Q-Seattle Events: Tacky Tourist Clubs

Still not sure where to show off that fabulous costume you're preparing on the long weekend/week of Halloween. Well, be sure to add another destination -- or even your main destination down in Belltown at Jai Thai [get directions], 2132 First Ave. at Blanchard.

That's where Seattle Black Pride will present this year's Halloween Carnivale from 9:30 pm until 2 am on Saturday, October 27.

SBP urges you to "Be Creative, Be Sexy, Be Scary. Just Be There." And, of course, there will be prizes for the most creative costumes with cash prizes of $150, $100, and $50 for the top three contestants.

But to really get an idea of what the party is likely to be like, check out SBP's great gallery of party pics from last year's Carnivale. We can't link to the gallery directly, but you can find it on the SBP home page at the bottom of the "Events" menu.

To further confuse yourself with the wealth of Halloween options, be sure to check out Bill W's typically comprehensive Halloween listing in the left column at GaySeattle.blogspot.com.

Note: This post is mirrored from seaQwa.com.

Labels: Gay events, gay party, Gay Seattle, org:SBP, photos, Seattle, shirtless hunk

We (your editorially plural but otherwise singular WebWrangler) were so embarrassed by the delay in getting pictures up from this year's Queen City Cruise, that we almost let this weekend's mass drop of photos go by without comment.

After all, Fall has come way early this year and it's difficult by now to even imagine the spirit of such an event. But there they are. Remember that? Ahh! Summertime. To make up for our insufferable delay and to account for the recent explosion of cameras, we've made this year's collection bigger than ever.

It's a great collection. We thank everyone who sent us images, and especially Antonio Gonzales (definitely not the xAG AG) who gave us a wonderful group to choose from this year. You'll also find images from Dan Lane, Jim Cash, Marcy Kraft, Tom Poppie, Scott Cammack, Emo, Jeff Thompson. "Neil" NLM sent us some great ones (which, to be fair, have been displayed since early September) including that great shot of Moms Finley. And -- yeah -- Robin Evans contributed, too.

And, yes, we probably missed a few of the great shots in the collections. We'll probably go through again and maybe add a fourth index, but we're not promising anything.

Labels: fundraisers, gay party, Gay Seattle, Seattle, shirtless hunk

It goes without saying that tickets to Bump, Seattle's hottest and longest-running Halloween party are, well... hot. They're on sale now, so if you plan to be at EMP [get directions] on October 27 for the big party, get your tickets now.

Ticket prices range from $45 for general admission to $145 for a "Platinum Access" pass to the party and a private hosted bar. The night's mixes will be supplied by hunky Dallas-based DJ Blaine. You can find samples of his work at his homepage, or visit his MySpace page (which, remarkably, is free of auto-sounds).

The party starts at 9pm and runs until 2am at EMP. It will be followed, once again this year, by OneDegree's after-hours party Tribe, the street at Level 5. That party, running from 2am until 8am, features Vancouver's DJ Rob C. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased along with your Bump tickets.

But what's Halloween without costumes? You can expect many of them, from the incredibly elaborate to the amazingly skimpy at the Bump. And there will be prizes for the best of them. The first-place winner gets $1,000 in cold, hard cash. Second place winner gets round trip tickets on the Victoria Clipper to BC, with night's stay in The Oswego Hotel. The third-place costume winner will be awarded a gift certificate for dinner at El Gaucho and a night's stay at Seattle's Vintage Park Hotel.

All proceeds from BUMP go to support the services provided at Gay City Health Project, as well as the Travel Fund for the Seattle Men's Chorus / Seattle Women's Chorus.

This could, by the way, count as the 25th anniversary of the party since the first one -- then using the original full and wordy name Things That Go Bump In the Night -- was held October 30, 1982. It was at the Spacearium at Pacific Science Center.

Labels: gay party, Gay Seattle, Seattle

Tickets for the more than 165 movies and videos that will be shown during the 2007 Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival are now on sale. Buy them online (click the "Buy tickets" button on the schedule) or at Ticket/Ticket locations.

Pick up a paper version of the schedule at many locations including the LGBT Center, Changes in Wallingford, Bailey/Coy Books, Broadway Video, Kaladi Brothers Coffee, On 15th Video [most of which are on our map]. But the festival's website offers superb schedule tools that make a paper version almost superfluous.

The festive festival opens Friday October 12 with a gala premier showing of The Walker followed by a party in SLU (which is, of course, one of several names for the new neib in the South Lake Union area.) It's one of four movies+parties that are part of the festival. You can get privileged access to all of them with a $70 Party Pass.

Read more about the Festival. PlanetOut offers this summary.

