COCHRANE— Loud, proud and back to celebrate for the second year, Cochrane Pride Week is jam-packed with events running from Aug. 15 to 21.
Lynn Ebbs, Cochrane Pride vice president, is looking forward to this year’s festivities kicking off on Sunday, Aug. 15 with the Town of Cochrane raising the Progress Pride flag at the Cochrane Ranche Historic site.
“Pride Week is just a week of fun and happiness. It’s a group of people who are all so happy to be together and be included— I always just think of positivity, and maybe it’s just my age, but party as well,” Ebbs said with a laugh.
ATB is sponsoring everything this year, and the lineup of things to do is full— From Pride Ride, a spin class at The Study on Aug. 16 at 6 p.m., to the Pride Week Festival which will wrap up the week at Mitford Park on Aug. 21 at 2 p.m., with tons of fun in between.
Ebbs said they reached out to the Royal Canadian Legion this year to be a part of the celebration because it is a demographic they do not normally capture with their events.
“The Legion is more than happy to jump on board and they’ve gone full force on having a games night,” she said. “They’re going to do rainbow drinks, with shuffleboard, cards, and backgammon.
“And then apparently they have this really fun game involving a giant pig."
The Stump Tavern in Fireside is also hosting OUTRight Date Night on Aug. 18 at 6 p.m. where a mystery date table will be set for singles to meet over a 3-course meal. Couples and double-date dining experiences will also be available.
Any events that the Boys and Girls Club (BGC) of Cochrane and Area and Cochrane Rainbows will be hosting will also be included with Pride Week’s full schedule, alongside businesses that are doing the same.
The BGC recently selected the winning design of its Pride t-shirt contest, which was open to Cochrane and Morley residents between the ages of 12 and 22 to submit a design.
The winner will receive a shirt of their own to sport around town, and the design will be printed and sold on t-shirts at Pride Week this year. The money will go back into supporting programming for kids, with much of that going toward Pride specifically.
This is only Cochrane’s second Pride Week, but Ebbs believes it’s growing quickly and they’re excited to continue building it up to offer more each year.
“I think people will find it’s a safe space where they can be themselves, and they can see how much the community does appreciate them, and how much the town of Cochrane is there to support them,” Ebbs said.
Tickets are required to attend some of the events on offer this year, so be sure to plan before you go. Ebbs said, last year the response was so great everything sold out in 12 hours.
“We’re so happy with how Cochrane and the community have embraced it. We’re really excited for this year to be even bigger and better.”
