Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert

If you live in the San Francisco/Bay Area, love music and support LGBT Equality, then head over to the Palace of Fine Arts on Monday, October 26th for Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert.

This concert will be featuring celebrity performances and appearances by the cast of WICKED and other many other celebrity guests.

The concert will begin at 7:30 pm and the Post-Event VIP Carnival will begin at 9:30 pm.

For more information or to buy tickets, check out their website at http://www.defyinginequality.com/sanfran/

Great America GAY Day

On May 22nd, 2009, California's Great America and the producers of FRESH @ Ruby Skye and Energy 92.7 FM bring you the 11th annual Gay & Lesbian Night, a private party with rides, dancing and amazing entertainment. Park rides and attractions are open from 5 p.m. until Midnight, dancing continues until 2 a.m.

Entertainment for the evening will include:

Andy Bell, from Erasure, has been one of Britain’s best loved pop icons for 25 years. His powerful voice, bittersweet lyrics and flamboyant stage manner have earned him millions of fans around the world. As a performer, re-mixer, collaborator, solo artist and DJ, Andy is a byword for great music and feel-good attitude. Even in the face of personal and political adversity, he lights up the toughest of times with sunshine, passion and romantic optimism.

The Perry Twins are based in Los Angeles and have been dj'ing professionally since the late 90's. They have spun throughout the country at hot clubs, outrageous parties, pride festivals, and star-studded events. Originally from the east coast, Doug & Derek developed a passion for music at a very young age. They inherited their rhythm and love of performing from their parents who are in a rock band called "Fortune". Their Mom sings and Dad plays drums. The twins grew up dancing and playing music so it was no surprise when they decided to take on dj'ing, choreographing, dancing and remixing professionally.

Exposé - After the tremendous response of their first two singles, "Point of No Return" and "Exposed To Love", it was clear that an entirely new era of dance music was about to spread around the world. Some called it "The Miami Sound", others referred to it as Freestyle, 80's Dance, Dance/Pop. We knew them as Exposé and one thing was for certain...music would never be the same again. Exposé consisted of Jeanette Jurado, Gioia Bruno, and Ann Curless.

Born Mark Martinez, Flava has been dancing all his life. He began his career in Las Vegas performing in the Siegfried and Roy show, but it was during his time abroad dancing in Europe’s most infamous dance clubs, which allowed him to hone his skills and launch his notoriety as a performer.

Dixie Longate, the fast-talking Tupperware Lady, packed up her catalogues, left her children in an Alabama trailer park and took Off-Broadway by storm! Now, join Dixie as she travels the country throwing good ol'fashioned Tupperware Parties filled with outrageously funny tales, heartfelt accounts, FREE giveaways, audience participation and the most fabulous assortment of Tupperware ever sold on a theater stage. Loaded with the most up-to-date products available for purchase, see for yourself how Ms. Longate became the #1 Tupperware seller in the U.S. & Canada as she educates her guests on the many alternative uses she has discovered for her plastic products!

Heklina is an American drag queen performer and personality as well as the co-founder, hostess and promoter of San Francisco's alternative drag show Trannyshack known for cutting edge drag and performance art. "Defying all expectations, Trannyshack incorporates everything from low brow trash to high brow performance art, and has become famous (or, infamous) worldwide as the quintessential San Francisco experience."

Joshua Klipp is a transgender singer and hip hop dancer. In 2008 he hit the Billboard Charts with his Jamie J. Sanchez remix, “L1FE”, hosted MTV LOGO’s “New Now Next”, and lit up Pride festivals from Stockholm to San Francisco . His first music video, "Rescue Me" was shot and directed by comedienne Margaret Cho. Josh's history making song, "Little Girl" was featured in Season 4 of Showtime’s “The L Word”. Josh works with openly gay producer Kristopher Cloud and is artistic director of freeplay dance crew. For more info on Joshua Klipp visit www.myspace.com/cutelittlewhiteguy.

Freeplay Dance Crew is a group of LGBT and non-LGBT dancers whose composition and creative expression reflect the diversity of its members and its local community.

Soul Con is an innovative dance group known throughout the Bay Area for embracing the evolution of hip hop. With an eclectic style of music and choreography that stands out amongst the crowd, they have come a very long way since starting out in 2005.

