May 7, 2013
Gay Summer Fun :: Something for Everyone!
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 8 MIN.
"Summertime, summertime, sum-sum summertime..."
The clouds are gone, the sun is high and the urge to escape has reached a fevered pitch (or maybe it's just a case of sun-stroke). Most of us are well-past the "summer's out - I'm free" school-age ecstasies, but the joys of freedom from a daily routine are no less present in adulthood when the temperature heats up.
We all need a break now and then, in order to balance the daily grind and avoid the "life sucks" doldrums. Believe me when I say; your family, friends and coworkers will thank you for doing it. Here are a few options for you to consider, some short, some long: on a boat, on a bike, one with a river running through it, one that's a splash of a different kind, a summer pilgrimage to mecca (a gay one at least), another that's a geek's dream, one that requires a spanking and one with things best left behind.
SPLASH! GRAND CANYON WHITE WATER RAFTING
Make a splash this summer doing something a little "outside the box"-or at the very least-outside your backyard pool. Join other gay and lesbian thrill-seekers for a whitewater rafting adventure through America's greatest natural wonder, The Grand Canyon. Alyson Adventures, a leader in adventure travel for the gay community, takes care of all the details for this eight-day excursion through a 100 whitewater rapids along the entire 280-mile stretch of the Colorado River, in Grand Canyon National Park. The most seasoned travelers will look back on this trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience and those who have done it have said "it's the biggest adrenaline rush you'll ever experience." The first eight-day trip of the season takes place on Wednesday, May 15, with nine more (including two women-only trips) continuing all summer long concluding Friday, September 6.
RSVP SUMMER ALASKA CRUISE
Ship ahoy takes on new meaning this summer in the most unspoiled and majestic landscapes. The venerable LGBT tour operator, RSVP Cruises, returns to Alaska for the first time in four years, with a spectacular new all-gay cruise in July. The magnificent Oosterdam, the 1,900-guest Holland America ship, departs Seattle traveling from Sunday, July 21 through Sunday, July 28. Cruising through Puget Sound before continuing north up the British Columbia coast, calling on the Alaskan ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, and Sitka. The ship returns south, making one final stop in Victoria, BC before returning to Seattle. Beyond the spectacular scenery and awaiting adventures, guests are invited to enjoy the endless schedule of RSVP signature events, entertainment, parties and activities onboard. Ships Away!
GAY DAYS LAS VEGAS
After a successful first year, the second annual Gay Days Las Vegas returns to sin city Tuesday, September 3 through Monday, September 9 during Las Vegas Pride Week at the host hotel Tropicana Las Vegas. As is the case for the hugely-popular sister event, Gay Days Orlando, the Las Vegas version attracts more than 160,000 visitors from around the world. The week-long event includes a Travel-Retail Expo, free for the public to attend, daily pool parties, Taste of Gay Days, dance parties at LGBT nightclubs and events all around town. A portion of proceeds will benefit Las Vegas non-profit organizations.
GAYMERX 2013
Boys who love joysticks will gather along with girls who love rumble packs on Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4 in San Francisco. For the first gaming and geek lifestyle convention with a focus on LGBTQ culture. GaymerX participants (formally GaymerCon) can expect an exciting weekend of exhibitors, live music, panel discussions, social events, guest speakers and gaming industry professionals who support the inclusion of queer content... and of course tons of gaming. Organizers invite all genders, races and sexual identities (including straight friends and allies) to come together and "have a gay, geeky good time." They believe strongly that creating a space like this is not only important for building a strong community, but also showing new generations of gay gamers (or "gaymers" as affectionately dubbed) they are not alone and that there is a welcoming place for them-not just at this event, but as part of the larger gaming community.
P-TOWN
Provincetown, Massachusetts, better known as "P-Town," is a place every gay person should visit at least once in his or her lifetime. It's a little like pilgrimages to holy sites done by other cultural groups. Well okay, maybe the motivation is just a little different, but you get the idea. "The season" starts in May and continues throughout the entire summer, through fall with a myriad of events for all types, genders, genera or persuasions. The visitor's center opens Wednesday, May 1 and from that moment on there is always something happening, a constant stream of events, parties and crawls. Single Women's Weekend, Women of Color Weekend, Restaurant Week, Wine and Whales (hmmm, very curious about this one), Twisted Fairy Tales, a Monumental Yard Sale Weekend, the Provincetown International Film Festival, Summer Camp/Circuit Week, Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks, Bear Week, Girl Splash, Family Pride Week, Drag Kickball, The P-Town Jazz Festival... and those are just a tiny taste of the "endless summer" tidbits!
For more information on what's happening or all things "how to," check out ptownchamber.com.
OUT IN THE VINEYARD PRESENTS GAY WINE WEEKEND 2013
To the delight of the wine connoisseur in all of us, the largest gay wine event in the world, Gay Wine Weekend, returns to Northern California's magnificent Sonoma Valley from Friday, June 14 through Sunday, June 16. Release your inner Bacchus (or Dionysus as the case may be) for this annual epicurean event produced by Out in the Vineyard, the LGBT-owned travel and event company. The weekend will feature three luxurious days of world-class wine and culinary delights, VIP receptions, music and dancing in a private estate vineyard. Look forward to wine-tasting excursions, exclusive vineyard tours, a Champagne brunch and wine auction all held in one of the most famous and prestigious wine destinations in the world. A portion of the drachmas and denarius spent will benefit Face to Face and Sonoma County AIDS Network, whose missions are to provide compassionate care to people living with HIV and their loved ones, as well as prevention education to all members of their community.
AIDS LIFECYCLE
It may not be a traditional vacation, but what a way to enjoy the beauty of the California coastline, all while supporting your community. AIDS/LifeCycle is a seven-day, 545-mile cycling event from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It raises money and awareness for the HIV and AIDS services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Funds from the event are used to advance their shared interests in the reduction of new HIV infections and to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS. 2013 will mark the 12th year for AIDS/LifeCycle. Since its inception in 2002 the event has raised more than $50 million to help end the pandemic and human suffering caused by the disease. During the week of Sunday, June 2 through Saturday, June 8, you can participate in this landmark bike ride-not a race-along with approximately 2,500 other cyclists, through some of California's most beautiful landscapes. It is guaranteed to be a life-changing experience for you and the thousands of participants and volunteers from all backgrounds and fitness levels, united by a common desire to do something heroic.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
