Toronto celebrates Pride weekend like many other cities the last weekend in June. There is so much to do that weekend that most of the gay sports leagues have learned to stay clear of that weekend for trying to have any sports scheduled. So my softball league takes the weekend off as does I think every other gay league that plays at this time of year in the city.

But Pride weekend this year is sandwiched by two gay tourney's here. This weekend June 20-22 Downtown Soccer Toronto - now up to an amazing 10 teams and 200+ members in the gay soccer league here, will host the Toronto International Pride Cup with teams from the US and Canada taking part. And BMO - biggest sponsor of the local pro MLS team - Toronto FC - are one of the sponsors of the tournament.
http://www.tipc.org/
http://www.xtra.ca/public/viewstory.aspx?A...B_TEMPLATE_ID=2

Then on the weekend following Pride - which is conveniently 4th of July weekend for attracting American teams - I'll be playing in the Canada Cup softball tournament. This year with the games being played at a different venue way out in Oshawa for the first time - about 30 miles east of the city. So it will be a long haul out to the fields each day, but all 28 teams - including 16 from out of town - will be at one venue this year which is always better than being split as has happened in the past.

Here's the list of out of town teams that will be joining the 12 local teams for the 2008 Canada Cup.
Chicago Breeze, Chicago Jackhammer, Fort Lauderdale Blue Ice, Minneapolis Racers, Montreal Majors, Minneapolis Lost Sox, Columbus Hard Times, Atlanta Woofs Pounders, Montreal Les Loups, Tampa Bay Otters, Milwaukee Woody's, Atlanta Roosters, Pittsburgh Angry Beavers Cleveland Twisted Sisters,
Pittsburgh U-Hauls and Pittsburgh OutKasts