With a record-setting number of unique nominees for the 31st Annual Gay Appreciation Awards, we’re excited to announce voting is now open for the 38 awards! Voting ends at midnight on July 9, 2019. Vote here: https://www.ambushpublishing.com/gay-appreciation-awards/vote/
Three additional awards will be presented for a total of 41 awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented to Larry Bagneris Jr, Theater Critics’ Choice Award presented by Tony Leggio and Brian Sands, and the Red Carpet Oscar Award presented by Tiffany Alexander and Felicia Philips to the best dressed.
Finalists will be announced on July 10, 2019, and the winners will be announced at the annual Gala. Please join us on July 20 at 6 pm at Oz New Orleans for the 31st Annual Gay Appreciation Awards Gala. Tickets are $10 at the door with proceeds from the gala benefitting Southern Decadence. RSVP to the Facebook event for updates!
2019 Gay Appreciation Award Nominees
Advocate for Transgender Rights: Blayke L’Moore, Ellen English, Gulf Coast Transgender Alliance, Latonia Black, Louisiana Trans Advocates, Malaysia Walker, P-Flag New Orleans, Syria Synclaire, Transgender Advisory Committee of CrescentCare
Artist/Art Gallery of the Year: Ariodante, Arthur Roger Gallery, Carlos Lopez, Drew Enderlin, Freddie Guess, Funeral Gallery, Kalle’, Oleander, Ryan Leitner
Bartender of the Year: Aaron Yeager, Aletha Bryant, Ashlee Logan, Beaux Berry, Bob Miller, Cameron West, Dakota Goldman, Danny Starnes (Princess Stephany), Dustin Price, Eric Johnson, Erik Wolfe, Ethan Ates, Jake Morris, Jarrod Stetina, Jeff Palmquist, Jeremy Larkin, John Breaux, Jolie/Jojo Molina, Kara Coley, Khryschian Bullock, Kylie Harper, Lawrence Shepherd, Mark David, Mark Scovern, Phillip Anthony (Felicia Phillips), Ron Caesar, Rudy San Miguel, Ryan Carrere, Ryan Sessum, Tim Jones, Toby Lefort, Tony Simmons, Urban Cook, Wayne Penton
Best Beer Bar: Bayou Beer Garden, Black Penny, Bourbon Pub and Parade, Intracoastal Club, The Avenue Pub, The Bulldog, The Phoenix Bar, Wrong Iron on the Greenway
Best Happy Hour: Bourbon Pub and Parade, Friendly Bar, Golden Lantern Bar, GrandPre’s, Kajun’s Pub, Phillip’s Bar, The Columns Hotel Bar, The Corner Pocket, The Crossing
Best Hotel: Bourbon Orleans, Harrah’s Hotel, Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Hotel Monteleone, Hotel Villa Convento, Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Inn on St Peter, JW Marriott, Le Pavillon Hotel, St Peter Guests House, The Columns Hotel, The Jung Hotel & Residences, The Maison Dupuy, The Old Town Inn, Windsor Court
Best Signature Drink: Gene’s Curbside Daiquiri, Golden Lantern Bar Bloody Mary, Good Friends Bar Separator, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Purple Drink, The Bourbon Pub Cherry Bomb, The Crossing Bar Martinis, The Page Michelle Obama, Tropical Isle Hand Grenade
Bitch of the Year: Aubrey Synclaire, George Bevan, Jeffery Mayeux, Kyle David, Lexis Redd D’Ville, Paris DeLorean, Persana Shoulders, Princesse Stephaney, Reba Douglas, Shyanne Partin, Starr Alexander, Taze-Ya Ballz, Tiffany Alexander, Toby Acosta, Toby Lefort
Brunch of the Year: Drag Brunch at Creole Cabana, Drag Brunch at The Country Club, Drag Brunch Starring The Ladies of Trinity, Eat New Orleans, Fat Monday Luncheon, Harrah’s Casino, Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch at Cru NOLA, Poppy’s Pop Up Drag Brunch
Buzzy Fanning AIDS Award: Access Health Louisiana, AIDS Foundation of Houston, CrescentCare (NO/AIDS Task Force), Dorian Gray-Alexander, Harold Short, MarkAlain Déry, Misti Gaither, Oasis Florida, Odyssey House, Team Friendly Nola, Toby Lefort