And if you'd like to work for your tickets to festival shows, consider becoming a volunteer. An online form allows you to pick your shifts. Volunteers serve as ushers, setup and breakdown events, staff the will call and membership tables, greet guests at the hospitality center and festival receptions, and more.

Labels: Gay events, gay party, Gay Seattle, movie, Seattle

The weather in the past few days reminds us that we're moving again toward the indoor season when a nice warm dry movie house becomes a welcoming cacoon.

Each October, the creative folks at Three Dollar Bill Cinema fully satisfy that urge with the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. This year's fest runs October 12 through 21 featuring a schedule packed with filmic presentations from first- and only-run features, to shorts, to retro TV shows.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on September 25 online and at Ticket/Ticket locations, but you can jump to the front of the line by becoming a Three Dollar Bill member for at little as $33. Members can buy tickets to any showing right now.

The festival opens Friday, October 12 at The Cinerama on with the gala west coast premier of the Paul Schrader's new film, The Walker starring Woody Harrelson as the black sheep of a blue-blood American family and gay best friend to DC society matrons. The all-star ensemble cast of Schrader's political drama/noir thriller includes Lily Tomlin, Lauren Bacall and Kristin Scott Thomas as wealthy DC grande dames, along with Ned Beatty, Willem Dafoe, and Mary Beth Hurt.

Your $27 ticket to the premier also includes a spectacular party following the screening at the soon-to-be-repurposed Naval Reserve Building on Lake Union [get directions]. The party kicks off the festival in high style with beverages, delicious offerings from some of Seattle's finest restaurants and chefs, and dancing into the night to the DJ's beats. And you don't even need to drive. Round trips on a big bus between the Cinerama and the Naval Reserve Building will be provided.

The challenge, of course, is figuring out which of the films you want to see and are able to see. This is a Seattle-style festival, so you'll have to pick your faves since won't be able to see all of the 121 presentations on the busy schedule. Most of the films are split among four venues: the Cinerama downtown [get directions] and -- on Capitol Hill -- the Harvard Exit [get directions], Northwest Film Forum [get directions], and Broadway Performance Hall [get directions]. But the geographic challenge increases with other shows at SIFF Cinema at Seattle Center [get directions], Central Cinema on 21st Ave. [get directions], and the downtown library [get directions].

Films are scheduled from noon to night on weekends and from 5 pm into the night on weekdays.

Print out the schedule or pick one up at many places around town. The nifty festival website this year lets you not only buy tickets and see capsule summaries of the films, but also helps you make your decisions with a very nice personal calendar feature.

And there's more than just films to keep you busy. The schedule also includes parties, panel discussions, free workshops more to to choose from.

Labels: Gay events, gay organization, gay party, Gay Seattle, movie, Seattle

OneDegree and Level5 will help you forget how cool this summer has been with a hot Labor Day party featuring DJ Chris Cox [his MySpace; his real web site]. And that's a big deal as his Wikipedia entry indicates:

Chris Cox is a dance music producer, remixer, and DJ and has worked on over 400 records. He has had a total of 40 Billboard dance chart number ones as part of the hitmaking remix team Thunderpuss, and others with Pusaka and as a solo artist. He was nominated for a Grammy in 2004 for his production work with Cher.

Epic Sunday takes over Level 5, 325 5th Ave N, [get directions] on September 2 starting at 6 pm and continuing into the wee hours at 4 am. DJ Rob C from Vancouver will open the party with a four-hour set.

What starts out as a t-dance will turn into an all night dance party. Cover is $10 before 8 pm and $15 after 8. You can enjoy $3 wells if you arrive before 8. All night, you can sip on $2 domestic drafts or $6 red bull/vodkas.

This is the first of what OneDegree promises will become a series of holiday weekend parties at Level 5.

Labels: gay party, Gay Seattle

Local blogger "Ted" has a great video from Saturday's Blue Ball "Drag Bus" fundraiser. And it really does look like a fun time was had by all, proving that both boats and buses can successfully raise funds on the same day.

After seeing their splashy float in the downtown pride parade, we looked for a link to post something last month about the event, but didn't find it in time. We're delighted to now (even though we're way late) to find the link to event sponsor rosmariesbaby.com and to learn the history of the Drag Bus party and other parties sponsored by Philip:

John Gardner, of Aria Floral, started "Birthdays Are A Drag" years ago in New Orleans.

In order to ride the Birthday Bus, party goers were required to wear drag. The bus would take the participants on a bar tour of the city, terrorizing unsuspecting folks along the way.

In 1998, John moved to Seattle. Along with him came the party. There were 18 participants that first year. Each year thereafter, the party grew immensely - constantly changing the surprise locations, until the last party in 2005 tallied over 100 people. "Birthdays Are A Drag" was named the "Most Coveted Party Invitation" by OUT magazine in 2001. A documentary crew followed the 2002 event.

