Category Archives: Non-Profit News and Events

New Yorks CENTER Garden Party 30 Kicks Off Pride Week at Pier 84

Annual Tasting Event Partners with ZAGAT to Celebrate Pride and
Support the LGBT Community Center Programs and Services
 
WHO Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
 Board of Directors and Executive Director Glennda Testone
invite you to Garden Party 30.
 
WHAT Garden Party brings you A Taste of Pride
curated by ZAGAT and featuring
presenting sponsor Prudential with 40
restaurants and culinary destinations
offering samples from their
delicious menus.
 
WHEN Monday, June 24, 2013
General Admission 6-10 p.m.
 
WHERE Hudson River Park’s Pier 84
West Side Highway at 44th Street
New York, NY
 
How to Purchase Tickets: Tickets are available at www.gaycenter.org/gardenparty.
 
MORE Friends and supporters of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender
Community Center (the Center) will gather on June 24
for Garden Party 30,
the Center’s annual tasting event. Kick off Pride
Week with over 1,500
supporters and foodies at our new location on Pier
84. Garden Party is the
only LGBT tasting festival in the country.
Guests will watch the sun set over
the Hudson River while enjoying an
open bar and bidding on delicious dining
 packages in the silent auction.

Proceeds from Garden Party 30 support the Center’s life-enhancing and

 life-changing programs and services, and allow the Center to keep its

 doors open 365 days a year.

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WIG NIGHT OUT comes to New York for POINT Foundation Benefit

WIG NIGHT OUT! 


Hold onto your wigs,
kids! The Supreme Wig Council invites you to wear your most outlandish
wig and come over to the Stonewall Inn for the inaugural Wig Night Out
New York to benefit Point Foundation.

What began three years
ago in Washington, DC as a small group of friends donning wigs and
donating to charity has blossomed into an innovative and quirky, annual
event. Now we’re taking the fun on the road and coming to New York on
June 15.

Wig Night Out promises regular Joes in street clothes and outlandish wigs, all in an effort to raise money for scholarships for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth.

The suggested donation is $10 and includes a complimentary cocktail.
100% of the proceeds benefit Point Foundation, the nation’s largest
scholarship-granting organization for LGBTQ students of merit. Point
promotes change through education, mentorship, leadership development
and community service training, and provides its scholars with the
financial ability to attend the nation’s foremost higher educational
institutions.

Out of town? Wig in the shop? Out of Aquanet? No worries–you can still support WNO and Point Foundation. Just visit http://pointfoundation.org/wnony

Since 2011, Wig Night Out has raised nearly $20,000 for Point
Foundation, and we are thrilled to bring this fun event to New York! So
start pouring through that fabulous wig collection you’ve been
amassing, grab your checkbook, bring your pride, and meet us at the
Stonewall Inn on June 15! It’s going to be wigtastic!

For more information, visit us at www.wignightout.org

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Sneak Peak at New Yorks Broadway Bares 2013

From sea to shining sea, this year’s
Broadway Bares will crisscross the country in a racy, raucous road
trip, exploring the United States as the 23rd annual edition of the
immensely popular modern-day burlesque show arrives as Broadway Bares
23: United Strips of America.

This video offers an exclusive
behind-the-scenes look at the Broadway Bares photo shoot, hosted by this
year’s director, Nick Kenkel.

Produced by and benefiting
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Broadway Bares 23will arrive Sunday,
June 23, for two performances only — at 9:30 PM & Midnight — at
Roseland Ballroom in NYC.

In Broadway Bares 23: United Strips of
America, more than 200 of New York’s sexiest and most delectable
dancers will discover — and uncover — amber waves and mountain
majesties that only Broadway Bares could find. This trip across the
fruited plains of America will most certainly be the stuff patriot
dreams are made of. TICKETS ON SALE NOW.

WATCH NOW

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    New York’s Center Dinner to honor DOMA Plaintiff Edie Windsor, April 11

    Friends
    and supporters of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender
    Community Center (the Center) will gather at Cipriani Wall Street on
    Thursday, April 11 to honor community leaders Edie Windsor, Terrence
    Meck and Neil Tallantire.
    Special guests Neil Patrick Harris and David
    Burtka
    will join the Center to recognize the remarkable work of these
    individuals, while helping the Center raise funds to support its
    life-changing and life-saving programs and services.

    The
    accomplishments of all three honorees extend far beyond the
    organization: Edie Windsor, for her long-standing contributions and
    whose case went before the Supreme Court in late March to challenge the
    Defense of Marriage Act; Terrence Meck, Executive Director of the
    Palette Fund, which makes grants in support of queer youth, patient
    navigation, and nutrition and wellness; and Neil Tallantire, Senior Vice
    President, Diageo, for his leadership of Diageo’s philanthropic support
    of the LGBT community.

