I’m doing 20 Prides on 7 continents — this Canadian ski resort does things differently 

The rainbow flags don’t bustle in the breeze. They’re frozen in place, their ripples stiff and rigid in the icy alpine air. It’s here in British Columbia, in the depths of winter, that I’m beginning my year of Pride.

The plan is to spend 2025 exploring how the LGBT+ community is celebrated around the world: 12 months, 7 continents, 20 Prides (at least). And, in a bid to experience the most interesting events on Earth, my journey first brings me to Whistler.

This mountaintop resort town, about a 90-minute drive from Vancouver, is Canada’s winter playground, where thrillseekers converge to ski and snowboard. But it also hosts the first Pride march of the year, one of the only celebrations to take place in January and the polar opposite of everything I’ve come to expect.

Usually I’d be warding off the summer heat with a rainbow-coloured clack fan, but here I wear thick thermal gloves as I shiver in the cold.

That doesn’t stop the drag queens, though. Subzero temperatures be damned, they’re dressed in skimpy singlets and fingerless gloves, faux fur tossed over naked shoulders as they entertain the ever-growing crowd. Like ballerinas on stilts, they navigate snow and ice in platform boots, doing backflips and pirouettes before landing in seemingly effortless splits.

We’re gathered halfway up Whistler Mountain – the centre point of the largest ski resort in North America – preparing to ski a giant rainbow flag down to the revellers waiting at the bottom.

@travelwithmetro

@calummcswiggan kicks off our new series at WhistlerPride, where things look a little different in the mountains of Canada. Drag queens on skis, parades through snow-covered streets… what more could you want? ☃️⛷️ 📲 Follow us for popular travel content and for the rest of this series! #Pride #WinterPride #LGBT #Skiing #Party #Drag #Queer #FYP

♬ Right Here – Becky Hill

I’ve chosen a rainbow-striped snowsuit for the occasion, while many have simply attached flags to their helmets and ski poles. Some have taken their shirts off, with Pride flags fastened like capes, while others are dressed like unicorns or have fashioned disco balls into crowns. The outfits are everything but practical, and as Cher’s Believe blasts through a speaker, a local drag queen leads everyone on their descent down the mountain.

People go flying as snowboards immediately collide; it’s the kind of disorganised chaos that makes you wonder who’s in charge of health and safety, and as I watch it all unfold, I can’t help but feel like it may be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever witnessed. Ridiculous but beautiful, because as bonkers as this all is, I’m so proud to be a part of it. And Pride is what this celebration is all about.

What began in 1992 as a small gathering of queer ski enthusiasts has grown into something so much bigger. Whistler Pride is now a week-long celebration that welcomes 3,000 LGBT+ visitors from more than 30 countries across the globe.

It’s not just for seasoned professionals either – I showed up having never skied a day in my life, and although I was initially nervous about being the outsider, the one that couldn’t ski, I was surprised to find I was met with nothing but encouragement. All it took was a single lesson before I was able to hit the slopes with everyone else.

Inclusivity is key, and local photographer John Looy speaks to why it’s so important.

‘As a queer Asian man, I love to see LGBT+ people of colour flying in to enjoy the beautiful mountains I call home,’ he tells Metro. ‘Snow sports have traditionally been dominated by white communities, so it’s comforting to know that Whistler Pride is an opportunity for everyone – regardless of their skill level or background – to come and take part.’

This message is the cornerstone of what makes Pride here so special. Whereas some Prides tend to cater solely to gay men, in Whistler the programming includes everything from screenings of lesbian cinema to drag shows run by transgender performers.

It’s at one of these shows that Alma Be, a local non-binary drag artist, uses their time on stage to speak out against President Trump’s anti-trans executive order.

@travelwithmetro

Kicking off my journey of 18 Prides across 7 continents in the most unexpected way—freezing, not sweating! ❄️🏳️‍🌈 At Whistler Pride, there was everything from death drops in sub zero temperatures to zooming down mountains with pride capes. This rare January pride was a powerful reminder that queer joy thrives everywhere—even in the snow. 🌍✨ #PrideAroundTheWorld #WhistlerPride #LGBTQTravel #TravelGoals #Wanderlust #TravelHacks #holiday #vacation #anotherplace #beautifulplaces #beautifuldestination #travel #traveltok #greenscreen #hack #travelhack #firstclass #flightattendantsecrets #economyclass #flyinghacks #flyingtips #traveltips #TravelSmart #budgettravel

♬ we are the people – julinha

‘There are transgender performers in the show tonight, there are transgender people here in the audience, and that president – on the first day in office – he took us off the f*****g website like we don’t exist.’

Ending their impassioned speech with a rallying cry of love for their community, they’re met with thunderous cheers from the audience. It’s clear that in Whistler, intolerance is everything but welcome.

The town’s focus on snow sports provides a welcome novelty for the sober community, too. I speak to a group of sober gay men who travel here from Washington DC every year – for them, Whistler provides the chance to connect with their community in a setting that doesn’t revolve around drugs or alcohol.

Although there are plenty of parties for those who want them, it seems that most don’t want to go too hard because they want to be up bright and early to hit the slopes.

The parties seem very much an afterthought; the highlight, from what I can see, are the daily ski sessions, where local LGBT+ guides take queer groups out to explore the mountain. Groups are arranged by ability level, so no matter where you’re at, you’re still able to take part.

This sense of togetherness is not confined to the LGBT+ community. During a breathtaking flight tour with Blackcomb Helicopters, I notice the pilot has the progress flag pinned to the side of his helmet.

As a symbol of support not just for the LGBT+ community, but for the most marginalised members within it, I ask if he’s wearing it specially for Pride week celebrations. ‘No,’ he says. ‘I wear it year round so that everyone I fly with feels safe and free to be themselves.’

It’s a small gesture, but an important one. A recent study from Booking.com shows that 57% of LGBT+ travellers have experienced discrimination from locals while travelling, so these efforts really can make all the difference in helping us feel safe.

As I whiz down the slopes, rainbows and unicorn tails billowing in the breeze around me, I can’t help but think how far LGBT+ rights have progressed. It might seem silly, but the freedom to be silly was hard-won.

To outsiders looking in, it may seem like an excuse to have raucous good fun – but to so many of us, it means infinitely more than that.

For me, Whistler Pride is a welcome reminder of the importance of queer joy. In many places in the world, Pride is still a protest, but here in Canada, they’re privileged enough to shift the focus to one of joyous celebration.

I hope that one day, the whole world will be able to celebrate in a similar fashion.

I may have a whole year of events ahead of me, but I can say with a great degree of certainty: this snow-filled celebration is going to be hard to beat.

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