Stacey Brotzel sites down with Pride Promoter and Queer Historian – Ron Byers, to chat about the need for Pride, coming out, and some of the events that are coming up.
Edmonton’s Pride Month starts this weekend đłď¸âđ
Local Pride Promoter with Pride Edmonton sits down with 880 CHED’s Courtney Theriault on Friday May 30, 2026 to talk about Pride Month and the Pride festivities throughout the summer.
Pride in Edmonton seeks to amplify, not dictate
Pride festivities in Edmonton are gathered from the bottom up, not dominated by one top-level organizer, says the curator and historian who collects those celebrations of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Colin Gallant/Taproot Edmonton
âWeâre very unique,â said Ron Byers of Pride Edmonton, which gathers and shares events from myriad organizers, great and small. âIn most cities around the globe, they have one organization that celebrates Pride. Itâs made up of a group of people from the community, they get together, they plan a weekend or a week of fun and activities, and itâs all focused around that.â
CBC RadioActive talks The Gay Straight Jacket
June 11, 2025
In 1981, the Pisces Health Spa in Edmonton was raided by Edmonton police, who arrested 60 gay men. It’s believed to be the largest mass arrest in the history of Alberta. This week, in honour of Pride, Metro Cinema is screening a CBC documentary from that year, called The Gay Straight Jacket. Ron Byers was a staff member at the Pisces but was not arrested that night. Now, he is a queer historian in Edmonton with the Rainbow Story Hub.
Pride Month Kicks Off in Edmonton
Pride Edmonton spokesperson Ron Byers says Pride Month is an opportunity to highlight the struggles and rights achieved by the LGBTQ+ community over the years .
“It’s an opportunity to share his journey ,” he said, adding that when he came out as gay in 1968, he could have been jailed then, but not now”.
“It’s a celebration of who we are as a community. It’s a time to celebrate and party”. A quote from Ron Byers , spokesperson for Pride Edmonton
Read and listen to the Radio-Canada story here:
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2168857/mois-fierte-edmonton-lgbtq
Guide To The Summer of Pride 2025
May 26, 2025
Dive into Edmonton’s vibrant Summer of Pride Ron Byers’ ultimate guide! With over 55 years of advocacy, Ron spotlights 50 events happening this June, from parades, parties, performances, and more. Celebrate love, unity, and community all season long in Edmonton.
This Morning with Stacey Brotzel on 880 CHED
Had a chat with Stacey Brotzel on the Edmonton Gay Games Bid for the 2030 Gay Games. Sadly we did not make it into the top 3 but we will back to rebuilding our Bid for the 2034 Gay Games. You can view the Bid video on Explore Edmonton’s website here….
https://exploreedmonton.com/edmontongaygames
Guide To The Summer of Pride 2024
Every year, Edmonton celebrates the annual Summer Festival Season, which runs from May to the end of September. June is Pride Month, which has traditionally been when the 2SLGBTQIA+ community gathers in unity and spirit to celebrate. Pride celebrations are about honouring and affirming the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, commemorating the progress […]
A Full Summer of Pride in Edmonton
A Full Summer of Pride in Edmonton – A Vibrant & Inclusive Experience for 2SLGBTQIA+ Folks Interview with Stacey Brotzel and Daryl McIntyre at 7:05 AM on May 30, 2024 GUEST: Ron Byers – in studioTITLE: Pride PromoterPride Month 2024 – May 31 @ 8:00 am – June 30 @ […]
Guide to the Summer of Pride
2023 will see the largest number of Pride events the Edmonton has ever seen for the Summer of Pride! Over 36 organizations have put together more than 75 events in three dozen different venues around the city.
Guide to Pride Month in Edmonton
With many festivals taking a break for the last 2 years, Edmonton is once again ready to host some amazing events for the summer, and it all begins with Pride! Pride is a celebration of people coming together in unity, love, and friendship to show how far 2SLGBTQ+ rights have come […]
Edmontonâs Pride Celebration History
The First 21 years 1980 â 2001 Edmontonâs first recognized Pride event was a Picnic In The Park thought to be held at Camp Harris, home of the 49th Battalion, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association. It was attended by about 75 people in 1980 to bring awareness to our community […]
Global News Interview
Why did Edmonton Pride Festival Society cancel 2019 event? Wednesday we told you the Pride Parade had been cancelled this year. Thursday, we are hearing why. Organizers say they were pushed too far. Kendra Slugoski looks at how to move forward. https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/1488974403705/?jwsource=cl