Category Archives: Summer Fun
$70 Mill Public Beach in New York City
New York City is one step closer to getting a big sandy public beach!
What at first appeared a lofty dream is now closer to reality. The Hudson River Park Trust on Thursday announced three requests for proposals for the construction of Manhattan’s first public beach.
The project includes a 5.5-acre public park on the Gansevoort Peninsula in the Meatpacking District that would be home to a resilient “beach” with kayak access, a sports field, scenic lounge spots, and a large public art installation.
The site, located on the western end of Little West 12th Street and what remains of 13th Avenue, formerly served as a parking lot for the city’s Department of Sanitation. In 2019, the Hudson River Park Trust tapped James Corner Field Operations, the team behind the High Line and Domino Park, to design the new park.
The park at Gansevoort Peninsula will include a sandy beach area with kayak and small boat access, a lawn, a seating area north of the waterfront, a sports field, a dog run, lounge chairs, and a salt marsh with native grass and plantings. More details at 6sqft.
Invasion of the Pines..Gay New York / Fire Island
Mascara, Mirth & Mayhem is a collection of photographs taken by renowned photographer Susan Kravitz over the past thirty years at the annual LGBTQ event known as the Invasion of the Pines.
The Invasion of the Pines occurs every July 4th and involves participants from the Fire Island communities of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines. It began in 1976, when a member of the Cherry Grove community had been refused service in a Pines’ restaurant because he had been dressed in drag. In protest, a small group of Cherry Grove residents cross-dressed and took a water taxi to the Pines on Independence Day of that year, to stand up against this “height of insult” by “invading” their neighboring community. Four decades later, the Invasion has evolved into a uniquely raucous event that joyfully celebrates human rights and freedom of expression by thousands of people, straight and gay.
Kravitz’s photographs capture the rebelliousness, the high camp, and the joy of the Invasion. They are provocative, introspective, sad and funny, and tinged with sexual innuendo. Yet they also reflect another journey, one that gives insight into the LGBTQ movement itself.
From the fearful, AIDS-ridden years of the 1980s and 1990s, to the joyous years of this decade when LGBTQ people are out and proud (and, if they choose, legally married), these Invasion photographs celebrate a day to be free, to be whoever you want to be, and to be gay.
“My photographs are as much about the times I which they were taken as they are about the people who populate them. Ultimately, they are about human rights and freedom of expression seen through the lens of the Invasion.” said Kravitz of her eighty-eight color and black and white photographs.
Susan Kravitz is a social documentarian of daily life. Over the past thirty years she has exhibited her photographs in galleries and museums in the United States and abroad, including China, South Korea, Russia, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and the Czech Republic. Her Cherry Grove photographs were recently featured on the New York Times Lens blog (A Gay Haven on Fire Island) and in the International New York Times, Paris edition.
The book comes out next week! 148 pages, available in softcover or hardcover.
Book is available now on http://www.
Rise and Resist and ACT UP at Pride
GAY CITY NEWS REPORTS :
The organization that produces New York City’s pride parade, rally, and related events has agreed to allow groups eager to confront the Republican Party’s control of the federal government near the front of the June 25 pride parade.
“I’m extremely proud of the people who came out to raise their voices about this, and I think it’s emblematic of the people who are going to show up proudly on June 25,” said Ken Kidd, who was the lead organizer of the effort to get the resistance groups at the front of the parade.
Following a March 28 meeting with Heritage of Pride (HOP), Kidd told Gay City News that the traditional first contingent, the Sirens Women’s Motorcycle Club of New York City, will lead the parade, as they have since 1986, followed by the parade’s grand marshals, who have not yet been announced, the HOP float, and then the resistance groups.
After pushback a week ago, June pride parade organizers say protesters can march up front
The groups who wanted in to the parade at the front include Rise + Resist, ACT UP, United Thru Action, and Gays Against Guns. These groups have held recent protests in New York City and they attended the protests in Washington, DC, on January 20 when Donald Trump was inaugurated and the Women’s March on Washington on January 21. The resistance groups expect to be joined by other organizations on June 25.
