A group of St. John's curlers is heading to the mainland this month to compete in a national tournament — but it's not Team Gushue or Team Smith looking to win big at the Brier.

This particular group is preparing to compete in the Canadian Gay Curling Championships, happening in Calgary from March 29 to 31.

LGBT curling clubs exist in nearly every province in the country, and every year members head to the national tournament — which, much like every curling bonspiel, is as much about the party as it is about the sport.

Tyler Boone is heading to the Canadian Gay Curling Championships for the third time this year. (Fred Hutton/CBC)

"There's lots of opportunities to mix and mingle with the other curlers from right across the country," said Tyler Boone, who's about to compete in the national championship for the third time.

"It's a great time. Curling bonspiels are kind of notorious for being fun anyway, and the competitive aspect just kind of adds to that."

Odds & Ends

Boone is a member of the local gay curling league Odds & Ends, which he and Corey Follett started in 2016. The league has grown from 14 original members to 37 at the start of this year.

Like other LGBT curling organizations across Canada, Odds & Ends doesn't have rigid rules around how the team can be made up. Any combination of women and men is allowed, and straight members take part in the fun.

Odds & Ends has grown from 14 members in 2006 to 37 this year. (Facebook/oddsandendscurling)

"It's not strictly men or strictly ladies, or even split format, two men and two women. It can be any format at all," Boone said.

"Most of the curlers at the national tournament are actually members of the LGBT community, but our leagues across the country definitely do have straight allies."

New members welcome

Boone said Odds & Ends is always accepting new members, and anyone with an interest can look up the club on Facebook to find out more.

The group curls every Friday night at the Remax Centre in St. John's, starting at 8:30 p.m. Boone said there are also drop-in nights for those looking to step on the ice for the first time.

Teams in the Odds & Ends league can be made up of any combination of women and men, LGBT or straight. (Facebook/oddsandendscurling)

He said the nights are a chance to get together in a setting that's away from the downtown bar and club scene.

"St. John's is a very liberal and open city, but we still don't have many gay spaces or spaces where LGBT people can get together as a community," he said.

"Nowhere is really unfriendly here in the city, but Odds & Ends on Friday nights kind of offers them a really social relaxed atmosphere."