Desi is an award winning choreographer, dancer, producer, director and noted photographer, Desi can now add recording artist to his list of credentials. Desi began recording in 2004 under the production team of Deron Reed and Tackett Productions out of LA. His first two songs, About You” and “Down On You” were both featured on the movie soundtrack “A Chosen Life.”

For more information you can check out the Gay Day Great America Website.

2009 Gay and Lesbian Pride Festival Calendar of Events

Here is a list of 2009 Gay Pride Events by date. If I missed any, please feel free to email me and I will update the list.

March 21-22, 2009 Fort Lauderdale, FL Pridefest Fort Lauderdale
March 21-22, 2009 New York, NY Original GLBT Expo
April 18, 2009 Miami Beach, FL Miami Beach Gay Pride
April 18-19, 2009 Phoenix, AZ Phoenix Pride
April 19, 2009 Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque Pride Pageant
April 26, 2009 Daytona, FL Daytona Pridefest
May 1-2, 2009 Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas Pride
May 2, 2009 Northampton, MA Northampton Pride
May 10-14, 2009 Fort Lauderdale, FL Aqua Girl
May 15-17, 2009 New Hope, PA New Hope Pride
May 16-17, 2009 Long Beach, CA Long Beach Pride
May 24, 2009 Melbourne, FL Space Coast Pride
May 27-June 7, 2009 Charleston, WV Rainbow Pride of West Virginia
May 28-31, 2009 Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia GLBT Artists Festival
June 5-7, 2009 Kansas City, KS Kansas City Gay Pride
June 5-14, 2009 Birmingham, AL Central Alabama Pride
June 5-14, 2009 Boston, MA Boston Pride
June 5-14, 2009 Washington, DC Capital Pride
June 5-14, 2009 Winnepeg, Manitoba Winnipeg Pride
June 6, 2009 Austin, TX Austin Pride Parade
June 6, 2009 Fresno, CA Fresno Rainbow Pride
June 6-7, 2009 Salt Lake City, UT Utah Pride
June 6-14, 2009 Indianapolis, IN Indy Pride Festival
June 7, 2009 Asbury Park, NJ Jersey Pride
June 8-14, 2009 Pittsburgh, PA PrideFest 2009
June 9-13, 2009 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Pride
June 11-13, 2009 Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque Pride
June 12-14, 2009 Des Moines, IA Capital City Pride
June 12-14, 2009 Los Angeles, CA LA Pride
June 12-14, 2009 Milwaukee, WI Pridefest 2009
June 12-21, 2009 Edmonton, AB Edmonton GLBT Pride Festival
June 13, 2009 San Antonio, TX Pridefest San Antonio
June 13, 2009 Spokane, WA OutSpokane Rainbow Festival
June 13-14, 2009 Cincinnati, OH Pride Alive '09
June 13-14, 2009 Portland, OR Portland Pride Festival
June 14, 2009 Long Island, NY Long Island Pride Parade
June 14, 2009 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee Pride Parade
June 14, 2009 Nyack, NY Gay Pride Rockland
June 19-20, 2009 Iowa City, IA Iowa City Pride Parade
June 19-20, 2009 Louisville, KY Kentuckiana Pride Festival
June 19-21, 2009 Bisbee, AZ Bisbee Pride
June 19-21, 2009 Providence, RI RI Pridefest & Parade
June 20, 2009 Grand Rapids, MI West Michigan Pride
June 20, 2009 Syracuse, NY Central New York Pride
June 20-21, 2009 Fort Lauderdale, FL Stonewall Street Festival
June 27-28, 2009 San Francisco, CA SF Gay Pride Festival
June 27-28, 2009 Denver, CO Denver Pridefest
June 20-29, 2009 Santa Fe, NM Pride on the Plaza
June 28-July 5, 2009 Victoria, BC Victoria Pride
June 29, 2009 Houston, TX Pride Houston
July 11, 2009 Monterey, CA Pride of Monterey County
July 19-26, 2009 Halifax, NS Halifax Pride
July 25th, 2009 Charlotte, NC Pride Charlotte
August 15, 2009 Reno, NV Reno Gay Pride
October 3-4, 2009 Ocala, FL Ocala PrideFest

Upcoming Lesbian Events

Here is a list of upcoming Lesbian events throughout the US and Canada. If I missed any, please send me an email and I will be sure to add them.

