Queer Prom

Youth Understanding Youth's Queer Prom is an annual event where Queer & Allied youth 12-25 years old can come together to celebrate the end of the school year. This year's event, being held June 2 at Enterprise Square, will continue to bring that sense of community and celebration that people have come to expect from this important milestone in any queer kid's life.

Queer prom started with YUY 6 years ago when youth from the group approached YUY facilitators about having a prom event. The youth didn't feel comfortable taking their same sex partner to their school's event, and wanted a separate event. Prom started out as a small gathering at the PRIDE centre. The year after it was held in a party room at an apartment building. By year 3 a larger space was needed and the Citadel was used. It was then the current location was booked at Enterprise Square for years 4,5 and now 6. Each year the event grows by about 100-150 guests.

We talked to Scott Mair, who became involved with Queer prom 4 years ago as Director of Youth Understanding Youth. He is proud that in those 4 years Queer Prom has grown exponentially from 150 guests to last year with 500. Youth and volunteers who attend can expect a really fun night out with the queer and allied community. This year Queer Prom will have opening remarks by Child & Family Services Region 6 CEO Carole Anne Patenaude, a drag show courtesy of the Imperial court, DJ Frostiblack, lots of free food, and activities along with our amazing community corner where youth can speak directly with over 30 organizations to help them with a wide range of needs.

Community support is such a HUGE component of Queer prom. Traditional prom events rely on schools and parents to organize the event. Part of why Queer Prom is so AMAZING is that the queer community pulls together each year, like a big family, to support all the Queer youth welcoming them to our community. Scott says, “we have been so lucky over the years to be supported by both organizations and individuals who return each year in support of this great cause”. This year their major sponsors are Region 6 Child and Family Services, YOUCAN, The Fellowship of Alberta Bears, Pixel Blue, The sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, Body Architects, and The John Howard Society.

Basically, it’s a fun night of dancing and hanging out with hundreds of your newest friends from the community you may not have even known you had.

We asked Scott where he would like to see Queer Prom in five years: “I would love to see Youth Understanding Youth’s Queer Prom be officially part of the pride festival, to set the tone of more youth centered events in the community.

What better way to celebrate PRIDE than have our whole community come together with a shared purpose to welcome them to our family.”

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