"When a group of skiers glides down a mountain carrying a giant rainbow banner that will be handed off to participants in the Whistler Pride Parade, the town will be buzzing with visitors from around the globe. One of the world's top-rated ski resort communities will turn into party central during the annual gay ski festival as the municipality proclaims Pride Week and raises a rainbow flag to welcome gays from 25 countries," reports Canada.com.

"WinterPRIDE organizer Dean Nelson says about 3,000 people are expected at the sports, cultural and entertainment event that runs till Sunday. Besides taking to the hills, participants will have a chance to enjoy dogsledding, snowmobile tours, tubing, ziplining, cooking classes and dance parties featuring top DJs from Barcelona and San Francisco. The Mr. Gay Canada contest will also be held during the eight-day extravaganza, with the winner moving on to the world finals in Rome in August. Most of the fun seekers will make the trek from across Canada, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, but more participants than ever are arriving from Croatia and Lithuania this year, Nelson says."