Tucson Pride on Parade 2015

Tony Ray Baker
-
0
Tucson Pride on Parade 2015
Before I dive into the review, I would like to take a moment to thank all the great parade participants whom worked hard and dressed up and displayed the true diversity in Tucson.  I would also like to especially thank the fun and welcoming crowd which hooted and hollered and came together to celebrate our diversity.

Pride on Parade 2015 was probably the most active and well-attended Tucson Pride Parade I have ever been to.  The floats were elaborate and colorful and the costumes and makeup were absolutely fabulous!  It was perfectly staged on the busiest downtown avenue and the weather gave us a vintage Tucson Fall evening, with cool temperatures and an amazing sunset backdrop.
 
Grand Marshall’d by the inimitable Tempest DuJour (looking fantastic as always), the floats and parade entrants really stole the show.  From the hilariously under-costumed Old Lesbians Organizing for Change to the full-blown costumes worn by the Rocky Horror Picture Show cast, you could easily identify with each of them.  Then the rolling party that is the SAAF long-bed float crawls past and you can’t help but smile as you catch candy and Mardi Gras beads affixed with condoms.  I can finally write this: “The event truly offered something for everyone” 🙂
 
The Tucson Pride on Parade couldn’t have been any better planned or executed.  It was a wonderful time for the entire family to come out and honor the common differences that provide spice and excitement to our community.  I can’t wait to see what they come up with next time!

Tucson Gay Pride 2013

Tony Ray Baker
-
0
Tucson Gay Pride 2013

What: G3 Happy Hour
When: Friday, October 11 2013 5:00 PM.
Where: V Thai, 9 East Congress, Downtown
Admission: $5 at the door includes entry, first drink of choice (including call and beer),    asian-fusion appetizers, live DJ, door prizes and Tucson’s best crowd!
Official Website: www.TucsonG3.com

G3 Gay Mens Happy hour, formerly G2H2 is planning an amazing event that looks like lots of fun. I think this is the only event along and during the Pride Parade Route.

V Thai is located at 9 East Congress St. Downtown near the corner of Stone and Congress. They offer some amazing food options and there will be a live DJ, prize giveaways and Video for the event!  V Thai is opening at 5PM for this event so that you have time to relax and have drinks before the parade starts at 6:00PM. The parade route passes by the front of V Thai so it is a great spot to view the festivities and party with a geat crowd.

If you have not been to V Thai before, it should be easy to find with a, 20 story high logo of G3 on the side of the building.

After 10PM. the party moves to Playground at 5th and Congress for the Playboi after party.

Tucson Arizona Gay Pride Festival 2013What: Tucson Pride
When: Saturday, October 12th 2013
Where: Kino Sports Complex. This event is NOT at the Kino Stadium but at “Soccer Field Number 2”. Turn South off Ajo onto Forgeus and drive straight South
Admission: $10.00 at the door. VIP Tickets available online at http://tucsonpride.org/.

Tucson Pride presents it’s 36th Annual LGBTQ Pride Festival . $50. VIP. Advance tickets can be bought on-line at http://tucsonpride.org/ Advance purchase tickets can be picked up at the will-call table at the entrance on the day of the event.

This Years Tucson Pride Theme is Pride 365 highlighting the Southern AZ LGBTQ communitys commitment to show our pride every day of the year.

This years Pride festival will be held at the Kino Sports Complex “South Soccer Field”. This is a large venue, features a field of cool grass and stadium lighting which will allow the revelers to party after dark. This is also a fenced county venue allowing beer,wine and yeah, spirits for the first time at a Tucson Pride Festival! So when heading out to the park this year make sure and bring your ID. 12 noon -9PM

Gay Tucson Pride 2013 Aidswalk Downtown ArizonaWhat: Tucson AIDSWALK
When: Sunday, October 13th. 2013
Where:  From Joel D. Valdez Main Library – Jácome Plaza Downtown Tucson

The 25th annual AIDSWALK  is a 5k walk and a 10K fun run which is a  tremendous resource for Southern Arizona which provides services such as HIV Testing ,case management, housing, food programs, medication assistance and prevention programs, .

This year the organization is looking for 2,000 walkers and hopes to raise over $150,000 in order to continue their support for programs and services by The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation.

Please join this great organization to make this the best AIDSWALK ever October 13th. 2013 in downtown Tucson.

For more information about AIDSWALK Tucson, visit http://aidswalktucson.saaf.org/

 The weekend starts off hot and wet at “Queertopia”, the pre-pride pool party hosted by the fabulous Miss Ajia Simone at the Arizona Riverpark Inn.  The pool party goes from 3-10 pm on Friday, October 12, and will feature the glorious mixes of DJs RAW-B & CELLOFAME.  Go-Go Dancers, Sing-Along Movie, Drink Specials & Jello Shots, Snack Bar… sounds like a blast to me.  Pride also has special room rates at the Riverpark Inn… so don’t worry about composing yourself to get back home!