    “We’re fortunate this year to have such
    wonderful friends who stand up every day for fairness and equality for
    LGBT people,” said Glennda Testone, the Center’s Executive Director.
    “Years from now, history will remember Edie Windsor as a hero of the
    LGBT civil rights movement. Her long history with the Center and her
    contributions to the community overall inspired us not just to honor
    her, but also to name the award after Edie and her late wife Thea. From
    this year on, the Center will recognize outstanding activist individuals
    with the Edie Windsor and Thea Spyer Community Trailblazer Award.”

    Center
    Dinner Co-Chairs Timothy Chow and Greg Zaffiro join Testone and the
    Center’s Board of Directors in hosting the evening. The dinner will also
    celebrate two important milestones in the Center’s history: the 30th
    anniversary as the heart of the LGBT community in New York City, and the
    commencement of a transformational building enhancement project
    designed to expand on the vision of its founders and meet the needs of
    the community in the years to come. For more information on the Center’s
    renovation, visit www.gaycenter.org/buildingforyou.

    WHO: Actor Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”) and partner David Burtka; Windsor v. United States plaintiff Edith “Edie” Windsor; financial guru Suze Orman (“The Suze Show”); MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts; Broadway star Nick Adams; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center Executive Director Glennda Testone; and Event Co-Chairs Timothy Chow and Greg Zaffiro.

    WHAT: The Center Dinner, an annual gala fundraiser to support the Center’s vital programs and services

    WHEN: Thursday, April 11, 2013

    6:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception/Silent Auction
    7:30 p.m. Dinner and Awards
    Cocktail Chic Attire

    WHERE: Cipriani Wall Street
    55 Wall Street
    New York, NY

    How to Purchase Tickets: Tickets are available at www.gaycenter.org/centerdinner; tickets start at $500. 

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    New Yorks Gay Youth Center Gets Grant

     GREAT NEWS!  


    ALI FORNEY CENTER RECEIVES GRANT FROM MACFARLANE FOUNDATION FOR LGBT HOST HOME PROGRAM

    The Ali Forney Center (AFC) – the nation’s largest services and advocacy organization working on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) runaway and homeless youth – is excited to announce that it has received a grant from the Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation. 


    The grant will go to fund a new Host Home Program, modeled after programs successfully
    implemented in other cities including Minneapolis and Chicago. In the program, adults will open their homes for up to one year to a limited number of the AFC’s youth, offering young people a chance to live day-to-day as part of a stable, LGBTQ-supportive household. Given a severe shortage of shelter beds in New York, the program has the potential to make a significant impact.

    The AFC has been researching a Host Home Program for over two years,
    visiting other organizations that have implemented such programs –
    including Minneapolis’ Avenues for Youth and Chicago’s uCan – to learn
    from their experiences and prepare to implement a counterpart in NYC.
    The pilot version of the program will introduce one full-time Host Home
    Coordinator who will lead implementation and community development. The
    program offers NYC residents the opportunity to open their homes and
    host a homeless LGBTQ youth for a period of up to one year. Both Host
    Home Providers and youth will be supported through the program, which
    will include training, counseling, and targeted goals. The AFC is
    looking to explore partnerships with community organizations, including
    the Brooklyn Community Pride Center and the LGBT Community Center in
    Manhattan. Individuals will be screened to ensure they meet the
    program’s eligibility criteria. Similarly, AFC’s care team will screen
    and offer specialized support to youth who enroll in the program, as
    participation is entirely voluntary.

    Said Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center: “With such
    a terrible dearth of shelter beds available for the estimated 1800
    homeless LGBT youth on the streets of New York each night, every bed is
    of vital importance. I am incredibly grateful to the MacFarlane
    Foundation for their generosity, which will allow loving adults to open
    their homes to our youth, many of whom lack any kind of family support.”

    Said Jessica MacFarlane of the MacFarlane Foundation: “The MacFarlane
    Foundation is thrilled to contribute to the Ali Forney Center’s Host
    Home Program. The Ali Forney Center is a leader in serving homeless
    LGBTQ youth, and they set a standard for other organizations to aspire
    to. This program will bridge the gap between the current housing offered
    by the Ali Forney Center and young clients’ living independently. The
    Foundation feels strongly about the importance of supporting the LGBTQ
    community and is pleased to support the Ali Forney Center.”

