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Flashback Gay Bar

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by LittleSoka (talk | contribs) at 21:42, 10 July 2023 (Flashback neon sign). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Flashback was a gay bar and nightclub in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from 1974 to 1991. It operated as a private members club first known as the Jasper Avenue Social Club Society then as the 105 Street Bridge Club Society.

Opened as a private club, the Jasper Avenue Social Cub Society operated a gay bar named Flashback on November 15, 1974 in a basement location on Jasper Avenue and 117 Street in Edmonton. As it gained popularity it moved to a larger location in the Millar Building at 10330 - 104 Street in the Warehouse District of Downtown Edmonton where it opened its doors on November 4, 1977.[1]

When the building owners decided not to renew their lease Flashback moved to another warehouse building directly across the back alley and restructured as the 105 Street Bridge Club Society but still operated as Flashback.

The club was originally created for queer people and their friends, but because of restrictive policies of Club 70, Edmonton's original private gay club, members were suspended for 30 days if they were accompanied by cisgender heterosexuals.[2][3]

The impact the bar had on the Edmonton Queer scene is now the subject of a new Telus Originals documentary film, Flashback, to be released in early 2024.[4][5] Additionally, the bar's original neon sign was restored and added to the Edmonton Neon Sign Museum collection on June 17, 2023.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ Byers, Ron; Browatzke, Rob (2020-09-30). "History of Edmonton's Gay Bars, Part 2: A Flashback to Flashback". Edmonton City as Museum Project ECAMP. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  2. ^ "Flashback" (PDF). Edmonton Queer History Project. 2021-09-23. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  3. ^ Korinek, Valerie J. (2018). Prairie Fairies: A History of Queer Communities and People in Western Canada. 1930-1985. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press. p. 228. ISBN 9780802095312.
  4. ^ Parker, Savannah (2023-06-08). "Screenshots: Edmonton's famous Flashback club gets documentary treatment". edmontonjournal. Retrieved 2023-06-10.
  5. ^ Huncar, Andrea (2023-05-26). "New film puts spotlight on legendary Edmonton gay club Flashback". CBC News. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  6. ^ Ekelund, Brittany (2023-06-17). "'It was so important': Community reflects on former Edmonton gay bar in new documentary". CTV News. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
  7. ^ Giles, Shayne (2023-06-14). "Flashback, baby! It's the Summer of Pride". Taproot Edmonton. Retrieved 2023-07-10.