Disney Gets Gay

Here’s the latest lineup for this year’s Gay Days

By Jamie Wetherbe

The 11th annual Gay Days at Disneyland will be held Oct. 3 to 5, with an expected 30,000 gays and lesbians from all over the state and country to visit the Anaheim-based theme park.

“And that doesn't even count the gay tweens who will be going to Miley’s birthday party that Sunday,” says Jeffrey Epstein, event producer Gay Days Anaheim. (Teen sensation Miley Cyrus will host her sweet 16 bash at Disney on Oct. 5.)

While not an official Disney event, Gay Days is a "mix-in" with straight park-goers, where the LGBT community often sport red shirts during the weekend to identify one another and show strong numbers. “It's so amazing to see people who have come from all over the world to be at Disneyland,” Epstein adds. “I love that.”

In addition to gathering times for specific groups—including gay youth, families, women, singles and, of course, bears—to explore the park together, Gay Days also boasts several special events, mixers and fundraisers.

Events kick off Friday, Oct. 3, with Wonderland, a dance party with DJ Ray Rhodes (Tiger Heat, KBIG 104), hosted by L.A. drag diva Momma. Alec Mapa of Ugly Betty will host the VIP room. The event, which benefits The Trevor Project, will run from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen located in Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Saturday, Oct. 4 will be Gay Day at Disneyland, which culminates with Kingdom, the weekend’s signature dance party with music from renowned DJ Kimberly S, and special performances by singers Erin Hamilton (“Dream Weaver”), Shoshana Bean and Matt Zarley. The event will be held at the House of Blues Anaheim in Downtown Disney from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $30 in advance, $40 at the door.

Sunday, Oct. 6 will be Gay Day at Disney's California Adventure.

Other events include free screenings at the Gay Days entertainment center presented by here! (located inside the Trillium Room of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel), where Chad Allen will introduce his new film “Ice Blues” on Saturday night, and come Sunday there will be a screening of the indie hit “Shelter” followed by a Q&A with its star Brad Rowe. A reading from the travel book "Queens in the Kingdom: The Ultimate Gay and Lesbian Guide to the Disney Theme Parks,” co-authored by Epstein, will be held Saturday at 4 p.m. at Compass Books in Downtown Disney.

Favorite activities returning this year include the private couple's dinner and gay brunch (both of which happen at Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney), the scavenger hunt with incredible prizes and the huge group photo.

One-day, single park passes are $66 for adults, $56 for children and are available at Disneyland’s entrance or from disneyland.com.

For more information, as well as discounted hotel rooms and official T-shirts, visit gaydaysanaheim.com.

Jet Setting

New Huntington Beach hot spot, Jet, promises diversity and fun in support for queer causes, kicking off its premiere event benefiting The Center Orange County

By Ken Knox

If you live in Orange County, chances are you’ve been to one of Archer Altstaetter’s clubs. Under the banner of Boink Events, Altstaetter has produced Friction at the Shark Club in Costa Mesa, as well as a slew of events at other venues throughout the country. For his latest club, Jet, the nightlife maestro aims to bring something new to the gays in Huntington Beach: a diversified but gay-centric nightclub experience. “I’m excited for the new venue,” Altstaetter said. “I don’t think Huntington Beach has ever had a gay club in it!”

Catering to a broad mix of people, Club Jet offers house and trance music (courtesy of Pop Stars spinster DJ Mike Bryant) in an inviting environment. “It’s a little more on the upscale side of things,” Altstaetter says about the club. “It’s very loungey, lots of low seating with leather sofas, very luxurious. It’s clean, the drinks are not expensive, and it will offer something more than the usual experience.” To that end, the club will feature painted go-go dancers, a voyeuristic experience during which two men on a date will be miked so that clubgoers can listen in during the night, flight and aviation decor, and monthly fundraisers to benefit local gay organizations.

Jet kicks off on Oct. 2 with one such event, a fundraiser for The Center Orange County. As a tie-in to this year’s N2N Underwear-sponsored calendar, several of Boink Events’s dancers will be decked out in N2N briefs, and all the proceeds will go to the Center. “The Center has some very vital services, and they don’t have a lot of money,” Altstaetter says. “This is a way to give them some extra revenue.”

For Altstaetter, Jet is an opportunity to bring all types of people together. “What’s different about my clubs is that it’s truly a mixed crowd,” he says. “It’s not Asian; it’s not Latino. The crowd is 21 to 50, it’s boys and girls, it’s all walks of life. I make sure that I market to all the different groups so that there is a variety of people. I think, when communities are becoming increasingly segregated, it’s important to offer a place where everyone can come together and have a good time.”

Club Jet will debut on Oct. 2 at Flight Bistro and Social Lounge, 8082 Adams Ave., Huntington Beach. For more information, visit boinkevents.com, or call 714/225-4656.

COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Transgender job workshop

The Center OC sponsors a free Jobs 101 workshop for transgenders, the second in their Know Your Rights seminars. Topics covered include the pros and cons of a legal name and gender change, coming out on the job and educating employers about transgender issues. “Some estimate the unemployment rate in the transgender community is 70 percent, about 10 times the national average, so these workshops are especially pertinent,” says program coordinator Esther Wang. An English-language workshop will be Saturday, Sept. 27 starting at 2 p.m., followed by a free dinner. A Spanish-language workshop will be Saturday, Oct. 18 with a free lunch at 2 p.m. followed by the workshop at 3 p.m. RSVP Wang for location at 714/534-0862, ext. 105, or esther@thecenteroc.org.

Fashion and compassion

Shanti OC and AIDS Service Foundation are two of the organizations participating in the Macy’s Passport fashion theatre extravaganza at Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza on Saturday, Oct. 4. “It’s an extraordinary event; it’s Macy’s way of supporting HIV/AIDS organizations,” says Shanti executive director, Sarah Kasman. Runway shows blending the latest fashions with pop culture, music and dance are the centerpiece of a day of special sales, with proceeds dedicated to finding a cure for AIDS. Shoppers can buy a $10 Passport which entitles them to a 20 percent discount on most purchases. For more information, log onto shantioc.org or macys.com.

Christians supporting marriage equality

Progressive Christians Uniting offers a discussion on “Marriage Equality: A Moral Imperative” in preparation for the November elections. “Though the loud voices in Christianity may oppose same-sex marriage, not all Christians do,” says Erin Weller, a PCU spokesperson. “We’re holding this event with workshops and speakers to educate people on the importance of marriage equality.” Featured speakers are Dr. Marvin Ellison, author of “Same-Sex Marriage: A Christian Ethical Analysis,” and the Rev. Art Cribbs, pastor at San Marino’s United Church of Christ. The event is Saturday, Oct. 4 at Irvine United Congregational Church, 4915 Alton Pkwy., Irvine. Workshops start at 4 p.m., dinner at 5:15 p.m., speakers at 6 p.m. $15 suggested donation. To pre-register, e-mail crosbie@pcu-la.org or call 909/477-1212.

Club Lucky at Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney’s House of Blues gets its gay on when Club Lucky comes to Anaheim on Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. “We’ve been doing Club Lucky at House of Blues at least once a month since March,” reports DJ Zach Moos. “We get a huge crowd every time, almost capacity. It’s an 18 and over event, but the average age is about 25.” Moos will spin top 40, disco and hip-hop tunes, while drag queen Momma serves as the mistress of ceremonies. Other celebrity guests will be announced. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door ($1 of admission goes to OC AIDS Walk) For more information, log onto clubluckyoc.com.