gay pensacola, florida
by The Ambush Girls
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Pensacola was the ticket this Memorial Day Weekend. What a wonderful vacation trip for us! The weather was beautiful and the gas prices on the road were reasonable. And of course, with some 30,000 boys and girls, how could the holiday be anything but hot? That's right, the GLBT community was everywhere; on the beaches, in the restaurants, shops, hotels and at all the events.
It's estimated that the holiday weekend in Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and the surrounding communities had an economic impact of over $32 million for the local economy. The figure is based on a $1,078 spending average per person for the four day holiday including $498-hotel, $225-admittance to 12 parties, $55-cab fare, $200-dining, and $100-miscellaneous. This figure does not include alcohol consumption and we know that could well add an at least an additional $200 at a low $50 a day to the spending average.
We arrived a day early on Thursday, and after checking into one of the host hotels, Hampton Inn on The Beach (on Pensacola Beach), we went straight to the Tiki Bar. We've been coming to Pensacola for vacation on Memorial Day Weekend for the last 7 years. And the Tiki Bar is one of the highlights, located behind the hotel near one of the pools and the beach. This is an excellent spot to set up if you're into people watching, and were there some sites to see. Unfortunately, we stayed waaaay to long and never did make it to the opening party, Fore Play, at Emerald City in downtown Pensacola.
We got up late on Friday and made it over to Peg Leg Pete's for lunch and their oysters on the half shell prepared 6 different ways.
Bounce 1 was up next at the Hampton Inn featuring DJ Tracy Young. She kept the beat and kept all the boys and girls dancing around the pools. Local icon Ebony Sinclair and her dancers kicked off the entertainment. Later she was followed by Jeanie Tracy singing live, and did the crowd go crazy. This was the first year that a VIP Tent was set up at this party for all who had purchased the VIP Weekend Pass. Angie Denmon, the coordinator of all the VIP venues for the weekend had the bars stocked with only the best, and even our own white zin. Thanks Angie!
It appeared that over half the rooms at the Hampton were people from New Orleans and Baton Rouge. We noticed at all of the parties that more people had traveled from Louisiana than ever before. That made it even a more special holiday to party with friends, many we had not seen in some time.
After a power nap, we were up and ready for the big event on Friday night, Wave IV: Carnival on the Beach, the party on the beach in the middle of all the weekend action. Circuit promoter Johnny Chisholm, Oz and Emerald City, outdid themselves this year and set the tone for an entire weekend of high energy. As the shuttle drove towards the beach, we could see the dance lights in the distance and the lights of a ferris wheel. It looked like we were going to Gay Days at Disney.
Over 4,000 came out for this one, and they certainly were not disappointed. From the incredible Storm Watch and the New Century Dance Company outstanding performance and unbelievable costumes by Barbarella in Miami to New Orleans own star diva Bianca Del Rio, the entertainment spectacle was not to be believed. But as great as the entertainment was, the best was yet to come.
For the first time in three years, the water was calm enough for the fireworks barge to arrive right off of the beach. You have never seen such a sight with the display right in your face reflecting off of the Gulf. And better yet, it appeared the music and fireworks were synchronized. The crowd went absolutely wild; cheering and dancing. We understand this fireworks show cost almost $30,000 and it would rival any that we've seen in New Orleans.
On Saturday, we decided to go to our 7th Lobster Fest at Jubilee right across from the hotel. This restaurant flies in over 6,000 lobsters each year. For $24.95, you get a 1 1/2 lb. lobster, clams, smoked sausage, corn on the cob and potatoes. What a deal! And as always, it was fab!
Bounce 2 was hosted at the other host hotel, Hilton Inn on the Beach, right next door to the Hampton. DJ Kimberly S did the honors here, and for this pool party, most of those attending were in and out of the pools. Circuit Mom dazzled us with her performance abilities, and we even had a chance to dine with Johnny and Cy in H2O, the wonderful restaurant in the Hilton poolside.
Up next was Flounder's Beach Ball across from the Hampton at Flounder's Chowder House. The free ball benefited Appetite For Life, EASE and Art For AIDS. Local celebs took to the stage and we even got to see Micheala, formerly of New Orleans, perform. All of this fun entertainment was a prelude to Shannon who sang live for the enthusiastic crowd.
We were planning on heading to Emerald City for the Saturday Sweat blowout, but an accident on the bridge stalled all traffic for almost 4 and a half hours, so we missed it.
On Sunday, we had lunch at Flounder's and had their oak fired wood grilled mahi mahi. Delicious!
Bounce 3 brought us back to the Hilton and our chance to visit with DJ Alyson Calagna, whom we had not seen in quite some time. Even Steven Guercio of Head Ink in New Orleans came out to hear and see Alyson. We all had a nice visit while enjoying another Circuit Mom extravaganza and Suzanne Palmer live.
Sunday night was the biggest event of the whole weekend, Abracadabra X: Pirates of the Caribbean, at the Pensacola Civic Center, bringing out almost 6,000 revelers. Johnny pulled out all of the stops with a record 5 acts.
Set designer Ted McCrary transformed the stage into a giant pirate ship complete with cannons and sails reaching to the top of the civic center ceiling.
DJ Manny Lehman would keep the tempo up for the massive crowd here. The entertainment kicked off with Sheila Brody, aka Amuka, live. Later she was followed by Larissa Youens direct from Russia, the Hoola Hoop Girl from one of the Cirque shows in Las Vegas, and what this girl could do with all those hoops! The New Century Dance Company was up next with the fab Hoochie Mamas. Simone Denny would electrify the audience with her All Things, I Don't Want U.
However, the finale with the New Century Dance Company portraying a live pirate fight on the decks of the ship was just too much! When the main characters swords clashed, all of the cannons on the ship actually fired. Girl, it was all about special effects this year including the talents of video tech Jimmy Bartlett who kept all of the action on two MTV style screens on opposite sides of the stage. Abracadabra was just FAB! FAB! FAB!
We missed the afterhours Spellbound parties featuring DJs Tony Moran and Barry Harris, and the girl parties, Forbidden 1 and 2 featuring DJ Mary Pappas. We're old you know. We're lucky we made it to 2 parties a day, much less 3 or 4!
Monday brought us next door to Crabs for clam strips and crab cakes. We had a relaxing day in preparation for the closing party at Emerald City, Climax. Featuring DJ Dewight Barkley, the gang here brought showgirls Ebony Sinclair, Penny Holiday and Lauren Mitchell to the stage for the big crowd. We even got to visit with bartender Jessica, one of the very best in Pensacola and DJ Jay-R who we missed at the opening Fore Play party.
What a fabulous vacation! Thanks Johnny, Cy, Q, Ted, Michael, Glen, Angie and all who make us feel like part of the family year after year in Pensacola. Ya'll are the best! And ya'll can count on Ambush to sponsor again next year.
All of the parties under Johnny's direction help raise funds for Art Against AIDS, and has raised over a quarter million dollars for humanitarian funds for PLWAs along the Gulf Coast.
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