Britannia Mine Museum’s Pride Night returns June 16

Mark Your Calendar: Embrace Diversity and Fun at Britannia Mine Museum’s Upcoming Pride Night on June 16th

The Britannia Mine Museum is bringing back their “Old Town, New Queens” pride night event on Friday, June 16 from 6 pm to 9:30 pm in their historic 100-year-old Mill No. 3 building.

The Museum’s 20-storey Mill No. 3 building, a National Historic Site, will be transformed into a huge performance space featuring some of the most amazing 2SLGBTQ+ drag artists from the Lower Mainland.

“The inaugural Old Town, New Queens event in 2022 was Britannia Beach’s first ever Pride event,” says Derek Jang, Manager of Interpretive Delivery at the Museum. “As we celebrate our Mill No. 3’s centennial this year, we wanted not only to pay homage to its history and heritage, but also to create a unique collaborative event that makes space for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.”

The first edition of “Old Town, New Queens took place in August 2022 and was attended by over 200 guests. Performers for the 2023 event will include Sativa the Diva, Homo Hardware, Dust Cwain, Belladonna Von Shade, Flemme Fatale, Pia Little, Dolly Hardon, Blue Joy and Maiden Wonderland.

“The first time I walked in and saw the sheer raw beauty of the Mill, I knew we were doing something incredible” says returning performer Sativa the Diva (aka Chris Cook). “To be able to perform at such an iconic landmark is a moment I will never forget.”

Entry to the “Old Town, New Queens” event includes two 45 minute drag performances in the Mill as well as access to the Museum’s feature exhibit “100 Years of Mill No. 3” and the Museum’s permanent exhibits, including the gold panning station. The “100 Years of Mill No. 3” exhibit commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Mill building, and delves into how the Mill served as the heartbeat of the Britannia community, its history, technological innovations, and impact as an icon of the Sea to Sky Corridor.

This year’s ”Old Town, New Queens” event was developed in collaboration with Pride Squamish.  “Partnerships like this help Pride Squamish continue to do the work we do, creating awareness, visibility, inclusion and safe spaces for all,” says Pride Squamish Board Member Trevor Wulff. The Museum also gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia and Teck.