Montreal’s Gay Pride

Are you ready for Montreal’s third annual Queer of the Year competition? Yup, you’ve read that correctly. Five finalists will be flown to Montreal while it’s in full bloom for Gay Pride week (Aug 13-19) for an all expense paid trip.  Finalists will be judged in a series of “social experiments” on personality, talent, healthy lifestyle, community spirit, and sex appeal.  These challenges range from giving speeches and choosing racy outfits for photo-ops to learning how to make a Montreal torte, which is stuffed with tomatoes and zucchini.  All of the saucy shenanigans are posted on YouTube as a series of videos and compressed into a fun-sized reality show.  Sound cool? We thought so, too.

Montreal’s laundry list of LGBT activities is showing no pain – make a beeline to Gotha Lounge on the edge of the city’s “Gay Village” when you arrive and celebrate Pride with friends over a cocktail while listening to their jazzy lounge-inspired sounds. You can stroll Montreal Park hand in hand with your partner or shop the trendy boutiques in Old Montreal. The seventeenth century architecture and cobblestone streets and alleyways are incredibly romantic. And let’s not forget the T in LGBT (testosterone optional)! You can visit Cabaret Mado to watch the drag show where on Tuesdays the patron herself, Mado Lamonthe, performs.  There are also a variety of shows over the weekend.

All finalists receive a $1,000 prize, and the first place winner is awarded $5,000 as well as a round trip flight on Air Canada and 3 days at the chic Hotel Le Germain for a future trip.  The competition is divided into five challenges, each televised and displayed in short online videos.  Even without the prizes, the challenges themselves are worth experiencing on their own and Pride Montreal is always a festive occasion for the global LGBT community with waves of solidarity and good times.