    The MacFarlane Foundation has issued its grant in order to help AFC pilot
    the Host Home Program to determine the program’s viability. The pilot
    will also allow AFC the opportunity to secure greater funding for the
    continuation of the program. This is the second new program AFC will be
    introducing in 2013. In the coming months AFC will expand the operation
    of its Drop-In Center in Harlem to offer 24/7 programming, the first of
    its kind in the nation for homeless LGBTQ youth.  



    About the Ali Forney Center

    The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June of 2002 in response to the
    lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. The Center is
    committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified,
    nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can
    begin to put their lives back together. AFC is dedicated to promoting
    awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth in the United States with
    the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from
    government funders, foundations, and the LGBT community. For more
    information, see
    www.aliforneycenter.org

    About the Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation

    The Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation makes catalytic
    contributions to organizations, by enhancing the impact of existing
    endeavors and leveraging organizations’ capacities to expand their
    reach. The Foundation aims to improve the opportunities of individuals,
    build strength within communities, and effect lasting change. The
    MacFarlane Foundation is a family foundation whose funding reflects the
    individual interests and passions of its Trustees.

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    Last Minute Gifts at Broadway Cares

    Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS sets the stage for another season of on-line gift-giving with our latest A Catalog of Giving. The curtain goes up on a new ensemble of unique and original merchandise that is sure to garner applause from Broadway and theatre fans everywhere. 

    By now you must know that A Catalog of Giving is not just for the holidays anymore. You can continue to order our one-of-a-kind merchandise all year long by visiting our online store at broadwaycares.org each month for new featured items and great savings.
     Where else can you find a wide array of red ribbon items alongside theatre-lovers gifts, including our signature Broadway Cares Collection and Broadway Legends holiday ornaments series? 
    Our latest snow globe is designed by Tony Award®-nominated designer Anna Louizos with a colorful starburst announcing your favorite show logos. We are also excited to introduce new additions to the Broadway Cares Classic Collection, which feature logos from classic shows that have played on Broadway over the past 12 years.
    Gifts from $10!
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    Ali Forney Center Fundraiser Sunday Nov 11 for New Yorks LGBTQ Youth

    The Ali Forney Center (AFC) – the nation’s largest services and advocacy organization working on behalf of runaway and homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth – had its drop-in center destroyed by the Hudson River storm surge following Hurricane Sandy. 
     The center served as the entry point for a number of AFC services, including medical care, HIV testing, mental health services, housing referrals, and more. 
    In order to raise money for the AFC in this time of crisis, Industry Bar, located at 355 West 52nd Street in Manhattan, will host a fundraising event from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 11, 2012. 
    The event’s hosts will include actress Ally Sheedy and celebrity photographer Mike Ruiz. The event is co-chaired by AFC board member and New York City Council candidate Corey Johnson, and AFC volunteer and OASIS co-chair Michael Green
    Tickets are available for purchase at the door for $20, and 100 percent of the event proceeds from ticket sales, bar service and raffle items will go to the AFC. 
     A matching donation of up to $50,000 will be generously made on behalf of AFC Board Member Bill Shea and his husband, Frank Selvaggi. Said Shea and Selvaggi:
    “Sandy upended the lives of many New Yorkers, but not nearly as much as the youth of the Ali Forney Center, who now have nowhere to turn for basic services such as shelter and food. 
    We are proud to help our community come together in support of its most vulnerable youth.”
    The evening will include entertainment provided by DJ Vito Fun, and cabaret shows from Marti Gould Cummings, Joseph Keckler and Brett Gleason. Raffle items for the event will be announced that evening.
    Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of AFC, said: “I am enormously grateful for the immense outpouring of support we have seen for the AFC over the past several days – not just here in New York, but from all over the country. Our youth, who in many cases have been cruelly rejected by their own families for being LGBTQ, need our help now more than ever, and we hope that this event will allow the day when we can restore these vital services to come sooner rather than later.” 
     The AFC Drop-In Center was a 1,000 square foot space located on West 22st Street, providing a safe space to at-risk and homeless LGBTQ teens and young adults. The Center was a primary point of care for food, shelter, and water – providing as many as 10,000 meals a year —and also served as AFC’s Health and Mental Health Clinic, offering critical medical care (including counseling, treatment, healthcare management, psychological care, and STD/HIV testing). 
    The Center also offered career and educational counseling services for young people, helping them to reclaim their lives and live independently.
    While the AFC plans to open the first-ever 24-hour drop-in center for homeless LGBTQ youth in an alternate location, it will not be open for several months. In the meantime, New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center has generously offered AFC some of their space to provide temporary Drop-In Services. 
     To learn more about AFC, or to make a contribution, please visit www.aliforneycenter.org/hurricanesandy.
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    Pam Anderson and Star Studded Guest List for NYCLASS Benefit

    New
    Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) will host “A
    Night of New York Class” Gala on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 from 6:00 PM
    to 11:00 PM at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan (240 West 47
    th Street).

