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Labor Day Weekend
Will Bring Out Thousands
Both New Orleans and Austin, as well as communities across the South, are gearing up for the giant Labor Day Weekend influx of revelers.
In New Orleans, Southern Decadence Grand Marshals XXVIII Thom "Smurf" Murphy and Tony Langlinais predict some 100,000 visitors, pumping in over 40 million dollars into the New Orleans economy. The whole weekend has loads of activities with the highlight - the Southern Decadence Parade - on Sunday.
While in Austin, thousands are expected to jet in for this city's giant Last Splash 2000 weekend. In addition to all of the Last Splash activities, the weekend also touts the Perfect Day 2000 dance party running the entire weekend presented by Ben Parsley & Splash Productions. The big day is Sunday when the Austin Tavern Guild hosts the giant Last Splash extravaganza at Hippie Hollow on beautiful Lake Travis.
Don't miss out on the giant Labor Day issue of Ambush, the biggest one of the year. Deadline is Tuesday, Aug. 22. It hits the streets in New Orleans Aug. 30 arriving in other cities by Sept. 1.
Ambush remains New Orleans only locally Gay owned and operated tabloid, and has been the largest and oldest regional Gulf South publication reaching the Texas to Florida market for the past 18 years. The publication reaches over 650,000 annually in print and 3.5 million on-line.
Don't miss out on your share of dollars for the giant Labor Day Weekend holiday. Visit ambushmag.com/magrates for advertising info or contact Rip Naquin-Delain at 504.522.8049 or 8047.
Changes Set for NO/AIDS Walk Sept. 24
State and local community, health and civic leaders gathered in Armstrong Park to announce changes, including a new route, focus and leadership for Louisiana's largest event supporting AIDS services in response to the unabating AIDS Health Crisis.
New Route: Officials announced that to better reach and represent the diverse communities ravaged by the HIV and AIDS epidemic, the NO/AIDS Walk would take a new route which goes through some five historic New Orleans neighborhoods on some of the city's most celebrated and beautiful boulevards.
Several thousand Walk participants will leave Armstrong Park on Sept. 24 and take a path which passes Storyville, the Treme, Faubourg Marigny, French Quarter and Central Business District on the new route which takes Basin Street to North Claiborne Avenue, to Esplanade Boulevard, to Decatur Street, to Canal Street, to North Rampart Street, where they will reenter the park though its main archway.
For the first time in its ten-year history, the NO/AIDS Walk will not take its path from Audubon Park through the oak-lined streets of Uptown. The alarming statistics showing increasing need for HIV and AIDS services, and changes in policy and perception, motivated the changes in the event, according to officials.
New Focus: State Epidemiologist Dr. Louise McFarland and other leaders on hand emphasized that the HIV and AIDS health crisis locally and nationally is escalating.
Despite statistics documenting that the number of newly infected people is growing, attention to battling the disease is waning. Recent advances such as new medicines and treatments downplay the threat of HIV and AIDS and have created the misperception that the crisis is over.
These trends are creating a crisis level deficit in volunteers and dollars for HIV and AIDS related services.
This year, the focus of the Walk campaign is to communicate that HIV and AIDS affects everyone. Statistics show that only 1 in 10 Americans who have AIDS are aware of their status. Education and prevention efforts, such as those of the NO/AIDS Task Force, are the most effective vaccines available for HIV and AIDS.
In order to highlight the urgency of the epidemic, the slogan, "Walk as if someone's life depends on it. It does," has been created. This slogan will be carried out through all publicity and has been incorporated into the logo created for this year's Walk.
New Leadership: The new chairs for the NO/AIDS Walk are Honorary Chair Sybil Morial, and Co-chairs Kevin Bernier, Philip Dynia and Shareen Nash.
Participants at the announcement included McFarland, Morial, Bernier, Dynia, Nash and officials from city government, state health agencies, business and corporate sponsors, Young Leadership Council, Downtown Development District, community leaders, volunteers and Walk participants.
Other AIDS service organizations in attendance to show their support included Family Advocacy, Care and Educational Services [FACES] of Children's Hospital, Women With A Vision, Brotherhood, Inc., AIDSLaw of Louisiana, Inc., HIV Outpatient Clinic of the Medical Center of Louisiana, Project Lazarus, Belle Reve, United Services for AIDS Foundation, Kwan Tai N R Peace and Jefferson Parish Human Service Authority.
NO/AIDS Walk: The largest fund-raising effort for the NO/AIDS Task Force, the event each September attracts some 10,000 people from across Louisiana and the Gulf South to increase funding for and awareness of AIDS. The money raised goes directly to services for thousands of people infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
The dollars raised make home food delivery and health monitoring programs possible, along with free, anonymous HIV testing, the Louisiana statewide HIV/AIDS Hotline and education efforts for the community.
Louisiana has more than 11,000 reported AIDS cases with a mortality rate of more than 58%. More than half of the reported cases are in the metro New Orleans area.
