This time of winter can be tough – the holidays are over and the cold can settle in for what seems like an eternity.
Fortunately for Durango, we have Snowdown coming up and, for the third year, Durango Winter Pride, which will hold LGBTQ+ events this weekend in downtown Durango and at Purgatory Resort.
New to Winter Pride this year is Saturday afternoon’s OUT & About Ice Skating event, which will be held at Chapman Hill Ice Rink. It’s for people of all ages – including children, which is something Winter Pride is working to include more of.
“We’re actually trying to do more all-ages inclusive events,” said Jake Riggs, board member with Four Corners Alliance for Diversity. “We’re actually partnering up with the Rainbow Youth Center for that one. The Alliance is actually going to sponsor all the kids’ skating.”
Throughout Winter Pride, Purgatory will offer ski meetups, apres ski celebrations and dinner meet and greets. Downtown will feature ice skating, dance parties, a talent show featuring local queer talent and a drag show hosted by Scarlett Ultra at Down The Rabbit Hole, which Riggs said is the one thing not to miss.
“I don’t think there’s been a drag show here that Scarlett’s put on that hasn’t been phenomenal. Last year for Halloween that one sold out within the first 20 minutes,” he said. “We’re getting a pretty good reputation with her drag shows. Plus, a lot of us are performers in it, too, so a lot of us look forward to it for that aspect.”
The show is also a fundraiser for the Four Corners Alliance for Diversity.
Riggs said that Winter Pride is not only a fun way to spend the weekend, it can help alleviate feelings of isolation that can come with this time of year.
“Weekends like this are so important, especially during the winter, especially in areas like the Four Corners and Colorado, people can feel really isolated when it comes to the snow and living in small towns feeling like there isn’t an outlet for them. If you look at the suicide rates, isolation is actually a huge reason for a lot of the suicide rates in the 9-R region, so we’re really just trying to promote people coming together – pride’s all about coming together and celebrating who you are,” Riggs said. “I think it’s great that a town like Durango, it’s really small, respects everybody and all their differences.”
Here is the schedule:
Friday
10:30 a.m.: Ski Meetups. Lift 1, Purgatory Ski Resort. Meet one another, make friends and spend the day on the mountain with community. This year, there will be a Purgatory employee to lead the ski meetup and give participants a tour of the mountain for the first run. Tipping the guide is encouraged.
2-5 p.m.: Apres Ski. Purgys. Celebrate with the community at large. Keep an eye out for rainbows to connect with the community.
5:30-6:30 p.m.: Dinner Meets & Greets. Paradise Pizzeria at Purgatory Resort. Get to know one another over pizza and make plans with others for the evening festivities.
8:30 p.m.-1 a.m. (Doors open at 8 p.m., drag show 9-11 p.m.): Fresh Powder Drag Hour. Down The Rabbit Hole, 640 Main Ave., $15. ❆The Durango Winter Pride Drag Show organized and hosted by Scarlett Ultra. Fundraiser for the Four Corners Alliance for Diversity.
Saturday
10:30 a.m.: Ski Meetups. Lift 1, Purgatory Ski Resort. Meet one another, make friends and spend the day on the mountain with community. This year, there will be a Purgatory employee to lead the ski meetup and give participants a tour of the mountain for the first run. Tipping the guide is encouraged.
1:15-3:15 p.m.: OUT & About Ice Skating. Chapman Hill Ice Rink, 500 Florida Rd. Adult, $7; youth/senior, $6; 3 and younger, free; skate rental $3. All-age event. The first Winter Pride OUT & About, where there will be a public skate at Chapman Hill Ice Rink.
2-5 p.m.: Apres Ski. Purgys. Celebrate with the community at large. Keep an eye out for rainbows to connect with the community.
5:30-6:30 p.m.: Dinner Meets & Greets. Paradise Pizzeria at Purgatory Resort. Get to know one another over pizza and make plans with others for the evening festivities.
8-10:30 p.m. (Doors open at 8 p.m., show will start at 8:30 p.m.): Winter Pride Talent Show. Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive. $20. The Durango Winter Pride Talent Show will be variety show with comedy, music, drag and more. Get your tickets early at DurangoPride.EventBrite.com because this will sell out. Ticket price includes entry into dance after the talent show.
10:30 p.m.-1 a.m.: Winter Pride Dance. Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive. $10. After the Talent Show, dance the night away at the Winter Pride Dance. If you will not be attending the talent show – price includes dance entry – you can get a tickets at the door starting at 10:30 p.m.
katie@durangoherald.com