    Actress
    Pamela Anderson will be the Mistress of Ceremonies for the event.  The
    organization will honor award-winning actresses, Kathy Najimy and
    Kristen Johnston
    , paying tribute to their efforts in the fight against
    animal cruelty. In addition, there will be live performances by Joan
    Jett and The Blackhearts, Ivan Neville and D.J. Alexandra Richards.
       

    Notable attendees include Liv Tyler, Russell Simmons, Patti Smyth, John
    McEnroe, Ron Delsener, Chuck & Ellen Scarborough, Lady Bunny, and
    Miss USA, Olivia Culpo.
    The Gala will help raise awareness of NYCLASS’s
    fight against the horse carriage industry with event proceeds benefiting
    NYCLASS’s efforts to push for an alternative to New York’s horse
    carriages. 

     

    NYCLASS
    continues to work to pass Intro. 86A, legislation that calls for a
    phase-out and safe retirement of horse carriages in New York City and
    replacing them with the 21st Century “Horseless Carriage”,
    electric-powered vehicles styled and constructed to replicate turn of
    the century cars. The 14 accidents involving horse carriages this year
    alone have resulted in a majority of the city council now in favor of
    Intro 86A.

     

    Tickets to “A Night of New York Class” Gala start at $500.  Tables and VIP tickets range from $5,000 to $10,000For more information please call 212-626-6991 or visit NYclass.org/gala.


    About NYCLASS

    NYCLASS
    is an animal advocacy organization committed to ending the inhumane
    practices of the NYC carriage horse industry. NYCLASS advocates for
    retiring the carriage horses to sanctuary, while modernizing the current
    industry with a clean and safe alternative to this outdated tradition –
    the 21st Century Horseless Carriage. Founded in 2008 by a coalition of
    prominent animal lovers and business leaders, NYCLASS has grown to over
    97,000 supporters with activist chapters in all five boroughs. For more
    information, please visit www.nyclass.org

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    Rooftop BBQ discount for July 14th Benefit

     
    “I’m From Driftwood”
    Summer Rooftop BBQ Fundraiser

    Date: Saturday, July 14
    Time: 4:00 – 8:00PM
    Location: Casa de Costa Gallery Space,
     11 Stone Street, 6th Floor, NYC
    Tickets: $50
    (only $40 for Best Gay New York readers!)


    “I’m From Driftwood” (www.imfromdriftwood.com)
    is creating the world’s largest online archive of personal LGBTQ
    stories to deepen our understanding of each other, preserve our history,
    and open hearts and minds. It is currently working on its Elder
    Community Spotlight, which will feature stories from members of the
    Elder LGBT Community. In order to finish the project, IFD is having a
    Rooftop BBQ to help raise funds.

    We’re offering Best Gay New York  readers a $10 discount
    to come have a great time and learn more about I’m From Driftwood.

    Please contact Nathan (nathan@imfromdriftwood.com) for details on how to receive
    this discount.

    With an open bar by El Dorado Rum,
    Brooklyn Brewery, and Tito’s Vodka, and BBQ prepared by Chef Paul
    Busey, the Rooftop BBQ will be held at Casa de Costa gallery space in
    lower Manhattan, on Saturday, July 14, from 4:00 – 8:00pm. The
    impressive and growing list of Raffle Prizes and Silent Auction items
    include:

    – Frette, $1000 of items
    – Wicked: The Musical (2 tickets and backstage passes)
    – Channing Daughters Vineyard tour, tasting, and 2-4 bottles.
    – Framed art by photographer Josh McNey
    – Dirty Sugar Photography: 1-hour photo service
    – $250 Marriott Reward Cheques
    – Dessert Truck, Chocolate Souffle Class for 2
    – Uber app (your on-demand private driver; get a cab anywhere, any time), $100 credit
    – Sustainable NYC gift card
    – Leslie Lohman Museum membership and magazines
    – Smitten Kitten gift card
    – Marimacho – bowtie and belt
    – Autostraddle tote bag
    – The Grey Dog gift card

    SEE YOU  THERE!

    – Butter Lane Cupcakes gift certificate for 2 dozen cupcakes

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    AIDS Walk New York 2012 May 20th

    In it’s
    27 years, AIDS Walk New York has inspired nearly 845,000 people to
    walk, and millions more to donate, raising more than $122 million to
    combat HIV and AIDS.