For more information on signing up for the Walk, becoming a sponsor, or signing up a team, contact the NO/AIDS Task Force Walk Line at 504.821.2601, ext. 250.
Pansies & Dirt
The Annual High Heel Drag Show kicked off at Footloose this year raised over $800. The show is just one of the fund-raisers during the 9th Annual Charity High Heel Pool Tournament, benefiting various charities in the greater New Orleans community. Tournament play in the last eight years has raised over $35,000.
It is also a night of fierce competition with competing teams offering their own versions of talented beauties for the title of Miss High Heel Pool Tournament. This year the Friendly Bar took top honors with Ineeda Shave. Second Place went to Ineeda Man representing the Country Club with third to Dixie & Trixie representing 4 Seasons. Also, Sheneeda Dick represented Angles while Bubbles represented Footloose.
735's first Christmas In July weekend bash raised some $2,000 for Hope Haven, a local shelter for women and children. The weekend kicked off with a reception hosted by two-time Super Bowl Champ Leonard Marshall, formerly of the New York Giants. 735's Tom Frese was on hand, making sure all of the guests were taken care of along with the help of bartender Tracy. The silent auction had quite a few surprises, and the Voodoo boys, Pat and Ken, brought Ramon and his fabu magic show to the party.
The reception was followed by a huge dance party featuring the talents of DJs Rayman of IV Music in Baton Rouge, Tony Estrada of Global Harmony UK, and Wallcrawler of 106.7 The END [Clear-Channel Radio], giving away hundreds of give-aways, courtesy of Logic Records.
The next evening brought superstar DJ Davey Gold of Strictly Rhythm Records to the booth followed with more giveaways, this time courtesy of Strictly Rhythm and Groovelicious Records.
Voodoo's week long one year anniversary celebration culminated with the presentation of $5,443.66 to various charities this club has been raising money for over the past year. Guest bartenders worked on behalf of various charities throughout the year. The club brought the talents of Ramon and his magic show to the club with unique drink specials throughout the entire week.
But the big night was Monday's first Anniversary Turn-a-bout bringing numerous first time and not so first time performers to the stage, raising $1,773 for Food for Friends. Legendary Mr. Donnie Jay helped out with the honors while most of the club's bartenders, including Greg, Michael and Mitch, joined the talents of Miss REHAB [Remember Estelle Has A Bar] and manager Big Rick. The evening was made complete with the appearance of Southern Decadence Grand Marshals XXVIII Smurf Murphy and Tony Langlinais along with Klorocks Bleachman, Miss Love and so many more.
The club also presented $825.66 proceeds of the Lead Lush 2 Bar Run to Buzzy's Boys & Girls, $125 to Project Lazarus, $630 to Belle Reve along with a new $300 wheelchair, $735 to New Orleans Breast Cancer Task Force, another $525 to Project Lazarus, another $330 to Buzzy's Boys & Girls, and $200 to Charity Hospital C-100.
Lance's Pub & Dance Pavilion was the site of the first Miss Gay Novelle Orleans America Pageant. Lance and Carl Ford built an incredible stage for the event which is now a permanent feature of the club. It is unique as six feet of the stage rolls beneath the six foot main stage when not in use. The stage, complete with drapes, flowers and candle highlights would be the setting for a night of incredible talent.
Tiara Dominque won the crown, while Amber Nicole Welch placed as first alternate. Both will compete in Lafayette representing Lance's at the Miss Gay Louisiana America 2001 pageant, hosted at the Sound Factory.
Savannah Leigh and former Miss Gay Louisiana America Jessica Daniels emceed the evening's festivities. Their talents were joined by those of Miss Clikque America Teryl-Lynn Foxx, Miss Gay Louisiana America Taylor Stevens, Miss Southern Belle Brooke York, Miss Gay Lake Shore Z'hane Kennedy and Miss Gay U.S. USofA Symone Devereaux.
The Bourbon Pub/Parade's "Oh! What A Drag VIII" raised $4,000 for Food for Friends which was matched by club owner Bobby Revere, a total of $8,000 for the popular food services program assisting AIDS victims. Last year's "top girl" Marc Anthoni led the festivities.
He was joined by a bevy of beauties including Miss Lay - Pineapple, Miss Communicated - Mike, and even a Marilyn Monroe lookalike, Allen. Southern Decadence Grand Marshals XXVIII Smurf Murphy and Tony Langlinais popped in and helped raise $$$ for this successful event.
Victoria Versashee, Scarlett O'Hara Butler, Symone Devereaux and Tiffany Alexander were the real girls behind the scenes, helping create the stage personae of many of this evenings stars.
Bobby Roudreaux of Venture-N in Houston and Galveston is the new owner of Wolfendales, 834 N. Rampart. Plans are underway to connect Wolfendales to the Venture-N family, a 25 year tradition in Houston, catering to mature men of all races.
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