An Edmonton gay dance bar says children will soon be welcome as part of its spring expansion.
Evolution Wonderlounge in downtown Edmonton announced an overhaul that includes juke boxes, karaoke, daily happy hour, and an invitation to “bring your kids til 9.”
The bar disabled comments on the Instagram post with the announcement.
In a statement to True North, the bar downplayed the matter.
“Every restaurant in the city allows parents to have an alcoholic beverage while enjoying something to eat with their kids,” a spokesperson said.
Evolution Wonderlounge touts itself as the “only club serving the 2SLGBTQ+ community year round.”
The bar is a member of the Alberta 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, which gets funding from the Government of Canada as part of the 2SLGBTQI+ entrepreneurship program.
This decision from the bar to open the door to children in an environment emphasizing sexual identity and orientation is part of a trend of 2SLGBTQI+ programs and business targeting the youth demographic.
Drag queen story times, where men in drag read to children, have become a particular flashpoint in recent years, attracting critics and in some cases legislation banning protests. Calgary pastor Derek Reimer was sentenced to a year of house arrest with two additional years of probation for protesting multiple drag queen story events.
The Alberta government has spent over $26 million on equality, safety and inclusivity programs for the 2SLGBTQI+ community since 2021.