John passed on the torch to Philip Heier in 2006. The "Drag Bus" was then re-created into a charity event where drag is not required (though encouraged), the color theme mandatory, and the locations of the tour are no longer a secret.

Labels: drag show, fundraisers, gay party, Gay Seattle

One of the more unique drag shows you're ever likely to see happens tomorrow morning at Pier 55 on the downtown waterfront [get directions]. And that, right there, should tell you what's unique about it. It's in the morning, and when you consider how much time it takes these boys to put the "face" on, you'll recognize why an 11 am start time for a show is a rare thing. And there's more... It's free and its outside in the center of our town's tourist neighborhood.

This thing has happened every year for the past decade. It's the pre-boarding show for the Queen City Cruise, but you don't need tickets to the Cruise to enjoy the show. Just head down there and take in the show, and the reaction of the tourists -- a show in itself.
The Cruise this year is packed with entertainment, even beyond the highlights that the party's passengers will create. The event's mix-master bucket has been slaving over his computer mixing board for weeks to prepare the sounds to get keep you moving and shaking -- and occasionally laughing -- on the upper-deck dance floor. Carlo Cochran returns to play the mixes for the dance floor and for the entertainers.

Marina Dennis returns -- direct from Miami Beach -- to mark her tenth year as co-host of The Cruise and of the pre-boarding show.

"I can't believe it's been this long already since you first trusted me with this huge responsibility and opportunity," Marina said. "I have been so grateful to be a part of Tacky Tourist tradition, so if I haven't said it lately -- 'THANK YOU!' And I really want to thank all the passengers who have helped make this a wonderful 10 years."

Tony Buff did an outstanding job last year in his virgin outing as Marina's co-host and will be back again this year to see if he can manage more costume changes than the drag queens.

The entertainment starts at 11 am at Pier 55. Enjoy performances in the dock's amphitheater by Marina Dennis, Aleksa Manila, Chablis, Portland stars Marcy Kraft and Poison Waters, and -- of course -- by the incomparable LVHS
Cheerleaders. (See The Poodleer.)
Marcy Kraft [MySpace] and the Cheerleaders were all-stars of Lavender Valley High with several memorable performances during The Prom...You Never Went To! Marcy -- aka Jayson Malone -- went on from the Prom to perform for 11 years in the Las Vegas revue, An Evening at La Cage at the Riviera. At the Prom and in other Seattle appearances Jayson he worked with his uncanny resemblance to the incomparable Bette Midler to hone an act that is the next best thing -- and sometimes even better -- than seeing the Divine Miss M herself. During a nine-week run on London's West End, Jayson also wowed audiences with his impersonations of Judy Garland, Barbara Streisand, and Dolly Parton.

Poison Waters also returns to The Cruise show from her home in Portland. Poison is not just a personality, Poison Waters is an experience. Hundreds of thousands have enjoyed the one of a kind entertainment and dynamic presence that only Poison Waters can provide.

Chablis brings her irreverent spirit into the daylight with another Cruise appearance. Chablis also entertains fans each week during her popular Sunday night show at R-Place, Lashes.
Aleksa Manila has held many titles since first appearing as "Alexis" in 1998 at a Halloween party among friends. Elected to posts including "Miss Gay Philipino", "40th Miss Gay Seattle", and -- last year -- Imperial Court Empress "Olympia XXXIII", Aleksa Manila is known in Seattle and beyond as a stellar drag artist, consummate host, and community activist. When not in face, 'he' educates the community about the harms of crystal methamphetamine with Project
NEON, a program of Seattle Counseling Service; tests for and counsels about HIV & STD with Public Health - Seattle and King County; and serves as Honorable Commissioner with the Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities with the City of Seattle - Office of Civil Rights. Aleksa Manila will host ICON 4 this September.

And hey, if you want to try to get on the boat to watch a continuation of the party, you can get to the standby ticket page through that back-door link. A few more of the tickets have become available.

Labels: drag show, gay party, Gay Seattle

The multi-night 'Rapture' parties that had been scheduled for Vancouver's long Pride Weekend have been cancelled by their promoter, TBB Productions. But it remains a major party weekend nonetheless.

Vancouver's daily, the Sun, offers this brief guide. The Pride Society has a more complete calendar of official events. The parade is Sunday followed by a festival at Sunset Beach.

The three parties produced by BNO Productions -- Nocturnal on Friday night, Freedom Sunday night, and Re-Charge Monday from 7 am until 2 pm -- will take up much of the slack, although the producers website says only limited quantities of individual tickets are available for Nocturnal and Re-Charge. Seattle DJ Brian Gorr is the opening act at Nocturnal from 10 pm until midnight. DJ Tony Moran spins through the night until 7 am.

