From the Desk of King D- Miami Correspondent
After a few years hiatus from Gays Days in Orlando, I decided to head back to the home of Mickey and party at Disney World with all the rest of the gay World. I always remembered in years past, Gay Days being mostly a white gay event with a sprinkle of brown skin tones mixed in. I was pleasantly surprised to see more of the brothas decided to come down and join in the fun. Gay Days organizers even added the Soul Lounge party which resembled the primarily black parties of the Winter Music Conference in South Beach. Remarkably local Orlando news even took noticed that this world-renowned event was more internationally and culturally diverse than in years past. Kudos to Gay Days for getting with the program!
I started off my Gay Days on Thursday after flying up from Miami, at the club Mannequins, in Downtown Disney. And what can I say but WOW! This was the best club I have ever been too, gay or straight, in the US, and honey I have been to a lot of clubs. I guess I was kind of turned off when my Orlando friends told me that I needed to be in line at 5:30 in the afternoon to even get a chance of getting into the club which opened at 8pm. And yes, I was there at 5:30pm and yes the line was LONG and the boys were out. But when I entered the club, I could understand why everyone and their mamas was trying to get in. Incredibly cheap drinks, low cover charges, incredible sound system, 3 levels, and a REVOLVING DANCE FLOOR. Yes, you read right a dance floor that actually spins as you dance on it. OFF THE CHAIN! We spent the first 45 minutes as the crowds came in, spinning around the club, like on a Grand runaway. And as the drinks kept pouring, and the floor kept spinning, everyone including myself was having a GREAT time. And YES, the club hit capacity and there was a long line still waiting to get in at 10pm. Big-ups to Harvey and Tim for letting me onto this 5-star party. I was impressed.
My night didn’t end there. I headed to Pulse nightclub near downtown Orlando. And it was okay. Reminds you very much of a South Beach nightclub with multi-rooms and several bars. To my pleasant surprise and just like advertised in D.C., an Andrew Christian underwear fashion show was to happen that night. But unlike Daryl Wilson’s show, this show happened!
Friday night- you all know how that went. If not check out the other blog entry. Friday during the day, I was at Islands of Adventure riding the Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man.
Saturday night, I was ready to party again after a disastrous Friday night at Club Mansion. I decided to buy a $30 ticket to see EnVogue at the Parliament House. If you have never been to the Parliament House, it is a gay resort in the middle of Orlando. The resort has approximately 5 bars, a theater, guest rooms, pool, diner, and other amenities. It is known for it’s happening nightlife resort-side and is located on Orlando’s main drag, Orange Blossom Trail, also with it’s own notorious history. After spending an arm and leg to get into the Sizzle events, I was expecting very little for $30. But honey, the Parliament House laid it on thick! The club was jammed packed. The biggest club in the PH was playing the best in House music, inside. Poolside was a foam party and Funk band, which were really, really good. Next the infamous, Spotlight theater crew and it’s drag queens, wow’d the crowd with their over the top performances. And lastly, EnVogue, with all four members in attendance, rocked the poolside stage to some of their greatest hits and some new songs as well. The divas still got it! They stayed on for a little over an hour. I was extremely happy with the night’s festivities. The only thing that saddened me a little bit as I walked to the car, to head back to the hotel and my early morning flight to Miami; is the thought of the Black Prides that happened thus far this summer and how they all compared to this---second-rate came to my mind.
Dwight Powell, Christopher in Philly, and Daryl Wilson could all learn a few things about putting on a premier events from Gay Days. It had nothing to do with the number of sponsors, or the location. The organizers of Gay Days had three things in mind when they put their events together, variety, diversity and lastly Pride. I say it written in every publication and every event I attended, including the Gay Expo. From the balloons down to the “Obama Pride” stickers being handed out at some of the venues. Some of the event’s were FREE, $5, $15, $30 up to $95, the most expensive parties, such as the Typhoon Lagoon Beach Party. They literally had everything for anyone. You didn’t have to spend a fortune to have a GREAT time. Black Prides, in general, need to step up their game, and be about something more than the bottom line.
EnVogue Rocks Gay Days and the Parliament House