Members of these groups first approached HOP roughly a month ago and eventually met resistance themselves from HOP. At a March 13 HOP general meeting, staff and volunteers did not say yes or no to the request, but signaled a willingness to talk. But at a March 21 meeting of HOP’s parade committee, the organization was clearly pushing back.
“Our current march route is at capacity,” said Sue Doster, who heads strategic planning for HOP, at the March 21 meeting. “You can’t add a half million people to that march and keep it safe for everyone.”
Annual Out-Fit Challenge Mud Run New York Massive Success
LGBT focused 5k mud run, Out-Fit Challenge (http://out-fitchallenge.com), recently thrived in bringing New Yorkers together in support of family equality. The sporting event featured over 15 military style obstacles which included various elements such as mud, water and ice throughout the course. The event drew more than 650 participants who were ready and willing to get muddy for a good cause, including reality star and recording artist Sara Stokes. Sara Stokes is known for her roles in 2006’s “YaDaDa Movie” and the 2002 ABC/MTV music reality series by P. Diddy, “Making the Band”. The Michigan born songstress participated in the mud run to join the fight for LGBT family equality and took pictures with fans.
This year’s event took place on June 21st, 2014 at the Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center, 581 Route 17A West, Tuxedo, New York 10987 from 9 am to 5 pm with race waves beginning every 20 minutes. The LGBT sporting event is now officially sponsored by Jack’d, a top gay men’s chat and dating app available for free on the App Store and Google Play, as well as a NYC Pride Partner for 2014. Other sponsors include Kind Healthy Snacks, Kellogg School of Management, Equality Florida, Miami Beach Gay Pride and NYC Pride. This year’s New York event charity of choice was the Family Equality Council, which connects supports and represents the LGBT community across the US.
“Our success with Out-Fit Challenge this year surely surpassed our expectations,” begins Founder & CEO of Out-Fit Challenge, Tory Fitzgerald. “We were able to accomplish our mission by uniting our community through fun and competitive means. It’s amazing to watch people who don’t know each other cheering and providing extreme encouragement to one another while completing the 5K course.”
The sporting event featured obstacles such as the “Cherry Picker,” “Is that Mud in Your Pants “and” Hello Sailor”. Once participants reach the finish line they were then welcomed by a lively end of race after party. Out-Fit Challenge premiered with two very successful mud runs in Miami and New York in 2013. For 2014 they expanded their 5K cross-country trails to four cites chosen through a public online voting contest. The next cities on the list for Out-Fit Challenge include Reno, Nevada on September 20, 2014 followed by events in Boston, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California. Apart from putting on mud run sporting events, the organization aims to aid national and local charities that are making a significant difference in the lives of LGBT individuals across the United States such as the Family Equality Council.
For more information on Out-Fit Challenge please visit http://out-fitchallenge.com/. For information on Sponsorship for the other events email info@beautifulplanning.com or call 877-841-7244.
About Out-Fit Challenge
Out-Fit Challenge is designed by and for members and friends of the LGBT community who aspire to compete, make new connections, and celebrate community via outdoor endurance sports. The company provides proceeds from every event to a national and local organization that strives to make a difference for LGBT individuals.
Sandblast Weekend Moves to Atlantic City!
Sand Blast the Largest Mid-Atlantic Gay Summer Beach Party
Moves to Atlantic City July 18-20
Sand Blast producer Brad Hurtado announced today he is moving Sand Blast, the largest mid-Atlantic summer gay and lesbian beach party, to Atlantic City, New Jersey Friday, July 18 to Sunday, July 20, 2014.
Sand Blast Atlantic City’s lineup includes Friday’s LOST AT SEA Kickoff Party at the Chelsea Host Hotel to welcome guests, Saturday’s 7-hour SAND BLAST BEACH PARTY with popular DJ Joe Gauthreaux presiding over the dance floor alongside the ocean at the Bungalow Beach Bar. The weekend long event continues with a gay beach volleyball tournament and live stage performance on Saturday night at The Claridge Hotel’s theater followed by DEEP BLUE, an all-night dance party helmed by DJ Phil Romano from Barcelona, Spain. Sunday’s RIPTIDE POOL PARTY takes over the stunning pool at HARRAH’s with music by DJ Eddie Martinez, followed Sunday evening by the closing party at Caesars spectacular DUSK Nightclub with music by NYC’s DJ Escape.