It's a three-day holiday weekend in Canada, so there's a wealth of activities for all three days.

Brian Gorr will also spin for Cabana Daze on Saturday, a pool party that benefits Loving Spoonful, Vancouver's HIV/AIDS service group that provides meals and food (similar to Lifelong's Chicken Soup Brigade here). It's at the Pacific Palisades Hotel, 1277 Robson -- "rain or shine." Online tickets are available -- $25.

There are a few cruises on Saturday and Sunday to choose from (although, really, now... if you're looking for a real cruise party... Just sayin')

Cream is a Sunday night party at Richards at 1036 Richards (which becomes, of course, "Dicks on Dicks), that goes on until 3am.

And, of course, way more...

Labels: Gay events, gay party, gay pride

Back in the day at a mythical state of mind called Lavender Valley High School, the often quarrelsome goings-on at the "school" were chronicled by its school newspaper, The Poodleer, which called itself "The Mouth-Organ of Lavender Valley High".

An edition of the paper would only make it into public consciousness about once a year, but it was always clear from reading it that it was published far more often in some kind of odd, parallel high-schoolish universe. It showed up shortly before a big party that was produced each Spring back then by Tacky Tourist Clubs. The party was called "The Prom...You Never Went To!" (punctuation required), but in the pages of The Poodleer, it was always just "The Prom."

Tacky Tourist Clubs is marking this year's tenth anniversary of the Last Prom with a Classless Reunion, including a tour of the Queen City Cruise called Pier Pressure. (By the way, tickets -- $50 -- are still available if you're willing to wait on the dock for the inevitable no-shows.)

It was virtually inevitable that an edition of The Poodleer would show up again in conjunction with such a Reunion. There have been a few hints of it before, but a close-to full-blown edition of the paper was published today to the Cruise mailing list and is available on the TTCA website.

And, yes... there's controversy.

There was always controversy in The Poodleer.

Each year, according to the paper, the very existence of the Lavender Valley High prom was threatened by some sort of calamity.

Some who worked their way through the often tortured sentences of the paper's stories thought that the made-up controversies were modeled after the contemporary controversies surrounding Pride events. Maybe. But one didn't have to model too closely. Any of the dozen editions of The Poodleer that were printed back then, over a decade ago, could have been pulled out to serve as commentary on the 2006-07 Pride controversies.

There's just something so essentially high-schoolish about it all. And let's get this part out of the way: Dewey Boulavard (or maybe it's "Boulevard" -- he rarely spells a multi-syllable name the same way twice, not even his own) is not modeled on Dan Savage. Dewey was editor of The Poodleer long before Savage was editor of The Stranger. If anything, the Savage character is modeled on Dewey Boulavard.

Labels: Dan Savage, gay party, Gay Seattle, history

The last Sunday Revival party at Level 5 [get directions] will have plenty of energy as the party's co-producer, OneDegree Events, honors the two Emerald City Softball teams sponsored by OneDegree -- Throttle and Team Revival. That, plus the party's usual "dancing, queers, and $1 beers". That last item is for domestic drafts. Other specials include $3 pitchers before 8pm, $6 red bull/vodkas, and $6 long islands.

DJ Brian Gorr will, once again, play his mixes on the club side of the venue. He told his mailing list

As you know, Sunday is the last Revival so I hope you can all make it out to Level 5 for what is sure to be a great evening of dancing and friends.

Lady Jane DJs on the lounge side of the club.

Party from 6 pm until midnight. Cover is $5.

Labels: gay bar, gay party, Gay Seattle

Seattle Black Pride holds its summer festival and party starting next Thursday, July 19, with a singles mixer and after-work happy hour and live jazz band. The partying starts later that night with the Grown & Sexy Old Skool Funk Dance & VIP Party at Faire Gallery/Cafe, 1351 E. Olive Way [get directions] featuring DJ Kun Luv playing "Old Skool Funk / R&B." This one is for those age 30 and over. Tickets are $15.

The weekend marks its formal kickoff with a night of entertainment on Friday, July 20, from 8 to 10:30 pm at Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center [get directions]. D.C.'s own Xavier Bloomingdale serves as host for the evening of drag performances, live entertainment, and a fashion show. SBP promises a mystery "celebrity guest" for the evening. Tickets are $15.

The festival's big party is Saturday, July 21 from 9pm to 3am at Prince Hall Masonic Temple, 306 24th Ave S [get directions]. The party with the oh-so-appropriate title This is Why We're Hot! has two rooms in the venue, each with a unique "flava" featuring "House & Hip-Hop/R&B." [And, geez, your WebWrangler feels so old and white when trying to transcribe some of this. Apologies.] You'll be able to enjoy the eye-candy of male and female go-go dancers plus a special guest. Tickets are $20.