    The funds raised at the event remain a vital
    lifeline that sustains GMHC‘s prevention, care, and advocacy programs
    for the thousands of men, women, and families affected by the disease in
    the tri-state area.

    AIDS Walk New York is the largest single-day AIDS
    fundraising event in the world.

    Visit gmhc.org to learn more about its
    life-sustaining programs and services.

    WALK  2012  takes place   May 20th!

    There are lots of ways YOU can get involved!

    Find out at  AIDS  WALK  New York


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    I’m From Driftwood: Black LGBTQ Spotlight Preview Party Jan 31st

    Description

    ImFromDriftwood.com
    is spotlighting the black LGBTQ Community in early February. Before the
    stories are shared online, you can get a first look at Gallery Bar! All
    while enjoying an OPEN BAR from El Dorado Rum, winning great raffle and
    silent auction items, and listening and dancing to live DJ Missy B! Details:

    *Gallery Bar, 120 Orchard St.
    *Tuesday, January 31, 6:30pm – 10pm (*story screening starts at 8)
    ***EL DORADO RUM OPEN BAR 6:30 – 7:30
    *Tickets: $10 advance, $15 door, purchase tickets here

    *VIP Tickets ($100 or 2 for $150) get you Open Bar all night,
    5 free
    raffle tix, bottle of El Dorado rum, signed I’m From Driftwood book.
    *Silent Auction + Raffle Prizes
    *DJ Missy B

    Join the Facebook Page

    ImFromDriftwood.com is a Brooklyn-based
    non-profit that collects and shares personal LGBT stories to help deepen
    our understanding of each other, preserve our history, and open hearts
    and minds.

    ImFromDriftwood.com/Event

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    Mister Chase – Heats Up The Holidays – Baby It’s Cold Outside!

    Mister Chase, who we adore, is back with a holiday piece you are gonna love!

     (you may remember his ASL version of Katy Perry’s ‘Last Friday Night’ as well as the original ADDICTED.)
    Now with Chris Salvatore, they heat up the studio with their duet of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”.

    Proceeds from the song download on iTunes will go to crisis management programs to help youth in need.      
    WATCH  VIDEO

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    New Yorks Broadway FLEA MARKET & AUCTION Sept. 25


    Sunday, September 25, 10 am – 7 pm
    Times Square & West 44th Street, NYC

    Broadway dreams can come true as you find showbiz treasures, meet the stars and bid on once-in-a-lifetime items and experiences at the 25th Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction.


    Make your plans now to spend Sunday, September 25 with Broadway Cares and thousands of other theatre fans in Times Square and along West 44th Street for those one-of-a-kind keepsakes. This not-to-be-missed event for any serious Broadway theatergoer is free and open to the public and has been called one of the “Best Once-a-Year Markets” in New York City.


    From photos with your favorite Broadway star to buying that lost cast recording, signed show posters and Playbills, rare costume sketches or special gift for a theatre-lover you can’t find anywhere – this year’s Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction promises to offer something for everyone.


    Autograph Table & Photo Booth | Grand Auction Pre-Bids


    New for 2011 are special “flash auctions” which feature instant experiences with Broadway stars live on the Grand Auction stage, including:
    • Spamalot karaoke with Tony Award-nominated Spamalot star Christopher Sieber
    • An on-the-spot appearance in the hit Web series “Side by Side by Susan Blackwell
    • A coaching session with Chicago star Kara DioGuardi, former American Idol judge and head judge on Bravo’s Platinum Hit
    • Your favorites tunes sung especially for you by Rent star Anthony Rapp and Wicked star Julia Murney
    • Your outgoing voice mail message recorded in the voice of the diva of your choice by singer and comedian Christine Pedi, known for her spot-on impersonations.


    It’s a flea market like no other!



     Among the shows signed up for tables are The Addams Family, Anything Goes, The Book of Mormon, Follies, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, The Phantom of the Opera, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Rock of Ages, Sister Act, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Wicked and Cirque Du Soleil’s Zarkana, as well as Actors’ Equity Association, The Actors Fund, Broadway Impact, The Broadway League, Givenik, Paper Mill Playhouse, Seth’s Broadway Chatterbox and United Scenic Artists.


    You also can place early bids now on dozens of unique theater items and experiences that will be offered throughout the day in the silent auction and in the day’s exciting finale, the live auction. Online pre-bidding ends at 12 pm ET on Saturday, September 24.


    For the first time ever, the Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction will encompass all of 44th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, and will stretch across Broadway into Times Square, filling the wide pedestrian plaza between 43rd and 44th Streets..


