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Pride Calgary 2014 Dos and Don'ts (PHOTOS)

10 Dos And Don'ts Of Calgary Pride

Calgary Pride 2014 is set to drape the city in all the colours of the rainbow from Friday, Aug. 22 to Sunday, Aug. 31.

The 10-day celebration will feature a wide variety of entertainment and charity events including stand-up comedy, spoken word and drag shows featuring some of the world's most famous acts.

A massive Pride Parade that begins on Stephen Avenue at noon on Aug. 31 will cap everything off, followed by the Pride Festival at Shaw Millennium Park.

Jimmy Lee, a former Pride Calgary volunteer and current enthusiastic supporter, has compiled this fantastic list of the Top 10 Dos and Don'ts for a safe, fun and fabulous time at what could be one of the biggest parties that Calgary has ever seen.

This is the time of year to reflect on all the wonderful and unique aspects of the LGBT community. Be proud of everyone involved and share your appreciation.

The Pride flag should be celebrated, people, not made into a head-to-toe outfit, unless you're part of the entertainment. Don't be the freak shows on the 6 p.m. news ... it's not pretty!

There are 10 days of events, so don't make yourself sick before the finale. Bring a water bottle everywhere you go and carry packets of a low-calorie sports drink like Ener-C. Keep yourself hydrated with plenty of electrolytes to avoid look like Britney Spears with no makeup. You never know, Mr. or Ms. Right could be just around the corner.

You may think you're funnier and prettier when you're hammered, but you're really just sloppy. Don't get me wrong, day drinking is fun, but I don't want to see anyone tossing their cookies in the gutter at 1 p.m. And don't make your friends take care of your drunken ass.

Buy your tickets in advance.Many events will have long lineups or already be sold out.

Save yourself the trouble of convincing a bouncer you can drink when you're 26.

Calgary has an excellent public transit system as well as many different taxi services. Put some numbers in your phone. You never know when they might come in handy.

Orange may be the new black, but wearing a prison jumpsuit is nothing to be proud of.

Some places will only accept bills and coins, and ATMs can be tough to find.

It can slow down service at nightclubs, beer gardens and bars. It's rude to the people behind you and makes the bartenders mad.

Calgary's weather is legendary for its unpredictable nature. Prepare for just about anything.

Nights can be very cold any time of the year in Calgary, so don't risk illness just to wear that tight new T-shirt and shorts.

Costumes are great in the parade, even risqué ones, but police will enforce laws around public nudity and indecency. Pride Calgary is family-friendly, so remember that there will be little kids at many of these events too, especially the parade and festival.

No one wants to see that. As the saying goes, "There's an app for that," so use it.

We are many colours under one rainbow, so be friendly, laugh and smile as much as you can. The new friends you make here might last a lifetime.

Leave your judgment at home. If all you have to offer is meanness and snark, then keep your nasty ass on the couch. Pride is for celebration, not hate.

Many people fought very hard so that we could enjoy Pride in the first place. Also, consider those who are not fortunate enough to live in a progressive country like Canada. Being gay can lead to imprisonment or even death in far too many places.

Credit: Flickr user Dan Arndt

There are many groups and people who'd like to see us back in the closet. Don't engage any hate groups you may encounter. They're looking to cause chaos, so don't give them the satisfaction.

Hookups happen; you'd be naive to think otherwise. Use condoms, know what you're getting into. Make sure someone knows where you are, who you're with, when you'll be back and how to reach you.

Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and DEFINITELY don't take any drugs from people you don't know. Have fun without going out of control, it could save your life.

For more information, events listings and tickets, go to Pridecalgary.ca, Gaycalgary.com or Ffwdweekly.com.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified Jimmy Lee as with Pride Calgary. In fact, he is a former marketing director for the event.

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