The busy weekend winds down on Sunday afternoon from 2pm to 7pm with a Family BBQ in the Park at Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill, 1635 11th Avenue [get directions]. The family friendly afternoon offers free food, live entertainment, African drumming and music. (Free admission.)

But the festival is about more than the parties. Serious topics will be tackled at a panel discussion and series of workshops on Saturday at Langston Hughes Center. A town-hall meeting and panel starting at 11 am will discuss dual identities among Black LGBT people as panelists and audience consider the question, "Can Black = Gay?"

A series of workshops begin at 1 pm to consider several issues including, "Handle Yo' Business: LGBT Legal Affairs & Domestic Partnerships", "Money Matters for People of Color: Investing, Saving and Stacking your Money", "Sexual Healing": Women's Sexual Health", "Let's Get it On: Men's Sexual Health".

Admission to the Saturday panel and workshops is free.

Online tickets are not yet available through the SBP website, but tickets will be available at the door.

Labels: gay organization, gay party, gay pride, Gay Seattle, Seattle

Tacky Tourist Clubs of America marched with Butch the prize-winning big pink "Trojan Poodle" at the two Pride parades as a way of introducing a short series of events called the "Classless Reunion" that will reach climax on August 11 aboard the 26th annual Queen City Cruise which has been given the reunion tour name "Pier Pressure."

The most elaborate of the pre-Cruise Classless Reunion parties will be held tomorrow, Friday the 13th at Seattle Eagle [see bar map] starting at 9:13 pm. It's a Night in Detention, to be hosted by Cruise co-host Tony Buff, serving on Friday as Friar Buff, Dean of Discipline.

Friar Buff will be joined at the party by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan, and by the wood-shop instructor who has volunteered to stay after school to help students in detention learn a useful skill. On Friday night, he'll offer special instruction in the art of wood-stroking -- always a popular subject.

All of that high-schoolish double-entendre hearkens back to a party that Tacky Tourists last hosted ten years ago, in 1997. It was called The Prom...You Never Went To! and attracted thousands each spring to multiple rooms in a venue that looks remarkably like a boomer high school, The Mountaineers Building on lower Queen Anne. For one night each year from 1983 until 1997, the building became Lavender Valley High School and launched thousands of stories.


Your current WebWrangler used to contribute slightly to those stories by channeling a character called Dewey Boulavard who was "editor-in-chief" of a fake newspaper called The Poodleer ("chief" -- although sometimes spelled "cheif" by Dewey -- was always required). It started out as a one-and-a-half page feature story in a short-lived gay paper called Lights. By the end of the party's run, the fake high-school paper had become a four- or eight-page insert in Seattle Gay News. For The Poodleer, I made up the stories, built quotations out of vaguely character-appropriate hole cloth, and even made up names occasionally when someone was required for a quotation.

What always struck me as remarkable about the party, is that even some of those made-up characters from The Poodleer would appear a few weeks later at The Prom. But that was the magic of the party: Its theme encouraged most of the thousands who bought tickets to create their own fantastic high-school stories. Each year, partiers would create the costumes and stories for dozens of school groups that nobody planning the party had ever expected. One year, a group came "back from Dead Man's Curve" with tire marks to prove it. There were oh-so-many pregnant "girls" along with the non-necessarily exclusive "Hebrew Club," and many naughty waitresses, chearleaders, jocks and nerds. Each had a story to tell that was often just as fascinating as the costumes.


And, now, let us double-bury a lead here: This year's 26th Cruise which honors that party last held a decade ago is to be the last Cruise sponsored by Tacky Tourist Clubs. Randy Henson, the event's creator and creative director from the start in 1981, has been hinting at doing this for years, but promises that this will be the last Cruise for which he will serve as producer. The Cruise is expected to continue next year with a different group taking on primary production responsibilities. Randy has said that he will remain involved as a consultant to the new sponsor, but the party is likely to change -- perhaps significantly -- with a new sponsor.

A change in producers isn't unprecedented for Tacky Tourist Clubs. After several years in the 80s of producing Seattle's biggest Halloween party, Tacky Tourists transferred production responsibility for Things that Go Bump In the Night to Gay City and Seattle Men's Chorus. Since then, the party's new producers have turned The Bump into an even bigger fall party. The Cruise is also likely to continue and might similarly grow more elaborate under a new producer.

We bury this part of the story, because Randy hasn't yet been willing to announce the change publicly, and so we're talking here "out of school" as it were. Some of us who have worked with him over the years, are guessing that he'll reconsider, but that seems unlikely. It seems only fair, while there are still some tickets available for the Cruise, to give those who have occasionally enjoyed the party during its twenty-six year run a chance to celebrate the last Tacky Tourist production of the event.