    “We look forward to turning this year’s construction challenge into a golden, sun-drenched opportunity to expand into Times Square’s wonderful pedestrian plazas,” BC/EFA executive director Tom Viola said. “Filling Broadway between 43rd and 44th Streets, there will be booths overflowing with theatrical memorabilia and at the end of the afternoon the Grand Auction. I hope you will take the few steps across Seventh Avenue with us, as you enjoy the high energy and activity that every year stretches down 44th Street to Eighth Avenue. Whatever the terrain, the best of Broadway shows up for the Broadway Flea Market. I hope you will too!”


    Dozens of tables from Broadway’s most popular shows will set up shop for what Time Out New York calls one of the “Best Once-a-Year Markets” in New York City. Fans can buy that lost cast recording, signed show posters and Playbills, rare costume sketches, props and special gifts theatre-lovers can’t find anywhere else.


    Silent auction lots offered every half-hour will give way to the live Grand Auction at the end of the day featuring a collection of unique items and experiences that will offer something for everyone.


    One of the most popular sites at Broadway’s “one-day sale” is the Celebrity Autograph Table at which your favorite stars from Broadway and Off-Broadway sign autographs and pose for photos in exchange for donations to BC/EFA.



    Some of the celebrities this year willing to sign autographs for a $25 donation – or pose for a photo for $10 – are Adam Godley, Nick Adams, Patina Miller, Sutton Foster, Tony Sheldon, Rory O’Malley, Alice Ripley, Annaleigh Ashford, Josh Gad, Joyce DeWitt, Nikki M. James, Patrick Page, Victoria Clark, Roger Rees, Adam Pascal, Montego Glover, Beth Leavel and Charles Busch. (All appearances subject to change.)


    Last year, some of the big prizes at the grand auction included a chance to appear in “Wicked” that sold for a whopping $16,500 and a tank top worn by Daniel Craig in “A Steady Rain” and signed by Craig and co-star Hugh Jackman that fetched $6,500.


    The auction and market, which cost about $60,000 to produce, plus three other Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS events – the Easter Bonnet Competition, Gypsy of the Year and Broadway Bares – helped the group last year award some $10 million in grants to The Actors Fund and to more than 400 AIDS and family service organizations.


    BID  RIGHT NOW  LIVE ONLINE – 
    all kinds of cool things – like 



    DRINK UP WITH THE “GIRLS” OF PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT


     Please check the website, Facebook and Twitter for an update on
     Sunday morning and throughout the day if clouds are gray.



    See you there!

    BestGayNewYork.com


     

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    The Gay Housewives Are Back…A List Season 2



    Fasten Your seat belts….The A LIST  Season 2 premiers July 25th….

    Logo’s gay housewives are back, and their decadent dramas are more outrageous and over the top than when we left them last season. Will Reichen and Rodiney make it this time? Will Austin make more enemies than friends? Will Ryan and his husband make a baby? The entire high-rolling, label-whoring, beach-house-hopping cast returns, with some new frenemies and besties, including fierce gal-pal Nyasha, added to the mix. Whether you love them, or love to hate them, the boys are bringin’ it, and NYC is getting guilty with pleasure all summer long!

    And our media partner  Michael Cavnaugh at GayLifeNYC.org got up close and personal with some of the cast at the cast party this past week in New York.

    Mike Ruiz Interiew 

    famed celebrity photographer and video director and a passionate board member of several gay based charities, Mike is going global. In the midst of launching a t-shirt line (profits support Ali Forney Center)   and shooting a coffee table book.




    Reichen Interview

    Reichen moved to NYC last summer to take on Broadway. With the closing of his show, he only has about ten other careers to fall back on: actor, model, author, activist, Air Force pilot, jewelry designer and now, as the face of his own skincare line.




    Derek and Rodiney Interview

    Gay socialite / male model Derek and male model Rodiney.




    Austins Interview

    A favorite of the gossip pages during his storied modeling career and relationship with designer Marc Jacobs, Austin has now been joined in New York by his husband, Jake Lees. Austin’s latest modeling venture is to grace the pages of Playgirl.

    Get more A list on LOGO

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    I’m From Driftwood Rooftop BBQ Party July 9

    ‘ImFromDriftwood.com
    is now an official
    501(c)(3) non-profit
    organization!

    Help  celebrate by stuffing your face with Texas style BBQ and an open bar at the beautiful art gallery space and outdoor rooftop of Casa de Costa.Music, DJ and more! 



