Has a week spent celebrating love, diversity, inclusion, and community ever sounded better? Pride Week starts today and runs through September 6, and Calgary Pride has done an incredible job of reimagining the usual festivities in light of 2020’s very unusual circumstances. #OurPride events will be happening virtually throughout Pride Week, including live performances, workshops, and interviews. Programming will be streamed via a variety of platforms, including the Calgary Pride 2020 app, so you can take your pick of ways to take it all in. (Quick PSA: the app also includes the #OurPride Spotify playlist, which will get you all kinds of fired up to celebrate.) You can find more Pride Week info, plus a schedule of all of the virtual events, right here.
Around the city, many local and national businesses are getting into the Pride spirit by offering special-edition products that will help you celebrate while supporting various organizations working to support, protect, and promote LGBTQ2S+ people. Here are a few you’ll want to check out:
Local Laundry x LOVED Collection
You may remember our post about LOVED Collection last year (check it out here for some very cute photos), and this year, LOVED and Local Laundry have teamed up again with these LOVED 2.0 t-shirts. Great quality (three cheers for bamboo), understated and fun at the same time, dress it up or dress it down but snag this chance to wear your Pride and support Rainbow Railroad while you do it.
LOVED 2.0 t-shirts can be ordered online here.
Photo by @lyndsaygreenwood via @locallaundry
Pony Friday Parade Trio Mask Set
Pandemic, but make it fashion. Who ever would have thought that masks would be our most important accessory in 2020? But companies like Pony Friday have come through for us all by putting out masks that we are not just responsible and comfortable, but very, very cute too. Case in point is this trio of Pride-themed masks, which supports Calgary Pride with $4 donated from every set sold. These masks are handmade with a filter pocket for added protection and nose wire for the perfect fit.
The Parade Trio Mask Set can be purchased online right here.
Photo by Pony Friday
Village Brewery Village Squeeze Pride Edition
Delicious local beer + gorgeous can artwork + proceeds supporting Calgary Pride – YES, YES, and YES. If you’re a beer drinker, or you know a beer drinker, or you want an excuse to get to know a beer drinker, immediately click over and grab yourself a stack of this smooth, fruity, hoppy, oh-so-refreshing brew.
Get your cans of Village Squeeze Pride Edition in stores or online here. Curbside pickup and home delivery are available.
Photo by @villagebrewery
Nordstrom Made Be Proud by BP.
Just because this year’s Pride events are virtual does not mean you can’t take this opportunity to look damn good while you celebrate. The very fun, very colourful gender-inclusive collection from Be Proud by BP. for Nordstrom Made is all kinds of wonderful, and 10% of sales go to supporting LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness through True Colors United. For an extra dose of happy, we highly recommend watching this choreographed display of the various items in the collection.
Shop Be Proud by BP. online here – free delivery!
Photo via @nordstrom
What else?!
Know of any other great products or services in YYC that out there supporting Pride? We’d love to add them to the list! Drop us a note or share on our Facebook or Instagram posts.
Whoever you are and however you plan to celebrate Pride Week, we’re sending you all the positive vibes and be-you energy. We may be spending this year’s celebrations physically apart, but it’s pulling together as one that will move us all forward, whether that’s beating a global pandemic or making our city, province, and country more inclusive and safer for all kinds of kinds. Happy Pride! We hope you find a safe and fulfilling way to celebrate.