In the coming days Sand Blast will be announcing two oceanfront Host Hotels offering extremely attractive room packages for weekend guests starting as low as $170/night for a 3-night stay. To be among the first to know when Host Hotel rooms go on sale visit SandBlastWeekend.com and enter your email address to receive Sand Blast event announcement
Sand Blast originated in 2002 when a small group of New York City’s gay and lesbian weekend homeowners in Asbury Park, NJ, decided to create a summer beach weekend so they could invite friends to the once thriving destination, with the goal of increasing its popularity. Twelve years later, Sand Blast has grown into the largest mid-Atlantic summer gay and lesbian beach party. The event’s impact on Asbury Park created a thriving historic downtown, a boardwalk lined with shops, beaches packed with visitors and a vibrant and involved gay and lesbian community of over 600 households & thousands of LGBT visitors.
“The popularity of our weekend of events has caused us to outgrow Asbury Park which has been our beloved home since 2002. Atlantic City with its many hotels, attractions, and party venues was a natural choice, and this move allows us to continue our original mission to introduce our LGBT friends from cities along the east coast to the wonders of the Jersey Shore. Atlantic City’s airport opens the weekend event to an entirely new audience from New England to Florida.” says Hurtado.
Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian said “We in Atlantic City are excited to host Sand Blast this year,” said Mayor Don Guardian. “This is a great opportunity for the LGBT community to enjoy our beautiful City, free beaches and amazing hotels.”
Hyatt Times Square Offers Highest Rooftop Views in the City
Summer is just around the corner….I think! And there is nothing better than sipping cocktails on a gorgeous rooftop in Manhattan!
Bar 54, at the newly opened Hyatt Times Square, has officially earned the title of New York’s highest rooftop lounge. (135 West 45th Street).
Whether you’re gearing up for a night on the town, winding down from a day of sightseeing or just looking for a spectacular place to enjoy the city, our vibrant NYC roof-top lounge is the place to be. Set atop our 54-story tower, the lounge invites you to enjoy its extensive views that stretch across Manhattan from the Hudson River to the East River. Here, you can savor specialty cocktails, fine wines and gourmet small plates while mingling around cozy fireplaces, indoors and out. This hot new nightlife destination is already being acclaimed as an exciting addition to Times Square’s bar scene.
Panoramic windows offer breathtaking views and there’s a terrace with views from the Chrysler Building and One World Trade Center to the Hudson River. True, cocktails won’t come cheap. But the views are worth it!
+ Pool Will Become a Reality in New York’s Hudson River
It’s going to happen! A pool in the Hudson River! It started with a vision – not it’s going to become a reality!
for everybody to swim in clean river water right here in NYC.
river, what if you started by just cleaning a small piece of it?
what if you could change how New Yorkers see their rivers, just by
giving them a chance to swim in it?
A Kickstarter fund drive was launched with goal of $250,000, “we’ll be able to build the 35′ x
35′ Float Lab off the Brooklyn shore this August, giving everybody a
chance to see and learn about how + POOL will clean the rivers.” – As of July 20th, $273,000 has been raised!
+ POOL is driven by the supporters, backers and collaborators that want
to see the pool in the water as much as we do. So we thought, what if
we broke the pool into bite-size chunks and gave everybody a way to
claim a piece of the pool for themselves?”
Find out how to own your own piece of the pool at Kickstarter!
New York City Gay Hockey Games Coming Up
The New York City Gay Hockey Association (NYCGHA) is New York’s first official gay hockey organization.
Hockey International and is a Nonprofit Organization under IRS code 501(c)(3).
Developmental teams:
The Hotshots and
Polar Bears
consist of new skaters, beginning players, and a few intermediate players. The
teams are coed and compete in Sky Rink’s Developmental Division.