    RSVP by donating $50 and type “BBQ” in the “Add special instructions to the seller”

    box on the final page: I’mfromdriftwood/support

    Be sure to RSVP soon; ticket price goes up to $75 at the door.
    RSVP  on  FACEBOOK

    *Raffle Items
    *Silent Auction items
    *Open Bar, including specialty drinks by El Dorado Rum
    *Unlimited BBQ

    Saturday, July 9,   6 – 10pm
    Casa de Costa Gallery Space and Rooftop,   11 Stone St, 6th Floor,  NYC

    Hope to see y’all there!


    Like IFD on Facebook
    Follow IFD on Twitter   @ImFromDriftwood


     


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    Live Out Loud 3rd Annual Pride in the HAMPTONS June 25th

    Live Out Loud will host its third annual Pride in the Hamptons Fundraiser on Saturday, June 25th.

     


    Dedicated to empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth, Live Out Loud is a nonprofit organization that connects LGBT youth with role models and leaders in the LGBT community.


    The event will take place at the waterfront home of Bruce T. Sloane (21 North Bay Lane) in East Hampton from 6:00 to 8:30 PM and will include a cocktail reception, dancing, and a silent auction.


    Guests will be treated to hors d’oeuvres from Brent Newsom Caterer.


    The event is expected to draw a dynamic group of more than 300 leaders in business, arts, politics, community, and culture who are committed to Live Out Loud’s mission of empowering lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth by providing scholarships, after-school programming, rolemodels and leadership opportunities.




    Tickets start at $125, $150 at the door. To purchase, please contact Leo Preziosi, Jr., at 212.651.4236


    or visit Liveoutloud.info.

     



     


    About Live Out Loud


    Dedicated to empowering, mentoring, and celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth, Live Out Loud is a non-profit organization that produces panel discussions, lectures, and workshops that connect LGBT youth with role models and leaders in the LGBT community. Founded in 2001, Live Out Loud presents programs at metropolitan area high schools and universities featuring panelists from every walk of life, including actress Cherry Jones, author Eric Marcus, director John Cameron Mitchell, and New York Times columnist Stuart Elliott.




     


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    Nick Adams Raises $25,000 for the NYC Aids Walk




    The AIDS WALK NYC took place this past Sunday and all the stars came out to support it!



    Check out the super hot Matt Bomer from White Collar, The Cast of Modern Family, From The Event, Laura Innes, Michael Ruiz, Jack Mackenroth, Broadway Hunk, Nick Adams, and much more!

    NICK ADAMS  was  Over $25,000  thanks to Nicks  fans and readers of this site!  Funds were still trickling in at press time!   YAY!!

    “I am so overwhelmed by peoples generosity, ”  said  Nick.




    Michael Cavnaugh from GayLifeNYC.org  did some great interviews!

    Interview with MATT BOMER and NICK ADAMS
    and there is a great piece of the Priscilla Cast  performing!


    BestGayNews  
    BestGayNewYork

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    Broadway Bares XXI MASTERPIECE June 19th

    BROADWAY BARES XXI:
    MASTERPIECE

    will be held on
    Sunday, June 19
     with two performances
    at     9:30 pm & Midnight

    at Roseland Ballroom,
    239 West 52nd Street
    in New York.

    A benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, BROADWAY BARES XXI: MASTERPIECE will offer up a modern-day burlesque show packed with museum-quality human canvases that would make an art critic blush.
     
    It’s been said that “all art is erotic” and 200 of Broadway’s sexiest bodies will prove that to be true as the 21st edition of BROADWAY BARES takes you inside an auction too hot for Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

    The most delectable dancers in New York will emulate the art world’s seductive nudes and give life to history’s sultriest sculptures.  Handle these masterpieces with care or fig leaves, sunflowers and water lilies just might fall off into the crowd. Get your bidding paddles ready before these Broadway bodies of art are “going, going, gone.”
     
    To see the New York Times’ exclusive first look at the posters for this year’s BROADWAY BARES and to read an interview with BARES photographer Andrew Eccles.

     
    BROADWAY BARES XXI: MASTERPIECE is produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, executive produced by Tony Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Catch Me If You Can, Legally Blonde) and will again be directed by Josh Rhodes (Sondheim: The Birthday Concert, The Drowsy Chaperone, Working at the Broadway Playhouse in Chicago).

    BROADWAY BARES, the hotly anticipated annual event combining the naughtiness of burlesque and the razzle-dazzle of Broadway, has been a smashing success since its inception in 1992. The event features the hottest male and female dancers on Broadway and has become one of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ signature events. The first Broadway Bares featured seven dancers performing choreographed stripteases on a bar and raised more than $8,000. In all 20 editions, BROADWAY BARES has collectively raised more than $7.5 million for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

    Tickets can be purchased online at Broadwaycares.org or by calling 212.840.0770, ext 268.  For more information and merchandise, visit Broadwaybares.com.

