Calgary Citizen Newsletter Tuesday Nov. 19

Advertise | Sign Up

Good morning !

We want to thank our readers for participating in our Calgary Citizen 2024 Reader Survey over the last couple of weeks. We had hundreds of respondents and we are now sifting through a lot of great feedback about what our readers like and want to see more of and we also now have a better idea of who our readers are.

We also announced the two winners of the Calgary Flames tickets for tonight’s game against the New York Islanders. Congratulations to Holly Q. and Alfred K. for being randomly drawn—we hope you enjoy the game tonight! A special shoutout to the Calgary Flames organization for graciously donating the tickets for our giveaway.

We also want to thank the CUFF.Docs Documentary Film Festival crew for partnering with us again this year and providing us with a few tickets to give away for the festival Nov. 20-24. If you’re interested, send us an email to [email protected] and we will randomly select a couple of winners for some tickets.

👀 In today's edition:

• Local filmmaker’s doc hits film fest

• Artist turns art heist into latest show

• YYC’s living wage higher than ever

• Not your average alcohol-free drinks

Get your story told! Promote your business, event, or restaurant in front of 34,000+ engaged locals! Contact our team today.

WORTH KNOWING

❄️ Today: High -3C, Low —12C. See the 7-day forecast.

🚗 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation, and find the city’s traffic report and road closures.

QUICK POLL

Calgary filmmaker’s latest documentary takes a walk down memory lane with Flashback

It was a glittering oasis in Edmonton, one of the most conservative cities in Canada at the time. Flashback club owner John Reid reportedly vowed that the queer-friendly club would be a safe place for “gay people and their friends.” Calgary-based writer, director, and producer Peter Hays’ is now shining a light on the importance the club played in the gay community in his latest documentary Flashback, which is playing at the Cuff.Docs Documentary Film Festival on Nov. 23 at the Globe.

“I learned a lot about the queer scene in Alberta in the ’80s when I made Flashback,” Hays says of the bar that operated from 1974 to 1991. He returned to Edmonton to make the film with his brother and bring more awareness to the club’s role in the community. “I’m straight, my brother is gay and I went to Flashback with my straight and gay friends, but for the most part we just enjoyed dancing and getting high so it was a revelation to me that Flashback was so important to so many people in the queer community.”

The film focuses on the defiant disco dance culture of sweat, sex, drugs, and fashion, becoming a sensation on the international club circuit despite police raids, threats of violence, and the scourge of AIDS. Though the bar has long been closed, Hays brings its memories back alive in his film through the people who were there and the legends they left behind.

“It was a place where people who didn’t feel that they belonged in Edmonton went. It became famous on the club circuit all across North America and in Europe,” Hays explains. “It was a special place and it was a whole lot of fun, but it was also a place that became the centre of some bad things that happened in the ’80s, so it is a story of happiness and joy but also of hardship and how people can overcome things when they go bad.”

The film plays on Saturday at 4:45pm at The Globe and Hays will be in attendance.

Related Story

Need to know

🎨 A Calgary artist recently received a bit of closure years after several of her own art pieces were stolen during an elaborate heist.

💸 Calgary's living wage is now $10 per hour above Alberta's minimum wage.

🪧 City council to debate a proposed 3.6% property tax hike as budget looks to pump brakes on notable projects.

👑 New Stampede First Nations princess aims 'to empower women'.

❄️ Blast of wintry weather hits Calgary, resulting in icy roads and white-knuckle rides.

🚓 A Calgary man wanted in an alleged domestic dispute was found in a collision.

🐕️ The Calgary Humane Society has some adorable pets looking for their forever homes.

SPONSORED BY AEROPRESS

Perfect coffee anywhere with AeroPress

AeroPress coffee makers give coffee lovers in 60+ countries the ability to brew their perfect cup anywhere. Using patented technology, AeroPress combines the best of three brew techniques into one easy-to-use, portable, giftable, and affordable coffee press. Get uniquely delicious coffee with the full body of a French press, the smoothness of a pour-over, the richness of espresso and a quality of finish that lingers well after the last sip. With an iconic design and an unbelievably fast brewing process, AeroPress coffee makers are a fan-favourite among baristas, world coffee champions, travellers, and everyday coffee drinkers — and the 55K+ 5-star online reviews speak for themselves.

Shop now and save 15% on your first purchase when you sign up for email and SMS notifications.

Check out these alcohol-free drink options that are raising the bar this holiday season

As the demand for better and more diverse alcohol-free options continues to gain momentum, many Calgary bars are stepping up to the plate. Our friends at Concorde Group are one of the leading examples of making interesting and delicious options available to patrons and they are getting into the holiday spirit with their alcohol free menus. We’ve picked one drink from three of their establishments that we think you should try this holiday season.

Bridgette Bar

This popular 739 10 Ave SW hot spot has many options of alcohol-free delights but we think the Short Film sounds delicious with the ingredients of Caleño “light & zesty”, martini floreale, za’atar, spiced white cranberry, and lemon.

Lulu Bar

We couldn’t pass by the Pink Pony Club, featuring Undone Italian red “not vermouth”, Freixenet alcohol free sparkling rosé, cherry sencha, orgeat, strawberry, and lemon. Take a sip while enjoying the views from this 510 17 Ave SW hot spot in the heart of 17th Avenue.

Major Tom

We love us a well made negroni so that’s why Major Tom’s faux negroni caught our eye. Enjoy this mix of Seedlip spice, martini vibrante, undone vermouth, and crodino ginpari while taking in the view of this high-end spot located at 700 2 St SW.

Where to eat and drink

🍴 Rusty’s Roadhouse: Located in Shawnessy, this neighbourhood roadhouse features great Canadian food with a focus on food from local farms to make sure they have the best quality and cared for ingredients.

🍴 Namo Café Bistro: This spot likes to focus on a culinary journey curated by passionate chefs, a family-owned legacy, and a commitment to celebrating both global inspiration and local authenticity.

Have a food or drink suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

Things to do

🎟️ The Calgary Hip Hop and Streetdance Festival: The third annual festival will celebrate hip hop through films, battles, performances, and workshops.

🎟️ Calgary Justice Film Festival 2024: From Nov. 21-23 at the Confluence, every screening is free to attend and accompanied by a lively discussion featuring filmmakers or topic experts while fostering engaging dialogue.

Have an event suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

That’s it!

Thanks for reading today. If you found something interesting, please forward this email to another Calgarian and tell them to sign up!

And before you go, we’d love to know…

We’ll see you back here on Thursday, same time, same place!