Ten years ago, the last Prom was promoted as such. It gave folks one last chance to experience Lavender Valley's big dance. We figure it's only fair to give those who have enjoyed the Cruise over the years a similar chance to enjoy its unique spirit one last time under the guidance of its original producer.

Labels: fundraisers, gay bar, gay organization, gay party

We're admittedly late with this (as we have been with everything for the past few weeks. Mea culpa), but if you're still looking for a way to kick off the pre-4th weekend, consider the Red, White & Blue Party with DJ John Miller at The Cuff [see bar map].



Another option: The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan will be selling Jello shots (Stoli style) tonight at Manray [map] as a benefit for the Pet Project which will also be holding a pet-friendly party this summer called WoofStock. It takes to the grasses of Volunteer Park with help from the Sisters on Sunday, August 19.

Woofstock is the "after-party" event for this summer's poodle-powered "LVHS Classless Reunion." You might recall Butch the big pink poodle mascot of the Reunion from last week's parades.

Pet Project is a volunteer service of the Seattle/King County Humane Society that helps people with AIDS keep and care for their pets.

Because studies show that the companionship of a pet can greatly improve the quality of life, we responded by initiating Pet Project, a program that services people disabled by AIDS. In addition to providing economic relief, the program supports the unique power and healing that comes from the connection between people and pets, especially since clients may be housebound and have limited social contact or energy for daily tasks.

Pet Project matches volunteers one-on-one with clients, handling most of their pet care needs on a monthly basis, and enables clients to keep their pets while spending their limited resources on food and other living expenses for themselves. All services and supplies are donated or purchased with donated funds. Committed to supporting people and pets as lifelong companions, Pet Project literally makes the difference between keeping an animal and having to give it up.

Labels: gay bar, gay party, Gay Seattle

This year's 26th annual tour of the Queen City Cruise slips away from its dock on downtown Seattle's Pier 55 at 1200 hours (that's noon to landlubbers) on Saturday, August 11. The ruby-red lips on the bow of the Goodtime II will be puckered and ready to blow (kisses, that is) as the party boat takes its five-hour tour of Seattle's wettest spots, including -- of course -- the ever-popular passage to and fro through the Ballard Locks.

Tickets for this incredible party are still $50. They go on sale this Saturday, June 23 and are available only online at ttca.org. (But here's a special blog-reader hint for those who hope to avoid any virtual lines: The tickets button is currently live on the site for a "preview sale", so you could actually snap up some of the first tickets even before the official start date.)

The Queen City Cruise is -- as we're wont to call it on this blog's (current) host site -- an "Unforgettable Naughtycal Adventure on the High Seas" and a deliciously deviant contribution to Seafair. If you haven't been on the boat yet and wonder what that means, you can get a hint from the photos in the TTCA gallery. (But, really, the on-board photographers are usually circumspect about what they're willing to share with the public site, so you'll have to use your imagination. But don't go too far. Remember, it's called naughtycal and not nastycal.)


The theme of this year's Queen City Cruise is Pier Pressure. "Why?", you ask. It's because the Cruise this year is the climax event of the LVHS Classless Reunion. The Reunion a full summer of activities commemorating the student bodies of Lavender Valley High School.


Some of you might recall Lavender Valley High as the home of Seattle?s most notorious springtime party: THE PROM... You Never Went To!. That party had a fourteen-year run from 1983 to 1997. This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the Last Prom, so the Tacky Tourists are celebrating the occasion by holding a Classless Reunion. (It's classless because graduation was never something that caught on at Lavender Valley High School.)

Even if you don't remember any of that, don't worry. All you need to know is that LVHS was some kind of ineffable place or feeling. It existed in its own odd world where everyone had the chance either to create the high school that we wished we went to or to make up bizarro versions of the places we actually did suffer through. And create they did. Again, the TTCA galleries feature a few hints of what things were like.


The brain trust of Tacky Tourist Clubs is hoping that some of the same creative energy will be on display this summer on the Cruise and other Classless Reunion events.

To help spur the creative juices (ahem), TTCA has created Butch. You'll see him this weekend if you go to either or (come now -- show your Spirit) both of the Pride parade/marches. Butch is the huge, very pink, tres gay, and well-endowed (sorry Bob Barker) mascot of the LVHS Fighting Poodles. You'll see him rolling down both Broadway and Fourth, and may even catch sight of him elsewhere over the weekend. (Go ahead, pet him. He's friendly.)

Blogger's note

Your webWrangler sends this personal note: I'm sorry for the lax posting during the past week or more. I've missed a few things that deserved to be posted, and still haven't gotten to making a complete wrap-up of Pride events. (Still hoping to get to that tomorrow.)

If you dig through to the url of our site or our RSS feed, you'd note the original intent of this blog that has long since moved on to other things: QueenCityCruiseNews is what the feed is still named. And that partly explains the recent posting downfall.