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    Nick Adams Aids Walk New York Fundraising Efforts




    We just saw PRISCILLA on Broadway  this week!  WOW!  What an eye-popping, show-stopping performance!  Everyone does a fantastic job, but of course, our heart has always belonged to Nick Adams, since I first saw him onstage in 2005. 

    We’ll be covering it more in a couple weeks, and catching up with the ever adorable, super-talented Nick Adams with an interview right here at BestGayNewYork.com, in the coming weeks!




    But for now, you should know,  will be singing at the kick off of the 2011 AIDS Walk NY on May 15th! 

    And Nick is walking and raising money again this year.  Nick is part of the BROADWAY IMPACT group which is a community of actors, directors, stage managers, fans, producers — pretty much anyone who has ever seen, been in or worked on a Broadway show — united by the simple belief that anyone who wants to should be able to get married.
    “We’re  very proud to be apart of the 2011 NY Aids Walk!”  


    Nick gives, and gives and gives whenever he can to great causes like Broadway Bares and AIDS WALK NY.  (He has even been crowned Broadway Hero by GayLifeNYC.org.)  “I enjoy giving my time to great causes, and it makes me feel good to know I can help in some way.”



    Nick sent us this note, to share with our readers….

    Hey Friends! I just wanted to take a minute to ask for your help in raising money for AIDS WALK NYC. The cast of Priscialla is raising money for this worthy cause, and I thought it would be great if my fans rallied together and gave the most.



    If we can reach my personal goal of raising $3,000 I will pick one lucky subscriber to recieve an autographed program from the show. If we hit $6,000 I will send out 5 autographed programs, and if we break $15,000 I will send someone special a program autographed by everyone in the entire cast!


    Additionally, anyone donating $500 or more, I will send them an autographed program (simply email us a proof of donation along with your shipping address).


    xoxox.
    ~ Nick Adams


    Nick Adams’ Donation Page for AIDS WALK NYC






    UPDATE  !!!  Monday May 2nd –


    Thanks for everyone who donated after my last e-mail for AIDS Walk NYC! I was able to break my original goal of $3,000 and am now the #1 fundraiser from the cast! Thanks!


    I wanted to up the stakes and see if we could get some more folks giving. If you’ve ever dreamt about getting a backstage tour of Priscilla from me, this is your chance. For every person that gives $500 or more, I will arrange to give you a personal backstage tour. Simply get tickets to the show of your choice and I’ll meet you after the show and give you a private tour. Some people have been paying $5,000 – $10,000 to get backstage tours, so to be able to get one in exchange for a tax deductible dontation of only $500, is AMAZING.


    Nick Adams’ Donation Page for AIDS WALK NYC


    Since we reached my personal goal of raising $3,000 I will pick one lucky subscriber to recieve an autographed program from the show.


    If we hit $6,000 I will send out 5 autographed programs, and if we break $15,000 I will send someone special a program / poster autographed by everyone in the entire cast!


    Nick Adams’ Donation Page for AIDS WALK NYC


    Additionally, anyone donating $500 or more, I will send them an autographed program (simply email us a proof of donation along with your shipping address) AND I WILL GIVE THEM A PRIVATE BACKSTAGE TOUR ($5k value).


    Nick Adams’ Donation Page for AIDS WALK NYC


    xoxox.
    ~ Nick Adams



     Nick Adams’ Donation Page for AIDS WALK NYC




    Nick Adams Blog

    Nick Adams on Facebook

    Nick Adams on Twitter



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    Gaylifenyc.org Covers Gayfestnyc Spring Gala

    This past week, our friends at GAY LIFE NYC.org covered the Gayfestnyc Spring Gala.  They captured some great speeches including one from David Mixner, A true hero in our community.  

    He reminds us, (especially the youngins!) of our journey from the 50’s. A time when most hid in the closet. Mixner tells the stories of horror faced by the GBLT Community in the past, like the fact over 4,000 needless lobotomies were performed on homosexuals.
     
    He tells of the the strives we’ve made and  the people we have lost.  And what we need to do – every GBLT person, friend and parent needs to see this video!

    Gaylifenyc.org  also interviews the stars at the Center Dinner Gala, Angela Lanbury and Alan Cumming and  Awardee Broadway Producer, Tom Kirdahy plus  much more. So many great messages about being safe from HIV.

    Don’t miss these awesome videos!

    Thanks to GAY LIFE NYC.org


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