Cheridon Comedy Award: Amanda G., Bianca del Rio, Clorox Bleachman, Gia GiaVanni, Ivy Dripp, Lana O’Day, Lexis Redd Dville, Persana Shoulders, Siren, Tittie Toulouse
Coffee House of the Year: Cafe Envie, CC’s on Esplanade, Merchant, PJ’s Coffee House on Royal Street, Rue de la Course on Oak Street, The Orange Couch, Who Dat Coffee Cafe
Dance Club of the Year: Al’s on Seventh, Bourbon Vibezz, Oz New Orleans, Poor Boys Bar, Sipps Bar Gulfport, Splash Baton Rouge, The Bourbon Pub & Parade
DJ of the Year: Brendan Thompson (VJ Brendan), Brett Labauve (Bouffant Bouffant), Bryant Wilms, Chris Allen, Father Figure, Jonathan Mottley, Jonathan Reed (DJ JRB), Kyle A David, Missy Hall, Orlando Ricardo, Siren, Tim Pflueger, TRAX ONLY, William Waller III (DJ Will Lowe)
Donnie Jay Performing Arts Award: Jessica Champagne, Kresli Washington, Marshall Harris, New Orleans Gay Men’s Chorus, Southern Rep Theater, Tennessee Williams Theater Company
Event of the Year: EVƎ, Gay Easter Parade, Glamarama, Hit It! (Underwear Party), Krewe of Petronius Bal Masque, Lords of Leather Bal Masque: Forbidden, Mad Angel Entertainment, New Orleans Pride, Southern Decadence, The Oracle Ball, Winter Wonderland
Fly Fashion Glamour Award: Aubrey Synclaire, Chi Chi Rodrigue, Connie Hung, Dominique Delorean, Felicia Phillips, Ilaynnah Eve, Ivy Dripp, Jessica Champagne, Karli LaCorre, Mercedes E. L’Oreal, Michael Endara, Monica Synclair-Kennedy, Monique Michaels, Sarina Styles, Tami Tarmac, Tiffany Alexander, Vinsantos Defonte
Gay Man of the Year: Andre Guidry, Brandon Hebert, Bryan Fuenmayor, Cary Oswald, Clint Taylor, Dustin Woehrmann, Ed Azemas, Eros Sea, Eureeka Starfish, Frank Perez, Jared Sampson, Jason Waguespack, Jim Meadows, John Corey Gully-Luckett, Marc Behar, Marcus Stein, Michael Musa, Paul Willis, Rob Gerhart, Robert “Bobby” Fieseler, Thomas Ainsworth Robichaux, Tiffany Alexander, Tomy Acosta, Toby Lefort, Vinsantos Defonte, Wayne Phillips, William Antill
Gay Mardi Gras Ball of the Year: Apollo Baton Rouge, Apollo Birmingham, Apollo Lafayette, Krewe of Armeinius, Krewe of Narcissus, Krewe of Petronius, Lords of Leather, Order of Dionysus, Order of Osiris, The Krewe of Amon-Ra, The Krewe of Mwindo
Gulf Coast LGBTQ Bar of the Year: Al’s on Seventh, B-Bobs, Bourbon Pub and Parade, Cabaret, Crystals, Just Us Lounge, Oz New Orleans, Rumors, Sipps Bar Gulfport, The Phoenix, The Roundup Pensacola, Wonderlust
Hair Salon or Stylist of the Year: Adikus Sulpizi, Aivi Dang, David Falcon, Factotum Barber, Headquarters Hair Salon, Jonathan Baxter, Michael (Moanalot Fountain) Maldonado, Mickey Nolan, Rocket Science Salon, Tristan Meiou, Two Guys Cutting Hair
Kinkster of the Year: “Switchy” Kyle Pollio, Cody Devon McLain, Fatsy Cline, Kip Hollar, Kristen (PirateKrissie) Coulon, and Neon Burgundy
Leather Bar of the Year: Cafe Lafitte in Exile, Rawhide 2010, The Phoenix Bar, and The Roundup Pensacola
Leather Person of the Year: “Switchy” Kyle Pollio, Brock Andersen, Clint Taylor, Joey Landry, Josh Patin, Kristen (PirateKrissie) Coulon, Ross Ransom, Todd Callender, Tommy Stubblefield
Lesbian of the Year: Ashley Chauvin, Brenda Laura, Catherine Gaither, Christine Moses, Ilana Obuchowski, Jenna Jordan, Kara Coley, Kresli Washington, Laurie Richmond, Mina Hernandez, Misti Gaither, Sandy Sachs, Taetrece Harrison, Tank Morales
LGBTQ Business of the Year: Avita Pharmacy, Bourbon Pride, Byrd Iron Works, Bywater Prints, Communify, Crescent City Tour Booking Agency, Formal Connection, QT Pie Boutique, Sipps, Sun Herald Newspaper, The Phoenix Bar, Tours by Steven, Wonderlust