• Aug 5 - 10
  Michigan Womyn's Music Festival - Michigan
  Forty performances, a film festival, an artisan/craft show and a full roster of workshops, parties and dances are all slated for one glorious week in August on 650 lush green acres in Michigan. This year's line-up features Michigan's signature combination of new blood and longtime beloveds, representing every genre and generation through the sounds you hear from the stages as well as from the womyn you meet on the wooded path.
  Click here for more information.
  
  
• Aug 14 - 17
  North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival - Durham, NC
  The 13th Annual North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (NCGLFF) is the second largest gay and lesbian film festival in the Southeast, attracting thousands of patrons yearly. Since its beginning in 1995, the Festival has featured a diverse array of shorts, documentaries and feature films. The Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau named the NCGLFF a Signature Event for Durham, the highest honor bestowed on a cultural event or attraction by the organization.
  


• Aug 15-17
  Femme Collective Conference - Chicago
  Femme2008: The Architecture of Femme
  Chicago Wyndham O'Hare
  Femme Collective is committed to creating conferences by Femmes, about Femmes, and for Femmes and their allies. We understand that Femme is more complex than just being a queer person who is feminine; it is a part of how we interact with and shape our world as queer academics, activists, artists, homemakers, parents, professionals, students, teachers, etc. For more information, click here
  
  
• Aug 22-24
  Northern California Women's Music Festival - Laytonville, CA
  Music, workshops, dancing and more.
  
  
• Aug 27 - Sept. 1
  Peach International Tennis Championships - Altlanta
  The Peach International Tennis Championships is an international gay and lesbian tennis tournament and a traditional Labor Day holiday event in Atlanta. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Aug 29-31st
  Lesbian Of Color Weekend - Oakland, CA
  What can you say about a town as rich with history and diversity as Oakland, CA?... The East Bay is truly a melting pot of culture, ideas and art. The home of author Jack London and the Black Panther Party, freedom of expression is ingrained in Oakland's daily life.So let's take a trip to the annual meeting place of expression and life, the Art & Soul festival.Local? Meet us and make some new friends. Don't worry about not knowing anyone, the women are friendly and life is short. Don't miss it! For more information, click here.
  
  
• Sept 2-7
  Womenfest - Keywest, FL
  Great Music, Comedy Shows, Hot Women, Pool Parties and much more. Womenfest offers an all-round good time for women of all ages, creeds and persuasions. With an array of different events to choose from, this week-long event in the Key West sun should be a memorable one. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Sept 28
  Folsom Street Fair - San Francisco, CA
  Leave your inhibitions at the hotel for the Folsom Street Fair. The politicians roll up for photocalls with a dominatrix; non-gays join in the leather-bondage parades and the atmosphere is friendly and inclusive at the world's biggest leather event. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Oct. 5
  Castro Street Fair - Sanfrancisco, CA
  The Castro Street Fair is a community street celebration that was founded by Harvey Milk in 1974. Hundreds of local artists, vendors, craftspeople, and organizations line the streets and celebrate the diversity of the neighborhood. Stages with live entertainment and dance pavilions can be found throughout the fairgrounds. Click here for more information.
  
  
• Oct. 13-19
  Women's Week in Provincetown - Provincetown
  Exceptional Entertainment, Spectacular Scenery, Wonderful Women, Extraordinary Experiences! For more information visit http://www.womeninnkeepers.com/ww.html or http://www.womenonaroll.com/travel.html
  
  
• Oct. 23-26
  Cambria Women's Weekend - Cambria, CA
  Women On A Roll is launching the new, spectacular annual weekend destination in the Central Coast of California! Join hundreds of women as they take over the entire Cambria Pines Lodge! Don't miss the first annual Cambria Women's Weekend offering exciting parties, great music, fabulous comedy, fine wine and incredible excursions situated in beautiful surroundings with lots of fun and friendly women. For more information click here.
  
  
• Oct 24 - 26
  Womynspirit Festival - Orangeville, Canada
  "Women of all ages, cultures and experiences are invited to join together in celebration of women's culture through a weekend of sharing ideas, inventions, magic, songs, firelight, stories, dances, wisdom, healing, laughter, knowledge, creativity, tears, rituals and love. There will also be a time for spontaneous performances, workshops and drumming." For more information, click here.
  
