Q-Seattle Events: Tacky Tourist Clubs

Local photographers are keeping the web supplied with quick visual records of gay parties and events in town. Photographers Matt Browning and Brian Westbrook have joined together as SeattlePaparazzi.com. They offer pics of recent Gay Bingo events. Browning also has pictures of this weekend's show by Lily Armani.

Malcolm Smith, who has recently offered us shots from the Revival parties has a good collection of pictures up on his site from Whistler gay ski week 2007, WinterPride.

Labels: gay party, Gay Seattle, link bites, photos, whistler

Despite weather problems, the grandaddy of gay ski weeks opened yesterday in Aspen, Colorado for its 30th season in the snow. But it's WinterPride, the upcoming week at Whistler and Blackcomb mountains in BC, that is more likely to draw local skiers and the snow-bunnies who love 'em. The busy ski week at Whistler covers the mountains February 4 through 11. Tickets, including several multi-event passes are still (mostly) available.

The same storms that have subjected those of us in the coastal lowlands to an unseasonable winter of snow, ice, and deep-freezes have brought an unheard-of 28 feet (and counting) since November to Whistler/Blackcomb (snow report) and temperatures only a bit colder than what we've been seeing for all-too-long at sea level. As we continue to slip and slide in the lowlands, it's even easier to appreciate the need for escape to the high mountain places where the snow and ice are welcomed and expected.

Seattle's Ski Buddies is once again taking a group north to the mountains, so you're likely to see at least a few familiar faces.

The Washington Blade takes a look in this week's issue at Gay Whistler's WinterPride and other snow weeks under a headline, "Escape the winter heat" -- meaningful mostly to their east cost readers who've gotten a balmy season while so many of the rest of us were dealing with the opposite kind of weather.

"It's more like a festival," says Dean Nelson, director for WinterPRIDE, a gay ski week on Whistler Mountain, the highest mountain in North America, in Whistler, British Columbia. "We discerned that people are coming here to meet old and new friends from around the world. It's a celebration of diversity. It was starting to sound like a Pride festival except in a ski resort."

WinterPRIDE was born when the previous Whistler gay ski week, Altitude, was cancelled at the last minute during the 2006 ski season, leaving ski fanatics with plane tickets to nowhere. In response, Gay Whistler, a privately held company that plans gay ski weeks and other gay-friendly events in Whistler, scrambled and put together a full event in just 12 days.

The success of that hair-raising inaugural week led to the creation of WinterPRIDE, which, this year, is made up of a panoply of attractions sure to entice avid skiers and snow bunnies alike. Although whooshing down the slopes is the main sport, WinterPRIDE also offers snowboarding, dog sledding and even canopy tours -- a series of zip-lines set up in the snowy treetops.

Indoors-only types who might have been dragged along by a mountain-loving partner won't be left out in the cold. One of Canada's top fitness experts Cat Smiley, herself a competitive skier, will be leading an exercise boot camp that promises a no-holds-barred, intense military style workout, sans the belittling, yelling and intimidation. Plus, from photos of Smiley, the ladies will have some serious eye-candy while getting whipped into shape.

Those looking just for the parties will want to head up there for the weekend of February 9-11. DJ Jamie J. Sanchez headlines Snowball on Saturday February 10, an all-night "fantastical dance party" that "celebrates our diversity, pride and joy" from 10pm until 6am. Tickets to that party are about $72 (USD) in advance or $81 (USD) at the door (if available). A party-weekend pass (about $273 USD) includes admission to Snowball, and to a Friday-evening mountaintop T-dance ($81 USD) featuring DJ Wayne G and DJ Luke Johnstone along with much more including chances to mingle and greet the skiers and boarders.

But as the Blade points out, there's far more than just the winter sports and the parties up on the mountains this year. So, head north to enjoy a full week or just a long night of WinterPride.

Labels: Gay, Gay events, ski week, whistler

The guys from gaywhistler.com who did a remarkable job in only a month or so last year to save Whistler ski week have had a whole year to prepare for this year's event. And it shows in a busy and diverse week of events called WinterPride. It takes place Sunday through Sunday, February 4 to 11, 2007. All of this year's events, including the big dance parties are on the mountains.

