10 Gay Ski Weeks and Winter Pride Celebrations
Attention Queer winter-weather lovers! Hang out with other outdoor enthusiasts and other skiers at these exciting Gay Ski Weeks!
Winter is usually that time of year when LGBTQ+ travelers are looking for a beach getaway – like Florida or the Caribbean – to escape the chilly winter weather. But there are queer travelers who thrive among majestic snow-capped mountains and snow-packed slopes.
Gay ski weeks and winter Pride events usually offer guests a variety of fun parties to socialize with other locals, meet people from different corners of the world, and an opportunity to get outdoors and enjoy skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.
So, we pulled together a list of 10 domestic and international gay ski weeks or winter Pride celebrations that you should consider attending when you feel comfortable traveling.
Aspen Gay Ski Week, Jan. 13-21, 2024 (Aspen, Colorado, USA)
Returning for its 45th year, Aspen Gay Ski Week is touted as the largest and longest-running gay ski event in the Western Hemisphere. Visit Colorado’s popular resort town to hit the slopes and miles of trails in the Elk Mountains – perfect for skiing, snowshoeing, and winter hiking. Produced by local non-profit AspenOUT, Aspen Gay Ski Week will be jam-packed with fundraising events, such as drag bingo, a downhill costume competition, a cowboy rave, and a pool party.
Winter Rendezvous Ski Week, Jan. 17-21, 2024 (Stowe, Vermont, USA)
Stowe has hosted Winter Rendezvous Ski Week for 38 years. Spend all day on the slopes of Spruce Peak and Mount Mansfield, go ice skating in Spruce Peak Village, or go dog-sledding through this winter wonderland in Vermont. Start this fun ski week with a kick-off party and a roster of other fun events, such as a pool bash with DJ Keith James, Drag Me to the 80s, drag bingo, a show with comedian Dina Martina, and a final “Blow Out Dance Party” to cap off this fun Gay Ski Week.
Arosa Gay Ski Week, January 20-27, 2024 (Arosa, Switzerland)
LGBTQ+ travelers will feel welcomed in Arosa, Switzerland. It’s one of the most gay-friendly ski areas in the Alps, and not uncommon to see rainbow flags flying high throughout the winter. Since the year 2005, the seven-day event has offered world-class entertainment in the Swiss mountains with more than 136 miles of snowy slopes. Join more than 600 lesbian and gay winter sports fans from over 30 different countries and find out why Arosa Gay Ski Week is “Europe’s favorite Queer Ski Pride Week.”
Whistler Pride & Ski Festival, January 21-28, 2024 (Whistler, Blackcomb, Canada)
The Whistler Pride & Ski Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year. Since 1992, women, men, and everyone in between have come together at Ski Whistler Blackcomb to enjoy gay-friendly Winter sports. Whistler Pride Comedy Night, “Spa-Lash” at the Scandinave Spa, and “Snow Belles,” an Alpine Eleganza, are a few events that will make your Pride & Ski Festival in Canada an unforgettable experience. If you miss this fun ski week, consider a trip to experience Alberta, Canada for the Jasper Pride Festival, usually scheduled the first week in April.
Elevation Utah Gay Ski Week, February 28-March 3, 2024 (Park City, Utah, USA)
Elevation Utah has welcomed a record number of queer skiers and allies to take on the powdery slopes of Park City and Deer Valley. Utah’s only gay ski week is set to pull out all the stops with a raucous welcome party, multiple drag shows, boozy après ski gatherings, and more. Check out the event’s website to stay updated on the events scheduled throughout the week.
Telluride Gay Ski Week, February 24-March 2, 2024 (Telluride, Colorado, USA)
Winter sports pros converge on Telluride because of its 147 runs and a 4,500-foot vertical drop. And more than 1,000 revelers of all backgrounds come each year to celebrate Telluride Gay Ski Week. This annual ski week includes a variety of events, including an opening reception, a stand-up comedy show, burlesque and drag shows, a ski parade, a drag brunch, a pool party, a White Party, and a Glitter Ball Closing Party. For more low-key events, attendees may opt to take a historical walking tour, a gay horse-drawn sleigh ride followed by a ranch-to-table Spanish Basque-style dinner prepared by Chef Graeme Charles.
Winter PrideFest, March 2-4, 2024 (Bend, Oregon, USA)
Nonprofit OUT Central Oregon established the annual Winter PrideFest to promote inclusivity and visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community in rural areas like Bend. Activist Wyn Wiley – a.k.a. backpacking drag queen Pattie Gonia – is the face of the jubilant weekend, striving to bring the over-the-top nature of drag to the great outdoors. Besides top-notch skiing on Mount Bachelor, the Winter PrideFest features snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Deschutes National Forest, drag tubing, ice skating, and several “snocial” events to mix and mingle.
European Snow Pride, March 16-23, 2024 (Tignes, France)
The French Alps are the stage for two Gay Snow Weeks in Spring. First, we have the European Snow Pride at Espace Killy, a popular area for skiers that encompasses two ski areas, Val d’Isère and Tignes. The landscape and area are perfect for skiers ranging in beginner to expert skill levels. For more than 10 years, organizers of the Pride event have arranged an impressive line-up of après-ski DJs, vocal performers, and dancers in the French Alps. The European Gay Ski Week is also going on at the same time at Val Thoren in Savoie, France.
Elevation Mammoth Gay Ski Week, March 13-17, 2024 (Mammoth Lakes, California, USA)
Founded by Tom Whitman, the now-international Elevation brand is celebrating 20 years since its inaugural Elevation Mammoth Gay Ski Week in Mammoth Lakes. California’s premier LGBTQ+ ski event is where themes reign supreme during this mammoth extravaganza including costume ski races, après skis where you can don a pajama onesie or dog tag to share your romantic status, a VIP wine and mezcal tasting, a costume ski race, plus parties with “frat boy,” “neon,” and kinky “gear” dress codes.
Gay Ski Week QT, August 22 – September 1, 2024 (Queenstown, New Zealand)
Spring starts in New Zealand near the end of August. It’s also the perfect time for Gay Ski Week QT, the largest gay & lesbian Winter Pride in the Southern Hemisphere. Kiwis and other South Pacific islanders are getting spring fever, and in general, LGBT winter sports fans can enjoy outdoor activities in soft snow. All the fun happens at Cardrona Alpine Resort just a 35-minute drive from downtown Queenstown. Add this event to your trip itinerary, and don’t forget to pack your winter clothes for a fun week in the snow.
