August 23–27 Toronto Thousands of […]
When
1978-08-23 – 1978-08-27
Description
August 23–27 Toronto Thousands of people participated in Gaydays: In Celebration of Lesbians and Gay Men, a cultural festival to entertain and inform gay people. Organized by the group Liberated Energy, with coordinators Naomi Brooks, Val Edwards, Harvey Hamburg, and Gordon Montador, Gaydays included a gay fair in Queen's Park with booths, displays, entertainment, and music. An opening night gala featured Ferron, Sheila Gostick, George Hislop, and John Rechy. On Saturday night, more than 1,400 people attended what was billed as the biggest gay dance in the history of Toronto, held at St. Lawrence Market. Hundreds of people attended an all-day picnic at Hanlan's Point on Sunday. Gaydays was one of the largest and most successful gay events organized in Canada to that time, and was a precursor to the large-scale gay pride events that became popular starting in the 1980s.
All Places
Hanlan's Point, Toronto IslandsSt. Lawrence MarketQueen's Park Ontario Legislature Legislative Assembly of OntarioTorontoAll People
John RechyGeorge HislopSheila GostickFerronGordon MontadorHarvey HamburgValerie EdwardsNaomi BrooksAll Organizations
Liberated EnergyAll Citations
Ian Young, "The Communist and the Prostitute" (letter), Body Politic, no. 46 (1978), p. 2.Lorna Weir, "Women's Concert," LOOT Newsletter, September 1978, p. (2)Gordon Montador, "Gay Days," Standout (Toronto), September 1978, p. (13)Liberated Energy papers , accession 1995–185, Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, TorontoGary Kinsman, "GLAD to Be GAY," Socialist Voice, 25 September 1978, p. 10Claire Hoy, "Fight This Perversion!: Gaydays Are Sad Days for Metro..." (column), Toronto Sun, 25 August 1978, p. 20Robin Hardy, "Gaydays: In Celebration of Ourselves. A Look Inside Liberated Energy," Body Politic, no. 47 (1978), pp. 21–23Gerald Hannon, Untitled photograph, Body Politic, no. 46 (1978), p. 4"Gaydays Week Draws 1,000 to Toronto," Hamilton Spectator, 28 August 1978, p. 2"Gaydays Lessons," Gay Rising, 23 September 1978, p. (4)"Gaydays in Toronto," GEM News Notes (Mississauga), September 1978, p. (2)"Gaydays Gathering Steam: Izquierda Making Toronto Debut," Lesbian Organization of Toronto (LOOT) Newsletter, July 1978, p. (1)Advertisement, Body Politic, no. 45 (1978), p. 28