Advance tickets are now on sale. A full seven-day pass costs $430 CAD (about $372 USD). A mid-week pass is $145 CAD ($125 USD). An extended weekend pass for Thursday through Sunday that includes the big mountain-top T-Dance is $295 ($255 USD). Those are advance prices that rise slightly Friday, Dec. 15. You can get tickets and arrange accommodations by calling 866-612-6150.

There's plenty of skiing, of course, including the GayWhistler Charity Ski Race on Wednesday, Feb. 7. But the schedule is also packed with activities that will keep even non-skiers engaged.

"Whether you're a novice at snow sports, an aspiring culinary artist, a wine enthusiast, a spa queen, a health and wellness fan, a medical practitioner, an academic scholar, a social butterfly, or just a plain John or Jane looking for a good time, we guarantee that there will be something for everyone to do during the week long WinterPRIDE festivities."

Labels: Gay, Gay events, gay party, ski week, whistler

Vancouver's Xtra West newspaper found participants at the quickly-reorganized events for gay ski week on Whistler and Blackcomb mountains generally pleased with the events.

Marc McEwan, a visitor from Atlanta, told reporter Matt Mills, "You can call it Altitude or whatever, but I don't think it's really skipped a beat."

"It seems more friendly," adds McEwan's pal Mark Workman. "It's Canada, so it's always friendly, but it seems I'm getting to know the organizers a lot better and I'm feeling their pain and all the work they're doing, so it's been good."

A Vancouver blogger who thought the late cancellation of the original events would be the end for organized gay weeks on the mountain changed his mind after experiencing the week.

Dan Kennedy said

At first I thought that after this year ski week would be over and the name of the event would carry too much uncertainty and nobody would trust it. But everyone I know had a great time and I think this blip in change of organizers won?t put an end to ski week at all. I know I?ll be going next year for sure! GayWhistler did an amazing job.

Xtra West estimated that total costs for a day at Whistler could easily top $500.

Value is a big issue here. While everyone Xtra West interviewed had nothing but praise for Whistler's ammenities and GayWhistler's work, virtually everyone commented on the overall cost of vacationing there.

Sean Kearns, GayWhistler.com partner and one of the reorganizers of gay ski week events, insisted both that costs had been kept much lower than in prior years and that costs at Whistler are competitive with other major destinations.

"Our prices this year are about half of last year because we, as owners, have been very sensitive to people's value," Kearns told the paper.

Technorati tags: Whistler Ski week Gay events Gay party

Labels: Gay events, whistler

As they continue the admirable adventure of creating a new schedule of events and activities for gay ski week at Whistler Blackcomb, the folks at GayWhistler.com have released a more complete schedule that includes ticket prices for most events. They've also opened up an online ticket order page, although the last minute page is a bit confusing (which is understandable given the extraordinary circumstances).

Tickets range from $15 or $20 ($13 or $17 USD) for most apres ski and evening get-togethers at Whistler clubs to $80 ($70 USD) for Fresh Heights, an all-night dance party on Saturday at the Whistler Convention Centre Ballroom. The busy schedule includes daily on-mountain and off-mountain lunch rendevous at various locations, a women-only L Word viewing party, and a "MasqueRave" dance party where "shirts will be coming off but the masks will stay on." Activities include daily guided skiing/boarding outings that are free to SkiWeek participants, a tubing night that doesn't require experience, and some less taxing alternatives like a spa day.

In an open letter to ski week participants, events coordinator and GayWhistler.com co-owner Sean Kearns asks for "patience and support" and urges partiers to buy tickets as early as possible "so we can evaluate demand and our venues for capacity."

All of this provides a unique opportunity for those of us just an afternoon's drive away from the mountains. There are bound to be glitches in an event series like this that was recreated at such short notice, but all of this should lend a kind of pioneering spirit to the week. Everyone who attends is making something of a leap of confidence. That kind of shared adventure can create a unique kind of camaraderie that one might not normally find at a party like this.