Novice and beginner players may try out to join a team at
season breaks. Games are always free to spectators, and everyone is welcome to
cheer them on and meet the players after the games.
Recreational teams:
The Boxers,
Westies, and
Wizards
are coed teams consisting of intermediate players competing in Sky Rink’s
Divisions Seven and Eight. The teams play most Saturday nights and all are
welcomed to cheer on the teams and meet the players after the games.
It’s free!
Competitive team:
The NY Lions play a more
intense game than our developmental or recreational teams. The competitive
teams are coed and consist of intermediate and advanced players. Playing most
Friday nights, the NY Lions compete in Sky Rink’s Division Six. Skilled players
are welcome to try out and join the team. Everyone is welcome to cheer on the
team and meet the players after the games. It’s free.
Tournaments:
Players from our competitive and recreational teams compete in international LGBT
tournaments in Boston, Denver, Los Angeles, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and
Washington. Schedule
of Upcoming Tournaments. Additionally, we host NYC’s annual Chelsea
Challenge tournament the weekend before Gay Pride. The NYCGHA generally fields one
to three teams at most tournaments. The level of play at the tournaments ranges from
competitive (including former Division 1 and Junior Pro players) to recreational and
novice divisions. Recreational, skilled and highly-skilled players are encouraged
to try out and join a travel team.
More info online NYC Gay Hockey
SANDBLAST is coming….July 19-21 in Asbury Park
ASBURY PARK IGNITES THREE-DAY lGBT beach party spectacular: SAND BLAST WEEKEND This summer, thousands of gays and lesbians will converge on the charming and newly popular seaside town of Asbury Park for Sand Blast, the annual LGBT party weekend on the Jersey Shore. Taking place Friday, July 19th thru Sunday, July 21st, this year’s festivities will feature 23 thrilling activities from surfing to guided bike rides, beach dodge ball, a burlesque show, a downtown art gallery walk, two pool parties, nighttime dance extravaganzas and The Beach Party, the weekend’s main soak-in-the-sun event with music by DJs Tony Moran and Hector Fonseca. Over 4,000 people attended last summer’s event. This summer’s Sand Blast Weekend promises to be even bigger and wetter! “Bringing the legendary producer and remixer Tony Moran to headline Saturday afternoon’s The Beach Party has been a goal of ours for years”, said Brad Hurtado, event founder & executive producer, at this morning’s announcement. “As if that’s not enough, securing the super hot Hector Fonseca to spin the first three hours is a double whammy.” In fact, Sand Blast Weekend will showcase a slew of the hottest DJ talent playing today including Atlantis Cruise favorite DJ Grind whose popularity has skyrocketed in recent months with over a million downloads of his weekly podcast. Also featured will be NYC favorites Eddie Martinez, Steve Sidewalk, Nando, Corey Craig, James Anthony, Stacy, Mick Hale and Susan Levine. What makes Sand Blast Weekend different from other gay party weekends is that in addition to its high-energy dance parties, Sand Blast offers many relaxing activities to enjoy. “Sand Blast is about discovering Asbury Park as a gay-friendly resort community and making it your own,” explains Hurtado. “We want our guests to go off and explore the entire town and boardwalk and enjoy all that this Jewel on the Jersey Shore has to offer. It’s not just a place to come once a year; it’s a destination we hope guests return to again and again. We like to think of Sand Blast Weekend as the Atlantis Cruise of circuit parties, because, like Atlantis, in addition to our roster of main party events, we have tons of fun activities to offer our guests all weekend.” Weekend passes start at $165. The Saturday-only pass is $110 and the Sand Blast Women’s Pass is $85. The elegant Berkeley Oceanfront is the host hotel for Sand Blast Weekend. 3-night super saver rates start at $240 per night. 2–night stays start at $289 per night. For more information on SAND BLAST WEEKEND, visit www.SandBlastWeekend.com
SANDBLAST 2013!
Big Gay Hudson Valley New York Magazine Turns 5
Visit New York’s Hudson Valley!