The Pride Parade, “Pride on Parade”, starts at 11am Saturday, October, 13th on 6th Avenue between 18th Street and 12th Street.  The theme for this year’s parade is “Pride Links Us Together”.  Oh… and this is exciting too… Pride in the park (known in Tucson as “Pride in the Desert”) will actually be in a park… with trees… and benches… not a ballpark!  It starts after the parade at 12 pm in Armory Park.

After the park… regain your wits, grabs some food, rehydrate, and get your booty on down to Hotel Congress for the official Pride After Party “Illusion: A Fool’s Paradise”, hosted by FLUXX Productions.  Party starts at 9 pm and best costume wins a prize.  So think about what your best illusion is and, as Tim Gunn would say, make it work.
And if all the downtown Pride activities aren’t enough for you, then I have great news!  The same weekend… downtown also… is Tucson Meet Yourself and AIDSWALK.  That’s three of Tucson’s largest events… all downtown… all the same weekend.  This is going to be amAAAAziiing!  Check out the AIDSWALK Tucson and Tucson Meet Yourself websites for more info.

Retro Game Show Night

Tony Ray Baker
-
0
Retro Game Show Night

Retro Game Show Night

Retro Game Show Night is a hilarious event held every 2nd Saturday at Hotel Congress.  Hosted by Tempest DuJour, Retro Game Show Night takes a fun new spin on old game shows from the 80’s and 90’s.  Complete with high-quality lighting and stage setup, you become fully immersed in the event and will howl and laugh along with the rest of the audience.  Feeling brave?  Enter your name to become a contestant to win some amazing prizes!  Check the Calendar for the next event and join GayTucson.com on the 2nd Saturday of each month for Retro Game Show Night at Hotel Congress!

Gay Pride 2016 Review

Tony Ray Baker
-
0
Gay Pride 2016 Review

Now that we’ve had a few days to recover, I wanted to take some time and recap the incredible 2016 Gay Pride Weekend!  First of all, thanks needs to go out to the Tucson Pride Planning Board for serving up a fantastic slate of fun and meaningful events for this years celebration.  Let’s set them up for next year by donating today! Be sure to head back here after you’re done 🙂  Fun Photos below.

Now that we have the business out of the way, we can get to the fun! Lets start at the top:

Pride Friday Night

We have long held the Tucson Gay Pride Parade on the Friday before Tucson Pride, but that and a possible Block Party was the extent of the festivities for the night.  This year was completely flipped on its head!  Not only did we have the Tucson staple, Pride on Parade, but we were also treated to a host of events geared around the Gay Pride theme.  The night went like this:

G3Pride Party During Tucson's Gay Pride Weekend
G3Pride Party During Tucson’s Gay Pride Weekend

G3Pride

Between the hours of 5 – 7, the Hut hosted Pete Kings infamous G3Pride Party!  With great drink specials, pulse-pounding music and delicious dinner options, it was a fantastic way to start Pride Friday Night!

Pride On Parade

The Hut was also the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail and cheer on the Tucson Pride on Parade as it proceeded down 4th Avenue.  With more floats and participants than ever, this year’s parade was truly a celebration of our amazing spirit and diversity.  I didn’t get any photos, but send us your pics today and I’ll post them on this page!

Rainbow Block Party

After the Parade, everyone headed over to RBAR for the Rainbow Block Party.  If you’ve never been to RBAR, it’s a decadent little hole in the wall next to the Rialto Theatre with some of the best drinks in Tucson.  The Rainbow Block Party featured a killer DJ spinning some great dance tunes, perfect for setting the stage for what came next.

pride at the rialto rupauls drag racePride at the Rialto

The entire night built up to this moment, and Pride at the Rialto surely didn’t disappoint. Meticulously planned and flawlessly executed, Pride at the Rialto had something for everyone.  We were entertained by the stars of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, as hilarious as they were gorgeous, who came all the way from Hollywood to share their own unique brand of Pride.  The drinks were delightful, the food was delicious, and the show was divine; a wonderful capstone for a wonderful night!

Pride in the Park

With the stage set, it was time for Tucson’s Gay Pride flagship, Pride in the Park, to step into the spotlight.  It was better than I had even expected!

I’d like to begin with a shout out to our amazing community!  We were fun and rowdy but always respectful and everyone, every single person that I’ve spoken with had an excellent time.  How many events can you say that about?

A Huge Crowd In Front of the Gay Pride Stage at Pride in the Park
A Huge Crowd In Front of the Gay Pride Stage at Pride in the Park

And did I mention the size of the crowd?  By the time I was there, they had already admitted over 4,000 Tucsonans and the line was growing by the second.  This was the most well-frequented Tucson Gay Pride I have been to in many years and I love Tucson for being so supportive and kind.

The event itself was a marvel of crowd and performer synergy as it seemed every act built upon the previous and the entire presentation wove a tapestry of precious moments that I will never forget.  Everyone, from the excellent DJ’s to the talented singers and presenters was in top form and the crowd repeatedly roared its approval.