Technorati tags: Whistler Ski week Gay events Gay party

Labels: Gay events, whistler

GayWhisler.com, the travel website that stepped in when the original sponsor of Gay Ski Week at Whistler/Blackcomb backed out, has released a few more details of their events schedule.

"Our goal is to continue the traditions and bring a Fresh perspective to GayWhistler Ski Week," says Dean Nelson, a company director and spokesman. "In fact, Fresh is our theme this year and, to us, Fresh means a clean start. We've heard why people from around the world come to Gay Ski Week and we are maintaining and enhancing those events that make the trip unique."

Specifically, GayWhistler Ski Week will feature the on-mountain and off-mountain activities that regular participants value. Guided ski tours, lunch rendezvous and popular après ski parties will continue, along with martini parties, a concert with an international recording artist, a masquerade ball and the dance-til-dawn Fresh Ball.

"We are looking at a more modest event this year, but one that preserves the fun and value that participants expect," says Nelson. "For regulars, it means the same skiing and the same fun but with a few changes to the event calendar. Our vision is to create a series of events throughout the year."

Ticket prices have not yet been released for the various events. Most of the off-mountain parties are scheduled for Whistler area bars and at the Convention Centre. A "guest services suite" -- something that will probably be far more important than usual this year -- will be staffed at the Pan Pacific Village Centre.

Because the new event producers are not associated with the previous organization, they won't be able to honor tickets already purchased for "Altitude" events.

For GayWhistler Ski Week participants who booked tickets with Altitude, it's important to note those tickets are no longer valid. Altitude's website states that full refunds on any previous purchases are now being processed. Tickets for the new activities and events will soon be available on gaywhistler.com and available for purchase in the village.

[update 10:40am] TourismWhistler.com notes that "Community stakeholders are working hard to ensure a week of programming is available."

They reassure those planning a trip to the big resorts:

Whistler and Blackcomb are still here and we are experiencing one of the best snow seasons in years. And that's why everyone visits Whistler - for the skiing and snowboarding.

The daily skiing and snowboarding with volunteer guides will still happen. Meet at the lightboards at 10 AM just like always!

[11:00 am] OutSports.com talked to GayWhistler co-owner Sean Kearns about the effort to replace the week-long schedule:

With the monumental task of trying to plan this event in under two weeks, Kearns said it's the love of Whistler and the gay community that has kept them going 24-7 for the last week.

"We want people coming to have a good time and to give them a reason to come back," Kearns said, acknowledging that there is also certainly a business reason for their hard work. "The gay and lesbian demographic is our market. They're why we're here, and the love of Whistler is why we're here."

Kearns told OutSports that "they must try to keep expectations a little low (afterall, there's only so much they can do with 12 days to plan an event for 4,000 people)."

An OutSports reader expressed the frustration that many must have felt when they recieved the cryptic message about the original event's cancellation, "What a crock!" said TigerMarc from Chicago.

But like many of those who had already made plans for the week, he's looking forward to the revised schedule, "I'm going anyway. At least, the skiing will be great."

Technorati tags: Whistler Gay events Gay party

Labels: Gay events, whistler

See our latest update.

Altitude, the Gay/Lesbian Ski Week at Whistler and Blackcomb, has been cancelled by its official sponsor.

The sponsors attribute the late cancellation to "last minute difficulties of which we could not overcome" and say that they have "instructed our credit card processing company to refund your ticket purchases."

GayWhistler, a travel website is apparently working feverishly to replace many of the previously scheduled events with a new set of "Fresh" parties and activities to make a gay/lesbian ski week happen despite the lack of an official Ski Week.

Our theme this year is FRESH, fresh new events, fresh faces, fresh music and fresh snow. Please come and enjoy a FRESH new beginning of Gay Ski events in
Whistler.

[Updates:]
[12: 50] "mad_mooney" on LiveJournal.com speculates on the spectacular failure:

The efforts to build it from a local gathering into a massive international event required staggering costs from which it could never recover. The individual events of the ski week had to be priced way out of the reach of most attendees just to keep it going as long as it has. The death of its main organizer a couple of years ago cast a pall over the festivities and raised some very public questions about the overall financial feasibility of the week.

