5th Annual Queer West Fest 2010
Saluting our youth community!

Festival run time dates will be announce later in the year

Hold on a Second

Toronto Xtra gay and lesbian newspaper, jump the gun by making a public announcement without interviewing us. Referring to an unofficial FaceBook posting that Queer West Fest 2010 has been deferred, to 2011, This is only partly true.

December 6, 2009
Hey Michael,

"It saddens me that the Festival will not be going ahead next year! It further saddens me that some specific events that do not hold true, to true activism and not showing a mainstream image - get much funding and many more grants! If you need help I would love to help you and the committee maybe fund some sponsorships, as well maybe putting on a smaller more intimate weekend event (2-3 days) might be better for this year? I just think the show must go on? And maybe artists can contribute a small payment for submitting their work?" ...Daniel F., Toronto...Hope this happens!...Daniel

Many others have responded in the Toronto queer community. They feel that tradition MUST be upheld. "If you can't do a 12 day extravaganza next year". They asked. "Could you do a mini Queer West Fest?"

Queer West Fest is an independent Arts and Cultural Festival not associated with Pride. We are happy to tell you. We will be bringing Ontario it's 5th Annual Alternative Festival as a Do It Yourself Mini Festival, to keep our hosting cost down. Write or Call Michel F. Paré, President of Gay West Community Network Inc. (Founder of Queer West Fest) queerwestinfo@gmail.com 416-879-7954

Plans & Submissions

Other events may be added depending on Submissions from; businesses, groups, organization or promoters that want to team-up. There may be another announcement late May, if anything new, was added to lineup.

Forest Lightbody (aka DJ 4est) who did a splendid job of programming the festival in 2009 but is not with us this year. He left the organization, November 1st., moving on to greener pastures and we all wish him well. There is no program manager for 2010, unless someone would like to volunteer or make us an offer?

For the time being, Michel F. Paré, President of Gay West Community Network Inc. (Founder of Queer West Fest) is filling the role. queerwestinfo@gmail.com 416-879-7954

Call for Queer West Film Festival Video Submissions

For 3rd annual Queer West Film Festival at Fixt Point Theatre, 1550 Queen St W. Date Saturday June 26, 2010 Film Festival Forms & Details 2010

Sunday June 27, 2010 - 6th Annual 54K QWF Toronto Pride Ride, Hosted by the Gay West Bicycle Club Leisurely tour along Toronto's waterfront from Sunnyside to Port Credit with today's ride leader Michel Paré. We meet at Colborne Lodge Drive and Queensway at 12 Noon. Cycle across to Martin Goodman Trail and head West along the Waterfront Trail through Colonel Sam Smith Park over to Marie Curtis Park to Port Credit River avoiding Highway Two except for slight jog at Long Branch. A 54K excursion exploring the parks and river banks of western Toronto (Stopping for libations, lunch and gossip before heading home) About a 3 hour trip. Dress up. Decorated your bike win a prize. We are the largest Gay and Lesbian cycling club in Eastern Canada. Now in it's seventh year.

Write: torontodigitalq@yahoo.ca 416-879-7954 There is currently 60 LGBTQ members all ages, in our cycling club as of December 31, 2009. Helmets are recommended for all rides. Mandatory for those under 18. Out of town visitors, welcome to cycle in this event. This is a FREE event, no membership fees to cycle with us today.

Tentative discussions are taking place about holding a World Queer Youth Conference ( A muliplex event) during the last week in June,In conjunction with the new Queer West's shOUT Youth Program

Discussions are taking place about holding a ShOUT Queer Youth Art Show during the last week in June.In conjunction with the new Queer West's Youth Beehive Collective It may be a presentation during Toronto Pride Week or Queer West Fest, Pride Toronto youth coordinators have approached us for help with their festival in June. Since we got "burnt" last year by Pride. The Board of Directors and Shout Beehive Collective, is thinking this offer over carefully.

After holding a successful Bent event in January. We will be bring you another evening of Queer Expressions in during the festival. The Queer West Arts Collective will again be bringing you the best Toronto poets and spoken word artists for Queer West Fest. Phlip Arima, Parul Pandya, Nicki Ward, Philip Cairns, Kirk DeMatas, Yehuda Fisher, Jay Stewart, David Bateman and Duncan Armstrong. This time we will be adding musicians, bands and more spoken word artists to the line up, in a bigger venue. All the poets were thrilled to perform with us. The loved the idea, that there are new queer spaces to perform, outside of the Church St. gay village.