Me and Tempest DuJour Loving Tucson Pride in the Park 2016
Me and Tempest DuJour Loving Tucson Pride in the Park 2016

Now, I might be a little biased, but the pinnacle of the event, atleast for me, had to be Tempest DuJour.  Tempest is a world renowned performer whom hails from Tucson, so the event had to be extra special.  We were given a small sample of his many talents and he left the audience starving for more.  Be sure to get your Tempest DuJour fix by checking out Retro Game Night!

The Wrap-Up

If you didn’t have a chance to join us for Tucson Pride this year, you owe yourself to mark it on your calendar and come out next year.  This was the largest and most well-planned Tucson Pride event I have been to in a long time, and I used to plan them back in the day 😉 The Tucson Pride Board of Directors has set a high bar for themselves and I am excited to see what they have in store for us next year!  Thanks for reading!
Tony Ray

Photos from 2016 Pride in The Park

  • A Huge Crowd In Front of the Gay Pride Stage at Pride in the Park
  • Crowd Enjoying the Show at Tucson Gay Pride 2016
  • Live Out Loud at Tucson Pride in the Park 2016
  • The Democrats are Out at Tucson Pride 2016
  • The Democrats are Out at Tucson Pride 2016
  • Staying Long into the Evening at Tucson Gay Pride 2016
  • Gotta Stay Hydrated at Tucson Pride 2016
  • A Beautiful Day in the Sun at Tucson Gay Pride 2016
  • Tucson LGBT Groups
  • Me and Tempest DuJour Loving Tucson Pride in the Park 2016

Show Us Your Awesome Talent at the 2022 Tucson Gay Pride in October!

Tony Ray Baker
-
0
Show Us Your Awesome Talent at the 2022 Tucson Gay Pride in October!
While national Pride month has come and gone we still have the 45th annual Tucson Pride to look forward to in October! Here’s a little info on the upcoming festivities and how you can get involved if you’re interested in the open entertainment call.

Pride Weekend

Kick off the weekend on Friday, September 30th with the Pride Parade. Registration will be open soon so stay tuned. The official Pride Festival is on October 1st from 12:00-10:00 PM at the Georges DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park. If you’d like to be a vendor registration is now open, hurry before all the best spots are snatched up! Pride Brunch is on Sunday at Highwire Lounge, stay tuned for details. This is a great chance to unwind from the crazy weekend’s festivities and catch up with friends you might have missed at the park. Do you know any LGBTQ people who don’t love a good brunch? Neither do we.

The Open Entertainment Call

Image of 3 drag queens posing with a girlAre you an entertainer or performer of some type? Do you enjoy the feeling of the crowd’s adoration washing over you? Well now is your chance to apply to be a part of Tucson Pride 2022. They are currently looking for bands, dancers, comedians, DJ’s, drag performers, track entertainers, and more! If you think you’ve got what it takes you have until July 31st to get your application in. You’ll need to include a letter of interest along with video samples or links to your work for review. Now is the time to showcase your talent! Spots are limited so we encourage you to act fast. Send submissions to NancyN@TucsonPride.Org

Just visiting?

Do you have friends or family coming into town to celebrate with you? Well, Tucson Pride just announced the official hotel for this year. Make your reservations at The Graduate, located off Main Gate Square at the University of Arizona. This hotel is shiny and new with eclectic design elements that showcase the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Rooftop image of the Graduate TucsonWe’re talking rooftop heated swimming pool, firepits, and a bar and restaurant just for starters! Yes, all of that is on the roof. You can also bring your furry family with you if you like. This is going to be the place for after-parties so book your stay now. If you have any questions about the upcoming festivities you can send them to information@TucsonPride.Org.      

G3 – Tucson’s Gay Happy Hour

Tony Ray Baker
-
0
G3 – Tucson’s Gay Happy Hour
G3 Tucson Gay and Lesbian Happy Hour
G3 Tucson Gay and Lesbian Happy Hour

G3 Tucson

G3 is Tucson’s premier social event planning group for Tucson’s gay community and their friends. They host a gay happy hour that takes place minimum every month usually lasting from 5:30 to 8:30PM at a different pop-up locations around town. G3 often features great DJ’s and drink specials to keep the night going! Looking to wrap up the work week with a few friends and some fun? G3 is a great way to hang out with friends and meet new people in a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere. G3 seeks out unique Tucson locations to host their monthly get-together. From exciting downtown nightclubs to newly-minted restaurants, G3 offers a new experience with each event! The organizing staff also spares no expense with the decor and ambiance to truly pull you into the event. With awesome drink specials and food options and a popular DJ spinning the tunes, every G3 is a better party than the last! G3 Gay Happy hour is an inclusive event for the entire Tucson population, but it caters to the gay guy community providing diverse entertainment options. You are welcome regardless of gender, identity or sexual orientation! Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Trans but the only thing is this group is strictly 21 and over because the events always include alcohol. As the location changes with each month, be sure to check our blog for updates on the next great G3 Happy Hour event and other events like pool parties. We always post G3’s events on our blog and have been for a long time. GayTucson.com has noticed that the events seem to keep getting better and better and more and more extravagant as time goes on. The community is growing! You must go see for yourself. If you type in G3 into our search bar you can look at the posts about their past events or Find out more about G3 Tucson here.
1...3456Page 4 of 6