The Log Cabins are coming!
As Tampa Bay gears up for the Republican National Convention the last weekend in August, the area’s LGBT community is making some preparations itself. The Log Cabin Republicans, the nation’s largest LGBT Republican group, has a full schedule planned in conjunction with the RNC with activities on both sides of the bay! Representatives of the LCR’s Florida chapters will welcome members from throughout the country at the Rusty Pelican in Tampa on Aug. 26, which isn’t too terribly far from the group’s host hotel, the Sheraton Sand Key Resort. (The cost is $229 per night for a minimum of five nights!) Throughout the weekend key events occur throughout Tampa, including a “Young conservatives for the Freedom to Marry” event at Holland & Knight on Aug. 29. But maybe most notably is the group’s affiliation with The Flamingo Resort in St. Petersburg, which the organization’s site describes as “LGBT-friendly.”
LOL for a cause
The Smart Comedy Support Group will host a fundraiser for Trans*Action Florida, Inc., on Friday, Aug. 17. Trans*Action Florida, formerly known as FORGE, benefits the transgender individuals throughout the state of Florida with everything from housing assistance to medical issues. The Smart Comedy Support Group will perform at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Tampa right alongside the sourdough bread and plates of pasta. Tickets are only $15 and proceeds go directly to Trans*Action Florida. For more information, visit Trans*Action Florida on Facebook.
Staying Fabulous
For the second year in a row, a weekend of film is dedicated to the LGBT community in Sarasota. The Fabulous Independent Film Festival returns to Burns Court Cinemas on Saturday, Aug. 18, and Sunday, Aug. 19. The 12 films (and three parties) celebrate diversity in the LGBT community and is affiliated with the Harvey Milk Festival. This year’s opening night film is Sassy Pants and presented by Watermark Media. The film is a wild satire of a teenage girl who runs away from her cheerful mom to her gay father’s trailer home, who happens to have a hilarious boy-toy boyfriend, played by Haley Joel Osment (of The Sixth Sense fame). Watermark editor-in-chief Steve Blanchard is scheduled to speak before the film, meaning Sarasota residents will actually see him in a jacket rather than a tank top or short-sleeve shirt! The opening night party begins at 10 p.m. at Eat Here, located at 1888 Main St. Other sponsors of the festival include Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, Janice and John Shelton and R.C. Moore Construction. For a full list of films and parties, and to purchase tickets, visit FabulousIFF.com.
Gay for Busch Gardens
On Monday, Aug. 13, LGBTs plan to invade Busch Gardens Tampa for a day of fun at the amusement park. Organized by Kori Stevens, the event is a flashback to the days of the old Gay Days Tampa Bay, which never really took off. Stevens said she chose a Monday for the event because Mondays are typically slower at the park and there are fewer tourists, “Not that they are bad,” she adds. Tickets run about $83 for adults, but a group rate may be available depending on interest. Find Big Gay Busch Gardens Day on Facebook for details.
