I know many of you are heading up to Whistler this week for WinterPride. Here's a little something something I lifted off the gaywhistler.com website:

This is the Xtra-sponsored event at this year's WinterPride. As you can tell by the photo above, there are going to be A LOT of balls there. Get your tickets here. 

Allright... girl feels like a full-piece zombie right now writing this. Long trek back from Whistler, y'all. You can catch full coverage of the festival in this week's Xtra West, which hits the streets on Wednesday. I'll post links to my article about the festival and a copy of my column which will review the WinterPRIDE evening events here to Xtra.ca for everyone outside the paper's distribution area.

Anyway... guess who I met at WinterPRIDE this week?

I managed to interview and chat him up at the Apres Ski party on Friday at Garibaldi Lift Company in Whistler. Wish I had got to spend some more time with the guy (trust me).

You can read about his experiences as Mr. Gay World here, including some of his thoughts on WinterPRIDE.

And if you didn't check out this year's festival, maybe you should come for 2011, eh? You never know who you'll meet...

The Olympic clock is ticky-ticky tick tocking away and the first ever Pride House (the welcoming place for gay Olympians, coaches, family and entourage in Whistler) is making headlines (see here and here)

Want regular updates on Pride House and Olympic activities in Whistler? Follow them on Twitter: @pridehouse2010 and @gaywhistler (and while you're at it, you'll follow me to if you know what's good for you: @seanhorlor)

Still not sure what the hell I'm talking about? Here's a summary from the gaywhistler.com site:

The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are coming to Whistler and for the first time in Olympic history there will be a venue available to our Gay & Lesbian athletes, coaches, family, friends and allies.  A venue we call - PRIDE House.

PRIDE House is located in the centre of Whistler Village at the award winning boutique hotel of Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre.

PRIDE House will be a hip lounge with a cocktail bar with TV monitors to watch the Olympics, hang out, trade pins, a media area to do interviews, and a venue to just have fun.  PRIDE House will be designed with the core values of celebrating authenticity, diversity and inclusiveness. 

PRIDE House will be open from February 8th through to March 21st.  The hours of operation is scheduled from 10AM to 10PM daily. (Subject to Change)

If you get the chance to check out Pride House during the games, you'll be greeted by the following sculpture by Edmund Haakanson:

Called "Slapshotolus", it is, according to Haakanson: "a symbolic expression of the concept that one who lives a life of noble ideals does not require protection, does not need to cover because there is nothing to hide."

Marry me!

In other news, Qmunity will be the gathering spot for gay athletes in Vancouver during the Games and you should plan on heading to Score to share a beer or three with said atheletes or to catch coverage of the games on their dazzling array of TVs.

Are you in the know on LGBT Olympic events during the Games? If yes, contact me at vancouvergayblog@gmail.com and give me the low down so I can share the good news with the rest of the city.

I've been talking to WinterPRIDE's Dean Nelson and boy oh boy (and girl oh GIRL!), this year's festival is going to be THE BEST!!! Which means if you haven't got your accommodation, tickets and itinerary sorted, now's the time to get busy, people!

Gaywhistler.com has also just released the WinterPRIDE Guide, which can be found here. Gaywhistler.com also has a variety of booking and information resources to make the process as easy as possible. I will be going again this year, which does make me a two-timing whore. I mean it when I say don't miss out!

Not sure what to expect? Here's a feature I wrote for Xtra West (one of the favourite stories I've done) and some of my Up Your Alley coverage from last year. And here are some photos, courtesy of the www.gaywhistler.com site!

And (also from the Gaywhistler.com site) here's a breakdown of what's happening:

"2010 is going to be a very exciting and electric year as Whistler plays host to three major back to back events. The 2010 Winter Olympics February 12-28 comes to Whistler and the 40 year vision and dream of this resort town is actualized. Whistler will have all the Nordic, Sliding and Downhill events and the parties and excitement will be like no other time in the villages history..

March 1-8 are the official dates for GayWhistlers WinterPRIDE celebrating our 18th anniversary! This is going to be one anniversary party you will not want to miss  come and experience Whistler just after the Olympics and take in the excitement of being on the world stage. We have been working on our 2010 strategy for nearly three years already and we have some very exciting events in mind of this very special year.

March 12-21, 2010 Whistler plays host to some very talented and extraordinary athletes at the Paralympic Games. Come cheer on your favorite athlete as they go for Gold. The Paralympics are known to be more intimate than the Olympics and just as exciting!"

See ya there!