Are you looking for a weekend getaway or family vacation?
The Hudson Valley is a getaway destination offering spectacular
mountain views, historic estates, wine trails, shopping, outdoor
adventures and much more. Millions of visitors have enjoyed our
bountiful choices – just a stone’s throw away from Manhattan.
Let That Springtime Sunshine In!
Now that we’ve all made it through the winter season, it’s time to get
out and explore all that the Hudson Valley in Spring has to offer! The
newest issue of our all-digital online magazine is packed with insider
tips to get you out & about this season.
The Spring 2013 issue of Big Gay Hudson Valley Magazine features:
- Our top picks for local Spring activities
- An insider’s “CityGuide” look at Beacon, Fishkill & Wappingers Falls
- A “Local Color” profile of openly gay Wappingers Falls Mayor Matt Alexander
- A look back at “5 Years of Big Gay Fun” as BGHV celebrates its FIFTH birthday this year
- …and so much more! Read it now!
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
New York City Black Pride is now NYC Explosion August 10-14, 2011
Three years ago, A community based health organization called People Of Color in Crisis was shutdown by the CDC.
This organization was responsible for running an annual LGBT cultural event called PRIDE IN THE CITY which served as New York City’s Black Pride.
This meant an almost certain end to this vital cultural event.
The following year, a coalition of event promoters, health organizations, local businesses and community leaders decided to work together to continue this annual event and tradition. As if organizing and mounting Black Pride weekend wasnt going to be a huge task within itself, trying to accomplish it without the financial support of City and State funding would be nothing short of a miracle.
Change is always good. As they prepare to unveil the 14th Annual agenda, they also have a new name of this event, NYC Explosion. It will begin on Wednesday August 10, 2011 and run through Sunday August 14, 2011 (NYCblackpride.com).
Here are the Official Events
:
Wednesday August 10th – (8pm – 10pm) The Heritage Award Ceremony
SPLASH .. 50 W. 17th Street
Thursday August 11th – (9pm – 11pm) Black, Loud and Proud : Comedy Showcase
THE DUPLEX.. 61 Christopher Street
Friday August 12th – (6pm – 10pm) BOOM! : The Best Of Out Music
SECRET .. 525 W. 29th Street
Friday August 12th – (10pm – 3am) SWAGGED! : The Black Pride Pier Dance
SOUTH STREET SEAPORT .. 89 South Street
Saturday August 13th – (11am – 11pm) FIBO (The Beach Event)
CHERRY GROVE.. Fireislandblackout.com
Sunday August 14th – (12pm – 5pm) Harlem Sunday Brunch
BILLIE’S BLACK .. 271 W. 119th Street
Sunday August 14th – (3pm – 7pm) Living the Life : An Urban Cultural Expo
DWYER CULTURAL CENTER .. 258 St. Nicholas Avenue
BestGayNewYork.com
An eco friendly Public Pool for New York Citys Hudson River
A Floating Pool in the River For Everyone! What a cool idea!
+ Pool is our initiative to build a floating pool for everyone in the rivers of New York City, and they need your help. “With your support, we can make it possible to swim in clean, natural river water here in the city.
The most important aspect of + Pool’s design is that it filters river water through the pool’s walls – like a giant strainer dropped into the river. The concentric layers of filtration materials that make up the sides of the pool are designed to remove bacteria, contaminants and odors, leaving only safe and swimmable water that meets city, state and federal standards of quality. This pool will be the first of it’s kind, which is of course very exciting, but really we just want to be able to swim in the river.
The most important aspect of + Pool’s design is that it filters river water through the pool’s walls – like a giant strainer dropped into the river. The concentric layers of filtration materials that make up the sides of the pool are designed to remove bacteria, contaminants and odors, leaving only safe and swimmable water that meets city, state and federal standards of quality. This pool will be the first of it’s kind, which is of course very exciting, but really we just want to be able to swim in the river.
Find them a Kickstart and give them a few $$$
New York City Gay Pride Parade
What an amazing weekend!