Mostly, now, I leave the Cruise news to an email list and only occasionally post an update here. But whether it's on the list or here on this blog or in the too-long text parts of posters, flyers, and such, I do end up writing most of it. And frankly, I'm not all that good at multi-tasking these days. So while the site got its updated pages for the Reunion, the Cruise, and all that, the blog took a back seat. We'll be back to the usual schedule in a few weeks, so keep (or start) sending those press releases for us to rewrite.

And, yes... as I've been hinting for months: This blog will move to its own URL late in the summer. Given the lack of participation here in the comments, I'm not sure it's worth it, but other indications tell me that there actually are a few folks reading some of the posts. For you, we'll give a dedicated site a try. Later.

Labels: fundraisers, gay organization, gay party, Gay Seattle

It looks like our unseasonable spurt of summer will last through at least Sunday. And who among us doesn't enjoy a summer spurt, eh?

One good way to celebrate a good summer day is with a barbeque on a patio. If you haven't been invited to a private party of that kind, you should check out The Cuff [see bar map] on Sunday. Washington State Mr. Leather 2007, Gylan Green, hosts an afternoon of "burgers, dogs, and buns" Sunday, June 3, from 4 to 8 pm on The Cuff's large patio space.

The fundraiser was dubbed "Hot City Barbeque" when nobody could have know the name would be so appropriate this weekend.

It's a benefit for Gay City and Project Neon of Seattle Counseling service.

Of course they will also host their weekly T-dance all afternoon and evening in Cuff Dance. DJ Peter Calandra mixes. The usual "Dollar Sunday" specials apply: $4 double wells and $1 domestic drafts/sodas.

Labels: fundraisers, gay bar, gay party, Gay Seattle

OneDegree Events, Egan Orion's company that is producing an array of Pride Weekend activities in and near Seattle Center, has announced that it has signed on with local festival management experts Festivals Inc to help with production of PrideFest, the free-admission Seattle Center festival that will be held Sunday afternoon, June 24 from 11 am until 7 pm, with main programming from 2 pm until 6 pm.

New Growth Event Solutions, a division of Festivals Inc., will serve as the production management team for PrideFest 2007. Festivals Inc. produces Bite of Seattle each summer at Seattle Center and Taste of Tacoma. According to OneDegree's press release, Festivals and New Growth were chosen "for their familiarity with Seattle Center, both at the administration and operational level."

"We have many years of experience producing high-profile events at Seattle Center," noted Bjorn Estlund, the lead on the New Growth Events production team. "We have always enjoyed working in conjunction with the Center and look forward to building this partnership with PrideFest to be a part of this important event."

New Growth will be responsible for general festival operations including mapping the grounds, laying out booths, contracting all service providers, and on-site management.

One Degree will run free shuttles from PrideFest to Capitol Hill starting at 4 pm on June 24. Shuttles will leave every half hour between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and will drop guests off at clubs and bars that sponsor buses for PrideFest.

Later in the evening, One Degree, will also provide shuttle service from the Hill to Level 5 for the company's Sunday party, Revival, which will be held at Level 5 across the street from EMP from 5 pm to 2 am.

Entertainment lineup for the festival is still developing, but OneDegree has already booked entertainment from every corner of the gay community. DJs includes DJ Bryan Pfeifer (LA), Wasabi and LA Kendall from Re:Launch-Hitgirl! Productions and DJ Kyler (c89.5). National performing talent includes Inaya Day, Reina, and Abigail. They're saying, coyly, that the lineup will "likely feature at least one comedian." PrideFest has confirmed State Senator Ed Murray and will announce more speakers as agreements are made.

Orion offers this reflection on the busy weekend: ?Pride Weekend has important events going on in every corner of the city," Orion said, "from house parties to bar and club events to special events like our big Saturday night party at EMP Sky Church, One Mighty Pride Party, and Festivals like PrideFest and QueerFest."

"There is enough business to go around for everybody to be successful," he said. "Pride can be on both Capitol Hill and Downtown. It's bigger than any one person or one event. Pride is about community, and at the end of the weekend, hopefully we?ll be able to forget the politics that have divided us and embrace that which connects us all in this very vibrant gay community."

OneDegree has also hired sponsorship consultant Cindy Baccetti, who had previously worked with SOAP, a local group that had tried and failed to sponsor a Center festival this year. She is quoted as noting that "Wide spread support and excitement from the business community about PrideFest continues to strengthen as we approach the event." Eleven corporate sponsors are named in the press release.

Labels: Gay events, gay party, Seattle, Seattle Pride

If you don't have them already, you've missed the steepest discounts for pre-sale tickets to the big downtown Pride weekend parties, One Mighty Pride at EMP and Tribe at Level 5, but hefty discounts are still available on the ticket price.

