to be something to do. It’s a power-packed weekend.”
The debut party, Suga Pops at Fly Nightclub, 8 Gloucester St., has drag queens doing dance divas in a show that promises to take you far back to the ’70s.
Friday, the party moves to Kool Haus, 132 Queens Quay E., where it’s down to basic training with the Boot Camp party.
Come Saturday, it’s the ultimate water party, Aqua, at the Sunnyside Pavilion, 1755 Lakeshore Blvd. East. This afternoon fete will have its fair share of skinny-dipping hot-tees with water guns and hoses flowing.
Saturday night it’s back to Kool Haus where things cool down even more in a polar ice setting with the Arctic Babylon tour.
“Where it’s 30 degrees outside, we’re going to have it snowing inside,” says Bryant. “We recommend people wear white outfits.”
The four-day party ends Sunday night with the Revival party at the Guvernment, 132 Queens Quay E.
“There’s going to be close to 3,000 people,” says Bryant. “It’s the last rah of the weekend.”
The parties run all night, starting as early as 11 p.m. and run as late as the early morning hours.
Have a good time!