LGBTQ Nonprofit of the Year: Belle Reve, Crescent Care & NO/AIDS Task Force, Crescent City Leathermen, Forum For Equality, Gulf South LGBT Chamber, Halloween New Orleans, LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, LGBT Community Center of New Orleans, New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE), PFLAG New Orleans, Saints + Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival (of the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Larry Bagneris Jr
Marcy Marcell Entertainer of the Year: Adonis DeLorean, Beauty Bella, ChiChi Rodriquez, Coca Mesa, Connie Hung, Dede Onassis, Fatsy Cline, Gia GiaVanni, Giselle Trivianni, Ivy Dripp, Jessica Champagne, Joseph Olsen (Debbie with a D), Karli LaCorre, Laveau Contraire, Monica Synclair-Kennedy, Monique Michaels-Alexander, Nicole Dubois, Persana Shoulders, Sable MoNay, Starr Alexander, Taze-Ya Ballz, Tiffany Alexander, Vanessa Carr-Kennedy, Vinsantos Defonte
Neighborhood Bar of Year: 700 Club, Big Daddy’s, Black Penny, Cafe Lafitte In Exile, Cutter’s, GrandPre’s, Intracoastal Club, Just Us Lounge, Kajun’s Pub, Sipps Gulfport, The Corner Pocket, The Crossing, The Lost Love Lounge, The Page, The Phoenix Bar
Photographer of the Year: Barrett DeLong, Craig Fremin, Douglas Adams, Dwain Hertz, Glenn Melancon, Julio Skelton, Michael Cintron, Randy Schmidt, Reba Douglas
Real Estate Agent of the Year: Aaron Ross, Bill Trapp, Byron Kennedy, Charles Dawe, Clint LaCour, Darrin Duplissey, David McElveen, Doug Price, Justin Villareal, Micah Loewenthal, Michael Styles, Mina Hernandez, Ryan Wentworth, Steve Richards, Troy Jowers, Warren Weiss
Red Carpet Oscar Award: To be determined and presented by Tiffany Alexander and Felicia Philips to the best dressed at the 31st Annual Gay Appreciation Awards Gala.
Restaurant/Deli of the Year: 801 Royal, Brigtsen’s Restaurant, Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop, Clover Grill, Country Club, Cru by Chef Marlon Alexander, Eat New Orleans, Faubourg Bistro, Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Gene’s Po boys, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen Uptown, Mona Lisa Restaurant, Pagoda Cafe, Quartermaster Deli, Santa Fe, The Grapevine
Show Club of the Year: Bourbon Pub & Parade, Bourbon Vibezz, Golden Lantern, Kajun’s Pub, Oz New Orleans, Splash Baton Rouge, The Allways Lounge and Cabaret, The Corner Pocket, The Hi-Ho Lounge
Sports League Team Spirit Award: Alex Kuehr, Big Easy Bears Nola Softball, Crawlers Nola Softball, Geaux Cups Nola Softball, Henry Heaton, Kocktail Bunch Bowling League, Lowered Expectations Stonewall, Nine Inch Males Stonewall, Red Balls and Vodka, Ursa Minor Nola Softball
Sports Most Valuable Player Award: Andrew Palermo, Beau Moss, Caleb Dufresne, Cameron Tillman, Dustin Woehrmann, George Bevan, Michael Styles, Rob Gerhart
Theater Critics’ Choice Award: A Raisin in the Sun, Voices in the Dark Repertory Theatre and Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Barbecue, Radical Buffoon(s), Flowers for Halie, Southern Rep, Suddenly Last Summer, The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans, The Henchman: A Shakespeare Story, The NOLA Project and the New Orleans Museum of Art, and The Night Fiona Flawless Went Mad, Slotted Spoon Productions
Transgender Person of the Year: Adrian Claveria, Andrea Romero, Blaine Bextor, Blayke L’Moore, Dillon King, Jessica McWain, Kayla Starr, Malaysia Walker, Mercedes L’Oreal, Regina Adams, Rikki Redd
Writer/Reporter of the Year: Brian Sands, Catherine Roland, Daniel Graves, Frank Perez, Jason “JD” Disharoon, Jim Meadows, Ryan Rockford, Scot Pilie’, Tyler Rosebush
Young Leadership Impact Award: Andrew Palermo, Athenkosi Fani, Bryan Fuenmayor, Gary Solomon Jr., George Monson, Ileana Ortiz, Jonas Dominique, Justin Overacker, Lana O’Day, Laveau Contraire, Lester Perryman, Marcus Gandy, Noelle Keith, Seth Bloom, Tomy Acosta, Trevor Simon, Zach Booth