We will again be listings for free Affiliated Queer Festivals Events as we have every year, for the past 10 years Our Program offers recognition of any queer events that your organization is planning to host during the month of May and June 2010. Literary events, visual arts events, performing arts events, family, youth or cultural events, all ages events, adult only events, musical, comedy and etc.

Public Relations Firm or a Music Promoter doing a Gig (Event) for Pride Festival Week 2010 and its happen in the Queer West Village? Lets TEAM-UP so your event can be listed as part of Queer West Fest We did this last year for the Fresh to Def group . Swagger Productions a POC group and ASSAP. Why Team-up? Simply We don't promote Pride Toronto Festival events.

If we TEAM-UP it means MORE PUBLICITY FOR YOU, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN IT FOR US Write or Call Michel F. Paré, President of Gay West Community Network Inc. (Founder of Queer West Fest) Make us an offer we can't refuse. queerwestinfo@gmail.com 416-879-7954

The heart of the gay Village is no longer Church St. It's everywhere east and west. The changes are amazing in the past decade for the LGBTQ community in the west end. Over 70 gay friendly bars, cafés, shops and restaurants in Queer West end of the city. Places to meet, shop or socialize. DJs and bands play gay friendly events. We hold our own queer festival, film festival and arts events through out the year. The Queer West Village name now appears in many travel stories and some travel websites.We all worked hard, to establish a queer community and arts centre in the west end. In 2009 we received many thank you letters, from our Community Partners. We look forward to the next ten years serving you.

Testimonial From: Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP)

ASAAP is a community-based, non-profit, charitable organization committed to providing health promotion, support, education and advocacy in a non-discriminatory manner for those who identify as South Asian living and affected by HIV/AIDS. We also run programs for South Asian gay/bisexual/trans men and two support groups (Dosti for South Asian gay/bisexual men) and Snehithan, a similar support group serving Tamil-speaking gay/bisexual men.

In the past, ASAAP has actively collaborated and worked with Queer West, and they have been instrumental in helping us publicize and promote our film, Brown like Me, which reflects the struggles and identity issues faced by Queer South Asian youth.

We have also worked with Queer West during the Queer Arts and Culture Festival, which helped us form new and collaborative partnerships.

Firdaus Ali,
Executive Director,
Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP)

Testimonial From: SWAGGER Productions

Queer West has been instrumental in help to publicize and promoting various events that we have held in support of community groups such as Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, The Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP), the Bracelet of Hope Campaign and Pride Toronto.

Incorporating elements of art, music and performance SWAGGER encourages community building with a focus on queer people of colour, in an exciting, fresh and safe environment. It was great a pleasure working and partnering with Queer West.

Mel Fernades
Promotional Director, Swagger Productions

QueerWest.org is not-for-profit organization that hosts Queer West Fest, an annual 10 day festival held during the month of June in Toronto. Queer West exists to celebrate the history, courage, diversity and future of Queer West Toronto's LGBTTIQQ2S communities (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, Questioning, Two-Spirited) Produced and organized by Gay West Community Network . Queer West Fest is the brainchild of Michel François Paré

Queer West was founded in 2000 and the annual festival is currently celebrating its 5th year, Queer West works across the arts community addressing social justice issues, the needs of marginalized groups, primarily LGBT and Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic communities, and works to foster understanding amongst non-LGBT audiences. By creating environments where artists can explore queer culture and take risks, the festival cultivates creative synergies, thought-provoking displays, social commentary, and new possibilities for inhabiting sexuality and gender. Queer West Arts and Culture Festival questions and inspires, celebrates and expands the spectrum of queer expression.

Queer West Arts and Culture Festival is Largest of 4 Non Pride International Festivals in all of Canada, that showcase queer artists, cultural producers, and activists for queer and queer-friendly audiences. Queer West Arts and Culture Festival is creating awareness internationally about the contributions of queers to the art world and cultural life in Toronto and around the world.

Showing Toronto pride in creating new & exciting gay and lesbian Queer Festivals

About the Festivals: Overview | Festival 2005 | Festival 2006 | Festival 2007 | Festival 2008 | Festival 2009 | Festival 2010

About our Film Festivals: Overview | Film Festival 2008 | Film Festival 2009 | Film Festival 2010

Around the Village: Contact Us | Accommodations | Nightlife | History Queer Festivals Toronto | Press Room | Sponsors | Travel Info | Queer West Village Links: International Queer Arts Festivals

Copyright 2010 Gay West Community Network Inc.