Pride Festival

Toronto's Pride Festival isn't just notoriously one of the best parties in the city-it's one of the best in the world. Gay and straight guys and gals flock from all over the globe to be a part of the madness-here's where to spend your hot nights, dancing til the break of dawn and trying to find someone better dressed then Fritz Helder.

Launch Party
Friday June 19 at Woody’s (467 Church St.) at 7pm

The who’s-who of local Toronto celebrities will be in attendance at the party to kick off Pride 2009 festivities. Co-hosts and social butterflies Margot Keith and Andrew Harwood will keep the crowd entertained while electro-pop sensations Fritz Helder & The Phantoms get the party started. Not to be outdone, international drag superstar Sofonda Cox will bring her act to the stage, followed by a burlesque show by Christabel. DJs Nik Red of Goodhandy’s and Grapefruit’s Shane Percy will close out the night.

KLMAXX II
Friday June 19 at the Beaver (1192 Queen St. W.)

Parties are even better when there’s a cause involved, and the Beaver is holding KLMAXX II, with all proceeds going to the People With AIDS Foundation. Kevin Ritchie, Tuff Luv and Phil V are your DJs for the evening.

Pride Prom 2009: Superqueeroes!
Monday, June 22. 8 pm at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St.

A special year-end celebration for queer high schoolers and their allies. Must be 21 and under, and carrying a valid student ID. Come in your Wonder Woman spandex, a vintage taffeta number, or your prom dress: anything goes!

There Goes The Neighbourhood
Saturday June 20 & 27 at The Barn (418 Church St.) at 10pm

Matt Sims’ latest weekly has quickly gained popularity—bringing all the mayhem of the Queen St. W. club scene to Church with hot DJs and a new crowd—so there’s no doubt he’ll be going all out for Pride.

Queeraoke
Thursday June 25 at The Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar (1214 Queen St. W.) at 10 pm

Peter Styles and Ryan G. Hinds host this all-queer karaoke night-we shotgun 'Wind Beneath My Wings.'

Libido
Thursday June 25 at The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. W.) from 9pm to 4am

The official Dyke March is back and bigger than ever. Local burlesque darlings Skin Tight Outta Sight take to the stage while DJ Sleaze handles the decks. Guest of honour and Pride’s Honourary Dyke for 2009, Faith Nolan, will also perform a special set. CoCo La Crème is your sexy host for the evening.
Tickets are $15 and available at Good For Her, the Toronto Women’s Bookstore and the Pride office.

Funkasia
Friday June 26 on South Stage (Church & Wood St.) from 7pm to midnight

This year’s edition of Funkasia will bring all the campy, kitschy fun of a Bollywood film to the audience through sing-alongs, dance-alongs and a spectacular stage performance. Featuring DJ Zahra (who also happens to be a lawyer, activist, performer, and feminist) along with 50 other performers, FunkAsia celebrates all things “Bollyqueer” through the celebration of South Asian music and dance. From tight jeans to swirling saris, anything goes and everyone is welcome.

FunkAsia 2009 features Hari Krishnan and the inDance Company, Joanna DeSouza and the Chhandam Dance Company, Lopa Sarka, Shugamai Grace Johnson, Jennifer Drummond (the belly dancing psychotherapist), and the FunkAsia Dancers.

Drenched
Friday June 26 at The Opera House (735 Queen St. E.) at 9 pm

Over 800 women come together to dance like crazy and support participation in the 2009 Copenhagen Outgames. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Drag Queens on the Village Stage
At Church and Wellesley from 4pm to 10pm

What’s Pride without some fabulous drag queens? The popular Village Stage returns yet again with drag queens and kings, along with a healthy dose of burlesque, comedy, music and dance. This year’s drag stage kicks off with Degenderit Cabaret, celebrity impersonator Stephanie Stevens and her Drag Ball on Parade, and a performance by gender-bending Fo’Dem Ladeez with the Steele Brothers. Toronto’s own “Trillium Queen,” Carlotta Carlisle, Robyn DeCradle, Ivory, Hearts and Tarts, GIA, and Farrah N. Hyte will show the crowd what they’ve got while Miss Hamilton 2009, Kiena Dior, lets everyone know why she took the crown. Local favourite Eddie Barnett will round out the evening with a performance of the one-and-only icon Cher.
Performances take place on both Saturday and Sunday from 4pm to 10pm on the infamous corner of Church and Wellesley.

Just Gimme Indie!
Saturday June 27 on the South Stage (Church & Wood St.) from 8pm to 11pm

Toronto’s Hooded Fang start the show off with cheery pop tunes sure to have the audience dancing along. Next on stage is Gentleman Reg, who recently signed with the Toronto label Arts & Crafts and was a contributor to the Shortbus soundtrack, followed by the dirty beats of Kids on TV. Headliners Islands round out the evening with the guitar dance-rock sounds of their new album Arm’s Way. DJ Triple-X plays resident for the night spinning all your favourites.

Cherry Bomb
Saturday June 27 at Revival (783 College St.) from 9pm to 3am

The popular promotion team Cherry Bomb presents the official Dyke Day afterparty Cherry Bomb: With Love for queer ladies and their admirers. Philadelphia comes to Toronto as Cherry Bomb’s award-winning resident DJs Denise Benson and Cozmic Cat are joined by hip-hop MC Benni E and the tag-teaming DJ crew Fuse from Philly. Bounce between two floors of house, electro, rock and dancefloor classics to reggae, hip-hop, soul and more in the heart of Little Italy.

Cherry Bomb is Toronto's hottest monthly women’s/queer party (voted “Best Club Event for Women” in Xtra magazine’s Best of Toronto 2007). Check out all the details at www.myspace.com/cherrybombtoronto

Official Closing Party
Sunday, June 28 at Wrongbar (1279 Queen St. W.) from 10pm to 4am

There’s nothing better to end a week of party binging than yet another party, and the official closing party is sure to be a hot ticket. Pride 2009 comes to a close at the Wrongbar, with your hosts, yet again, Fritz Helder & The Phantoms.