  
• Oct 25
  Exotic Erotic Ball
  It's part Mardi Gras, part burlesque, and part rock concert, yet totally unique. The Exotic Erotic Ball is a celebration of human sexuality and freedom of expression. It's a lingerie, fetish, masquerade affair. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Oct. 25
  The Houston Women's Festival - Houston, TX
  The Athena Art Project produces the annual Houston Women's Festival in the fall. The festival is a celebration of music, art, culture and community that has been held annually since 1995.” This is one of the most important events in the local lesbian calendar. Click here for more more information.
  
  
• Oct. 31 - Nov. 2
  Los Angeles Center Court Championships - LA, CA
  Labor Day weekend in LA plays host to one of the biggest gay and lesbian tennis tournaments on the West Coast. Around 200 tennis freaks bash it out at Studio City Tennis in Los Angeles and La Cienaga Tennis Center in Beverly Hills during the annual Los Angeles Center Court Championships. For more information, visit http://www.lataweb.com/
  
  
• Nov 21-29
  Edmonton’s Queer Arts & Culture Festival - Edmonton, Canada
  “Exposure uncovers, highlights and celebrates queer arts and culture. The festival exposes queer artists to new audiences, and exposes Edmonton audiences to new art.” For more info, visit http://www.exposurefestival.ca/
  
  
• Nov 26 - Dec. 1
  Women's White Party
  This massive circuit party is the biggest AIDS fundraiser in America. Thousands of queers descend upon Miami for this event, including tons of women. The ladies have become such an integral part of this celebration that there is now a whole slew of events and parties just for the girls. Women even have their own host hotel, right next door to the men's hotel. For more information, visit http://www.kissthegirlproductions.com/.
  

