The Whistler Pride and Ski Festival is a LGBTQ-themed skiing and snowboarding festival in January.  It offers a range of both indoor and outdoor activities.

 

Whistler’s Pride Festival in 2026

Running from January 25th to February 1st in 2026, the Whistler Pride Festival is a winter tradition at BC’s largest ski resort. Each year people of all sexual orientations and genders descend on Whistler-Blackcomb for a week of fun and celebration of all things LGBTQ+.

The host hotel partnered with the festival is Aava Whistler Hotel. Many of the events take place in or around the hotel. There is a free shuttle service from the building to other hosting venues. You don’t have to stay at the hotel if you attend the festival, but it’s a good option.

The festival’s most popular activities are the daily skiing and snowboarding runs, but there are plenty of other things to do as well. This includes shows and parties put on by the festival, and also all the regular non-Pride activities that Whistler has to offer.

In 2022 Jimbo the Drag Clown was the headlining performer at the festival. Below is a photo of Jimbo in a white ski suit and the larger than life chest.

 

 

Festival Tickets and Pricing

There are both free and ticketed events at the 2026 festival. Unlike in recent years, all tickets are sold individually. There doesn’t seem to be any multi-day or full festival passes. If you were to buy tickets to every paid event this year, it would cost around $300.

Something that has to be purchased separately by all guests who want to hit the slopes is lift tickets up the mountain. Once you get to the ski hill, there are free guided ski and snowboard groups for all different skill levels that festival-goers can take part in. There are also plenty of non-mountainous events as well.

 

Whistler Pride Schedule

The ski and snowboard sessions mentioned above take place almost every morning during the festival. The guides for each group are very experienced and lead participants through various areas on both the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. Afterwards, there are après sessions that are like relaxed meet and greet-type socials.

In addition to the above activities, below is a schedule of the main events in 2025. (Note: The schedule is subject to change.)

 

January 25th, 2026

• Whistler Pride Welcome Party – this event takes place from 7:00 to 10:00 pm on the opening day of the festival. It’s a chance to meet other guests as well as staff with food, drinks and some entertainment to go with it. The location is the GLC Bar & Grill, located at 4165 Spring Lane.

 

January 27th, 2026

• Trivia Night – a fun and free trivia night at the GLC Bar & Grill. With questions covering LGBTQ+ history, pop culture and more, be ready for a night of good-natured competition.

 

January 28th, 2026

• Drag Bingo – this isn’t your regular bingo night. There’s lip-syncing, bonus interactive activities and plenty of other fun. The bingo goes from 9:00 to 11:00 pm at the Raven Room at 4299 Blackcomb Way. There are prizes to be won and the event often raises money for local charities.

 

January 29th, 2026

• HAZE –  a night drag and dance hosted by HAZEL from Season 6 of Canada’s Drag Race. The fun starts at 9:00 pm inside Maxx Fish nightclub at 4232 Village Stroll.

 

 

January 30th, 2026

• Pride Ski Parade – the Whistler Pride Parade incorporates skiing and snowboarding as it begins at Skiers Plaza at around 1:00 pm. From there, participants glide down the mountain and then transition to a standard marching parade through to the Whistler Olympic Plaza.(Above is a photo of the front of the 2022 parade. Well over 100 people joined the procession. It’s a fun and colourful event!)
• CRUISE – a night of dancing inside Maxx Fish nightclub from 9:00 pm through to 2:00 am. Attendees are encouraged to dress in vintage outfits reminiscing of the gay underground culture of the 1970s.
• Frigays Party – taking place at roughly the same time at CRUISE over at Garfinkel’s Whistler at 4308 Main Street, Frigays is another dance party that features live DJs and performances from Canada’s Drag Race alumni.

 

January 31st, 2026

• The Longhorn Presents: ICONS Whistler – a fantastic drag show hosted by the Longhorn Saloon at 4280 Mountain Square. Watch HAZEL, Star Doll, Rico Rico, Batty Banks and Bliss take the stage from 7:00 to 11:00 pm.
• Babes on Babes – the official sapphic party night of the festival, enjoy a final night of fun at Maxx Fish from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am with DJs, dancing and more.

 

On top of the above events, there are numerous other activities you can enjoy at Whistler. From exploring the Village itself to taking part in gondola rides, snowmobile tours and more. The area has a lot to offer! For things to do during the time of the festival, check out our article about Whistler Winter Activities.

 

Whistler Pride Parade Video

To give you an idea of what to expect at the Whistler Pride and Ski Festival check out the video below. It’s of the Pride Parade in 2022. The video begins with the procession of skiers arriving at the bottom of the hill. After a short break, the participants then continue on foot through the streets of Whistler Village. The procession goes from the plaza by the gondolas at the bottom of the ski hill, along Village Stroll, to the Olympic rings by the Olympic Plaza in Whistler’s North Village.

 

 

Other Information

For more information about the festival click Whistler Pride & Ski Festival.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

• Whistler Hotels
• Restaurants in Whistler
• Whistler Bars & Night Clubs
• Whistler’s Calendar of Events

To learn about one of the largest LGBTQ+ events in North America, click Vancouver Pride Festival.