Tickets to "The Party", One Mighty Pride are available until June 1 for $40. The price then rises to $45 until June 21. Cost will be $55 at the door. Tickets to Tribe, the after-hours party at Level 5, are $25 before June 21 and $30 at the door.

VIP passes are available for $150. That will get you priority access to those two parties as well as a Friday night Military Party also produced by OneDegree at Neumo's and to Revival, OneDegree's post-festival Pride version of its Sunday party at Level 5.
The parties are produced by Seattle's master empressario Egan Orion and associates at OneDegree Events. One Mighty Pride will be held Saturday, June 23 from 8 pm until 2 am in Seattle's best party venue, EMP Sky Church [get directions]. The party features DJ Joe Gauthreaux from New York City and performances by Frenchie Davis [plays music] of American Idol, Rent, and Dreamgirls. That's inside SkyChurch.

Outside on the plaza, you'll enjoy another party with DJ Funky Bear and Ladyjane DJ. Tired of dancing? Take an amusement park ride. The Fun Forest Rides adjacent to EMP will be open Saturday night exclusively to One Mighty Pride guests.

At midnight, Frenchie will be accompanied by the Seattle Men's Chorus and Seattle Women's Chorus in a special homage to the gay rights movement.

25% of net proceeds from the parties will be donated to non-profits in the community: Gay City, Verbena, Seattle Men's Chorus and Seattle Women's Chorus.

The music, dancing, and partying doesn't have to stop at 2 am because the all-night party, Tribe, kicks off at 1 am and continues until 8 am across the street from EMP at Level 5 [get directions].

DJ Escape from New York City mixes. Rascal Video's Johnny Hazzard [link not safe for work] will entertain and titillate with go-go dancing.

OneDegree still isn't finished when Tribe disbands because their free-admission PrideFest at Fisher Pavilion and the lawn next to the Fountain kicks off at noon and runs until 6 pm in Seattle Center. The festival boasts a beer garden, booths (for-profit and non-profit), a mainstage with DJ Bryan Pfeifer from LA, performers and speakers, and food booths.

The party then moves across the street again to Level 5 where a special Pride Sunday edition of OneDegree's weekly Revival T-Dance starts at 5 pm and continues to 2 am. DJ Bryan Pfeifer moves over to provide the early mixes until 7 pm. Seattle's own DJ Brian Gorr [music] spins from 8 pm until close. The party is included in OneDegree's $150 VIP Pass. Individual tickets are available at the door only. Entry before 7 pm will cost $5 with a $10 cover after 7.

Labels: Gay events, gay party, Gay Seattle, Seattle, Seattle Pride

This is the big weekend for the Seattle Quake Rugby Team, as they host their annual tournament, Magnatude 15.07. The games take place on the fields of Marymoore Park in Redmond [get directions] all day Saturday. Look for the large tents pitched near the "pitch" (we figured out that that's what they call a field).

If you head over to the large eastside park, you'll be able to see plenty of games. Seattle Quake competes with teams from seven other cities -- Minneapolis Mayhem, Dallas Diablos, Portland Avalanche, San Francisco Fog, Pheonix Storm, Los Angeles Rebellion, and Vancouver Rogues. (Great names all, eh?)

Saturday's preliminary-round games feature 15-minute halves with games starting at 10 am, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15 pm, 1:30, and 2 pm. The winning teams then face off with 20-minute halves at 2:45 pm, 3:05, 3:30 and 4 pm.

But hey, it's a tournament of gay rugby teams, so there's more than just scrums on the pitch [or something like that]. There are plenty of parties, too, with the official ones happening at sponsor bars C.C. Attles, R Place, and The Cuff. [see bar map]

It starts tonight (Thursday) with a pre-festival informal get-together at CC's from 7 until 10 pm.

Registration is Friday at R-Place from 7 to 9 pm. Quake will set up a merchandise table to sell their sexy Quake gear.

The Cuff hosts the big post-match party Saturday from 7 to 10 pm. Tickets for the public (that's all the rest of us who aren't black-and-blue from the day's scrums [or whatever they call them]) are $10. There will be a kangaroo court, announcement and awards, and a closing ceremony.

It's still not over, though, because Quake will host a fundraiser Sunday at The Cuff from 4 to 8 pm featuring $3 burgers, brats, and brews, along with raffle tickets and Jello shots.

And just in case you're not familiar with Quake, here's the official boilerplate:

The Seattle Quake Rugby Football Club is a non-profit, community-based, amateur athletic organization.

The mission of the Seattle Quake RFC is to foster local, regional, national and international participation and competition in the game of Rugby Union Football and to create an environment where members of the community can learn the laws and practice of Rugby Union F