2008 Gay Pride Events

City State Event Name Start Date End Date Albuquerque NM Albuquerque Pride 6/13/2008 6/14/2008 Annapolis MD Chesapeake Pride Festival 7/19/2008 7/19/2008 Atlanta GA Atlanta Pride Celebration 7/4/2008 7/6/2008 Bakersfield CA Bakersfield Pride 8/30/2008 8/30/2008 Birmingham AL Central Alabama Pridefest 5/30/2008 6/8/2008 Bismarck ND North Dakota Capital Pride Fest 7/24/2008 7/27/2008 Boston MA Boston Pride Week 6/6/2008 6/15/2008 Bremerton WA Kitsap Pride 7/19/2008 7/19/2008 Brooklyn NY Brooklyn Pride 12th Annual Pride Celebration 6/14/2008 6/14/2008 Charleston WV West Virginia Pride Celebration 5/30/2008 6/8/2008 Charlotte NC Pride Charlotte 2008 7/26/2008 7/26/2008 Chicago IL Windy City Black Pride 7/3/2008 7/6/2008 Chicago IL Pride Month w/ Parade 6/29/2008 6/29/2008 Cincinnati OH Pride Alive Festival 6/14/2008 6/15/2008 Cleveland OH Cleveland Pride '08 6/21/2008 6/21/2008 Columbia SC South Carolina Pride Parade 9/20/2008 9/20/2008 Columbus OH Stonewall Columbus Pride 2008 6/28/2008 6/28/2008 Dallas TX Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade 9/21/2008 9/21/2008 Des Moines Iowa Des Moines Gay Pride Festival 6/14/2008 6/15/2008 Detroit MI Motor City Pride 6/1/2008 6/1/2008 Erie PA Erie Gay Pride March/Rally 6/29/2008 6/29/2008 Erie PA Pride Picnic 6/28/2008 6/28/2008 Eugene OR Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival 8/9/2008 8/9/2008 Flagstaff AZ Pride in the Pines 6/20/2008 6/22/2008 Fort Lauderdale FL Pridefest 4/12/2008 4/13/2008 Fort Wayne IN Fort Wayne Pride 7/25/2008 7/26/2008 Fort Worth TX Tarrant County Gay Pride Week 10/5/2008 10/11/2008 Fresno CA Fresno Rainbow Pride 6/7/2008 6/7/2008 Ft Lauderdale FL Stonewall Street Festival 6/16/2008 6/22/2008 Gainesville FL Gainesville Pride Festival 10/18/2008 10/18/2008 Harriman TN Pride Festival 9/13/2008 9/13/2008 Hartford CT Hartford PRIDE 6/7/2008 6/7/2008 Houston TX Pride Houston 6/28/2008 6/28/2008 Huntington Village, Long Island NY Long Island Long Island Pride, Parade and Festival in the Park 6/8/2008 6/8/2008 Indianapolis IN Circle City IN Pride 2008 6/14/2008 6/14/2008 Iowa City IA Iowa City Pride 6/20/2008 6/21/2008 Jackson Heights NY QueensPride 6/1/2008 6/1/2009 Jersey City NJ Jersey City LGBT Pride Week, "Live and Let, Love", Downtown Jersey City 8/17/2008 8/23/2008 Kalamazoo MI Kalamazoo Pride 2008 6/14/2008 6/15/2008 Kingston TN Project Rainbow 5/18/2008 5/18/2008 La Crosse WI La Crosse, WI PRIDE 8/23/2008 8/23/2008 Lancaster PA Lancaster, Pa. Pride 6/21/2008 6/21/2008 Lansing MI Michigan Pride 6/27/2008 6/29/2008 Las Vegas NV Pride Week 2008 in Las Vegas 5/9/2008 5/10/2008 Long Beach CA Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride 5/17/2008 5/18/2008 Los Angeles CA Christopher Street West/LA Pride 6/6/2008 6/8/2008 Los Angeles CA Los Angeles Leather 3/23/2008 3/30/2008 Louisville KY Kentuckiana Pride Festival 6/20/2008 6/21/2008 Midlothian VA Virginia Pride 9/26/2008 9/28/2008 Milwaukee WI PrideFest 6/6/2008 6/8/2008 Minneapolis MN Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade 6/29/2008 6/29/2008 Minneapolis MN 2008 Pride Picnic 6/22/2008 6/22/2008 Minneapolis MN 2008 Pride Boat Cruise 6/21/2008 6/21/2008 Minneapolis MN 2008 Pride Art Show 6/20/2008 6/20/2008 Mobile AL LIVE, LOVE, BE... OUT LOUD 4/3/2008 4/6/2008 Modesto CA Stanislaus PRIDE Day 9/27/2008 9/27/2008 Monterey CA Monterey County Pride Festival 7/12/2008 7/12/2008 New Brunswick NJ NJ's 17th Annual LGBTI Pride Celebration 6/1/2008 6/1/2008 New York NY NYC LGBT Pride Week 6/22/2008 6/29/2008 Northampton MA Northampton Pride LGBT March & Rally 5/3/2008 5/3/2008 Oklahoma City OK Oklahoma City PRIDE 6/20/2008 6/22/2008 Olympia WA Capital City Pride 6/21/2008 6/22/2008 Omaha NE Nebraska Pride 2008 6/20/2008 6/22/2008 Philadelphia PA PrideDay 6/8/2008 6/8/2008 Phoenix AZ Phoenix Pride Parade & Party In The Park 4/12/2008 4/13/2008 Pittsburgh PA PrideFest / Pride March 6/22/2008 6/22/2008 Providence RI RI PrideFest 6/21/2008 6/22/2008 Roanoke VA Roanoke Pride in the Park 9/21/2008 9/21/2008 San Diego CA San Diego Pride 7/19/2008 7/20/2008 San Francisco CA Up Your Alley 7/27/2008 7/27/2008 San Francisco CA San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration 6/28/2008 6/29/2008 Sayville and Cherry Grove NY Out In Sayville 5/30/2008 6/1/2008 Spokane WA Spokane Pride Parade and Rainbow Festival 6/14/2008 6/14/2008 Springfield MA New England Transgender Pride March and Rally 6/7/2008 6/7/2008 St George UT http://www.southernutahpride.org/ 9/26/2008 9/27/2008 St. Louis MO PrideFest 6/28/2008 6/29/2008 St. Petersburg FL St Pete Pride 2008, Pride in Paradise 6/28/2008 6/28/2008 Syracuse NY CNY Pride Parade & Festival 6/7/2008 6/7/2008 Tacoma WA Out In The Park 7/12/2008 7/12/2008 Tallahassee FL Tallahassee PRIDEFEST 2008 6/7/2008 6/15/2008 Torrance CA Annual Pride Picnic 9/21/2008 9/21/2008 Tulsa OK Tulsa Pride 5/31/2008 6/14/2008 Wantagh NY Annual Pride Dance 6/7/2008 6/7/2008