With the passing of Gay marriage for the state of New York, people celebrated with rainbow flags waving and throbbing dance music blaring, as many as 6,000 marchers in Manhattan’s annual Gay Pride parade celebrated this past weekend.
Cuomo led elected officials at the parade, including Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, the body’s first openly gay leader.
The parade stretched almost two miles (3.2 kilometers) from midtown to Greenwich Village and past the Stonewall Inn, where a 1969 police raid spawned the gay-rights movement. Participants were dressed in everything from feathers and glitter to almost nothing at all, and held signs reading “Thank You Governor Cuomo.” About 2 million people watched, up from the typical 1.5 million, said Britton Hogge, media director for Heritage of Pride, the event’s organizer.
Just before the parade began, Cuomo told reporters, “New York has sent a message to this nation, loud and clear. It’s time for marriage equality.” And marchers held signs proclaiming, “Promise Kept!” There was so much joy and excitement in the air this year, it was truly monumental!
As we left our hotel Sunday to come back to Maryland, we got caught up in the crowds watching the city’s Gay Pride Parade. It was quite an experience. The night before, the New York State Assembly had passed, and the governor had signed into law, a bill guaranteeing marriage equality, so the crowd was in especially high spirits. What impressed us the most were the spectators. Lined up five and eight deep along Fifth Avenue was a cross-section of the city’s population cheering on the gay and lesbian marchers, the politicians who had pushed the bill to passage and all the straight participants who marched with them to show support for their gay neighbors, co-workers, friends and family members.
In the crowd along the avenue were old people and young and folks across the ethnic spectrum as well as families and out-of-town tourists like ourselves. What seemed to most invigorate both the marchers and the watchers was a sense that American freedom had once again triumphed, and small-minded bigotry had been pushed further into the past.
An estimated two million people converged on Manhattan Sunday for the gay Pride march, the annual event that took on an “extra special” meaning, in the words of the day’s star attraction, Gov. Andrew Cuomo….
“I think you’re going to see this message resonate all across the country now,” he said. “If New York can do it, it’s OK for every other place to do it. If New York did it, every other place is now going to be posed with the question, and I think that’s a good thing.”
Photos by Andy T. Dickinson
see more of his work at WHAT ANDY ATE BLOG
MORE 2011 PRIDE PHOTOS
Broadway in Bryant Park THURSDAYS
A host of Broadway and Off-Broadway shows will take part in the annual free Thursday afternoon concert series, “106.7 Lite fm Presents BROADWAY IN BRYANT PARK 2011,” which will kick off July 7 at 12:30 PM on the Bryant Park Stage.
The 11th annual presentation of lunch-hour performances will continue through Aug. 11.
Performances are scheduled for 12:30 PM-1:30 PM on Thursdays, July 7, 14, 21 and 28 and Aug. 4 and 11. Bryant Park is located behind the New York Public Library on 6th Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets. Lawn seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The schedule for the concert series follows:
July 7 (Lite fm Emcee: Victor Sosa)
STOMP, Baby It’s You, Sister Act, Zarkana
July 14 (Lite fm Emcee: Delilah)
Chicago, Million Dollar Quartet, Catch Me If You Can, Newsical
July 21 (Lite fm Emcee: Helen Little)
The Addams Family, Billy Elliot, Memphis, Rock of Ages, Voca People
July 28 (Lite fm Emcee: Christine Nagy)
Anything Goes, The Phantom Of The Opera, The Fantasticks, Hair, Traces
Aug. 4 (Lite fm Emcee: Bob Bronson)
Jersey Boys, The Lion King, Rent, Wicked, Death Takes a Holiday
Aug. 11 (Lite fm Emcee: Rich Kaminski)
Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Avenue Q Priscilla Queen Of The Desert
Live Out Loud 3rd Annual Pride in the HAMPTONS 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.
New York City Gay Pride 2011…continued….
Gay Pride continued…
Another amazing year!
Thanks again to Andy T. Dickinson for the wonderful images
WHAT ANDY ATE BLOG
What Andy Ate
BestGayNewYork.com
Macys Amazing Fourth of July Fireworks
W O W !
