Anna Montaner
The Community
2SLGBTQIA+ community of young adults from the surrounding areas of Kamloops.
The queer scene in Kamloops has been getting more prominent in the last few years, especially during the pride week that happens in August.
Drag queens have been a key aspect of the increase of visibility and advocating for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. Their performances and participation in pride events have made Drag queens become powerful symbols of LGBTQIA+ empowerment. Having a tourism event that is hosted by Drag queens creates a welcoming atmosphere where young adults who are part of the queer community can enjoy a night filled with laughter, drinks and a show while meeting other people.
Organizations/Businesses that represent my chosen community:
A non-profit organization supporting people who identify with the 2SLGBTQPIA+ community. They organize the Kamloops Pride Week in August.
A 100% 2SLGBTQ+ owned events, broadcasting, and media production company, based out of Kelowna, BC. They often participate in Kamloops’ Pride Week.
A live entertainment local spot that hosts bands and performances during the weekend. They have held Drag queen shows in the past.
The Opportunity
While Kamloops does a good job at creating a pride week, it is celebrated during August, so it is still outside of the actual Pride Month which is in June. This is an opportunity for my workshop to have great interest among people who would like to enjoy an activity related to queer culture during pride month.
Another opportunity is to make Kamloops a tourist spot during Pride Month. At the moment Kelowna, where they celebrate Pride Week during June, has one of the largest Pride Festivals in the BC Interior. According to their website, it attracts over 12,000 people to Kelowna during the first week of June. I want Kamloops to reach the community similarly.
Finally, it is also an opportunity for those living in or around Kamloops to meet queer people in a local spot they might not have heard of before. The Blue Grotto is in a great spot downtown, surrounded by other local shops and restaurants. They are open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, so it leaves Thursdays open. On their email response, thy said it will be possible to do.
The Experience
This workshop will consist of a group of 15-20 people who will get together at the Blue Grotto and learn how to do fun and popular cocktail recipes. The event will happen on the Thursdays of June. June 6th, June 13th, June 20th and June 27th. There will be 3 cocktails per workshop, which total of 12 cocktails for the whole event.
Here are the cocktails:
| June 6th | Rum Runner | Sweet heat margarita | Snickerdoodle Martini |
| June 13th | Tequila Sunrise | Triple Tiki Rum Punch | Chocolate Martini |
| June 20th | Appletini | Queen’s Park Swizzle | Vanilla Bean Martini |
| June 27th | Mexican Mule | Salty Dog | Birthday Cake Martini |
It will be taught by Ella Lamoureux because after contacting Rebellious Unicorns, they mentioned this Drag queen takes on most jobs outside of Kelowna. The price will be 45 CAD, to cover the Drag queen, ingredients for the cocktails and the space needed. After the cocktails, the participants will enjoy a show by the same Drag queen who was teaching the workshop while they drink the cocktails they made. It will happen from 7 pm-10 pm, including the show. I would like to note that if the participants decide to purchase any food during the event, it will be separate from the event cost.
It will be encouraged that when registering and purchasing ‘tickets’ to this event, people shouldn’t go with a group of more than 3 or 4 people. This is to encourage the community to meet other people and interact with others.
The participants will get to take home a copy of the recipes they prepared that night. At the end of Pride Month, all the recipes used will be posted on the Kamloops Pride website as they have agreed to do so.
The Benefit
Understanding and learning about Drag Culture
There is a negative stigma for some people when Drag culture is talked about but Drag queens have played a significant role in challenging societal norms, promoting inclusivity, and fostering a sense of belonging. They have also always been an integral part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Queer spaces for the community
There is still a lack of spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community, especially nightlife spaces like clubs and bars. They allow queer people to have a place where they can feel safe and can be themselves without any sort of judgment. Kamloops could benefit from having activities that are targeted at queer people because, as demonstrated by Canada’s 2SLGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC), queer travellers on average spend 7 times more, travel more frequently, and have more disposable income.
Caption for Feature Image: Cocktails enjoyed by friends. From: Helena Yankovska unsplash