[2:30] GayWhistler has now posted a list of "Fresh" events for the week that they are calling "official" on the events page. The main page, however, still states that "Our formal agreement to run a GayWhistler Ski Week is almost in hand." Ticket prices for the new set of events have not yet been announced.

It's not clear what the shifting definition of "official" might mean. There's no indication that tickets purchased for "Altitude" events will be honored for the new "Fresh" events. It still looks like holders of tickets to any of the "Altitude" should expect a refund from the OutOnTheSlopes -- the original sponsor -- and watch for the new set of events to develop.

GayWhistler.com is apparently working with Vancouver's gay/lesbian ski group, SkiOut, on the new set of events.

So, for those planning to go to the mountains, you can still plan on plenty of snow and a still-busy schedule of parties and social events for the other hours of the day and night. If nothing else, all of this should give the week a fresh kind of adventuresome spirit.

[Tuesday, 1/24, 7:50pm] PlanetOut.com has a bit more information on replacement events for ski week, but could not reach anyone from OutOnTheSlopes for further explanation of Altitude's cancellation.

A spokesperson from Tourism Whistler, which is not affiliated with the event, said that its office was helping to provide alternate events for the skiers and friends who don't want to cancel their reservations.

One organization does plan to fill in the gap left by Altitude's departure. Dean Nelson, executive director of gaywhistler.com, told the PlanetOut Network that his organization is making arrangements to accommodate those who still plan to come to the resort despite Altitude's cancellation.

"While Out On the Slopes was planning their event we were organizing a parallel fundraiser for AIDS Vancouver," he said. "When we heard they were cancelling we came together as a team and decided to expand that event. Everyone's air tickets and accommodations are paid for, so we want everyone to still come up here and have a good time."

Although the ingenuity of gay men and the efforts of the tourism board may save the week from being a bust, the abruptness of the cancellation is likely to leave more than a few vacationers ticked off.

Meanwhile, Lee, the event coordinator for a long-planned trek to Whistler/Blackcomb by Ski Buddies, the Seattle gay/lesbian winter sports group, told us on Tuesday, "As of today, no one has pulled out."

See GayWhistler.com releases more details on ski week events

Technorati tags: Whistler Gay events Gay party

Labels: Gay events, whistler

[1/23/06 update: The offical ski week events have been cancelled.]

The big blow-out gay/lesbian week on the slopes of Whistler/Blackcomb is coming up quickly on the calendar. The 14th annual Whistler Gay & Lesbian Ski Week is February 4 through 13 with a schedule of parties and socials that is so packed that it will be a challenge to find time to get up on the slopes with your board or skis. But we're sure you'll rise to the challenge, eh?

Whistler is a four or five hour drive from Seattle (about two hours from Vancouver). [Directions]

Seattle's gay winter sports group, Ski Buddies, offered some package deals but reservations were required before now. Last-minute reservations for lodging are going to get dicey at this point, but you could try GayWhistler.com to see if they have something available.

A few tickets are still available, however, for most of the parties, including the big Avalanche Party in Vancouver on Saturday, February 4. The party features DJ Deco-Z from Toronto. This year, it is at the Rocky Mountaineer Train Station at 1755 Cottrel St [map]. The venue has plenty of free parking if you drive up, or you can use free shuttle bus service from several convenient Davie St locations. Tickets are $40.

At last check there were only 18 VIP tickets still available for entry to all 21 events. It costs $475. Ala carte tickets can still be purchased for most individual events.

You'll find parties every night including a Pool Party on Wednesday, a raunchy Uniform Party on Thursday since black leather looks so hot in contrast to all that white powder, a women-only party on Friday, February 9 called Snowcat, all leading up to the big Snowball on Saturday February 11 featuring DJ Rob C from Vancouver and DJ Tracy Young from Miami. Socials day and night keep things humming throughout the week.

There are even activities for those who, for whatever reason, decide to avoid strenuous activity on the slopes.

Technorati tags: Whistler Gay events Gay party

Labels: Gay events, whistler