That had to be the MOST AMAZING FIREWORKS display I have ever seen!
Budget cuts have forced some communities around the country to pull the plug on the pyrotechnics, but the gigantic Macy’s fireworks show continued on Manhattan’s West Side, where it moved in 2009 after eight years on the East River. And that move has brought with it a change in fortune for businesses, too.
In the city that’s home to the $1,000 umbrella and the $175 cheeseburger, tickets have been sold at $1,450 a pair for one sweet spot to see the fireworks that are free for anyone standing on a nearby street corner or at a window.
Hudson Terrace, a rooftop bar near the river, sold 250 tickets to watch the fireworks at prices from $150 to $1,450 a couple.
It is estimated 4,000,000-5,000,000 watched the display live in NYC!
The fireworks show will relocate to the Statue of Liberty next year in honor of Lady Liberty’s 125th anniversary and will move around after that.
I have read that they used 36,000 shells (what most of us call fireworks) and was the largest display in America, exploding 1000 fireworks per minute. I have also read estimates the display could have cost $500,000.
Other estimates I read ran $5 – 7 MILLION.
I don’t know. Anyone know ??
25th Year of the AIDS Walk in New York City May 16th, 2010
Since 1986, AIDS Walk New York has raised more than $105 million for HIV programs and services in the tri-state area, and has grown into the largest AIDS fundraising event in the world.
In 2009 alone, 45,000 participants, many of whom were members of 2,880 corporate and community teams, raised a record sum of over $5.6 million for Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and 50 other local AIDS service organizations.
This year marks the 25th year of AIDS Walk New York, the east coast’s first and the world’s largest such event. On Sunday, May 16, 2010, an expected 45,000 walkers will gather in Central Park and embark on the 10k route. The event will raise vital funds for GMHC and dozens of local AIDS service organizations in the tri-state area.
GET INVOLVED!
For more information, please call (212) 807-WALK (9255),
or visit aidswalk.net.
The Best of Gay New York
NEW YORK CITY FLIGHTS ON SALE THIS WEEK! HURRY!
NYC & COMPANY JOINS WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES TO HIGHLIGHT UNPRECEDENTED VALUE IN NEW YORK CITY THIS FALL AND ANNOUNCE SPECIALLY DISCOUNTED FARES FROM FIVE LARGE CITIES TO NYC – PURCHASE BY THIS FRIDAY!
“There’s never been a better time to visit New York City and take advantage of the world-class and diverse experiences that can be found throughout the five boroughs,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
“With these special travel offers from American Airlines and new travel itineraries from NYC & Company, visiting and navigating the world’s most exciting City has never been easier.”
NYC & Company, the marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, is inviting consumers from five U.S. cities to visit New York City in 2009 to take advantage of exceptional value and unique experiences in the World’s Second Home. To encourage domestic visitors to book now for travel beginning in September, NYC & Company today joined with American Airlines to debut special, limited-time airfare offers between five major U.S. cities and NYC. The cities offering the specially discounted airfares to and from NYC are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami.
The fares for Los Angeles or San Francisco are just $109;
Dallas/Fort Worth is $99; Chicago is $84; and Miami is $69.
The special fares are priced each way based on round-trip purchase for Economy Class travel. They are available for purchase through this Friday, Aug. 21, 2009, so act quickly. Travel on these special fares is available from Sept. 15, 2009 through Dec. 12, 2009, with some dates embargoed around the Thanksgiving holiday period. Lowest fares are for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday travel.
The new travel itineraries provide useful recommendations for visitors, and include “Kid-Friendly NYC,” “NYC in One Day,” “NYC in Three Days,” and “New York Eats.” Easily accessible on the official tourism Web site for New York City, nycgo.com, these are indispensable tools for planning an upcoming trip to the destination.
This American Airlines special fare offer is available only for travel originating in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, Miami or New York City. Other attractive fares to New York are available from other cities.
MORE INFO ONLINE AT NYC GO!
The Best of Gay New York
