Julie's blog

Australia’s annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade is now one of the world’s largest processions with more than 9,400 participants and 135 floats at this years event which took place in Sydney at the weekend. The theme was a look at gay history entitled “History of the World”. The parade first began as a protest march in 1978 by homosexual and transsexual men and women and is now supported by hundreds of thousands cheering spectators waving rainbow banners and Aussie flags.

During the weekend event more than 5,000 volunteers headed to the Opera House to help artist Spencer Tunick with his special project “The Base”. On direction from Tunick the crowd stripped off with all shapes, sizes, ages and sexuality on display surrounding the Sydney Opera House.

Below is an extract from Charles Purcell’s account of the day at the Sydney Morning Herald:

Those blessed with magnificent pelts of chest hair - something of a rarity among the waxed and trimmed crowd - fared best in a sea of goosepimpled flesh.

The ferries appeared to slow down as they came and went at Circular Quay, passengers witnessing more bare breasts than in a Russ Meyer film, while news helicopters flew overheard. But we were not daunted. The mood was happy, strong. Young and old, straight and gay, we were united in our nudeness. We were declaring to the world: "Yes, these are our bellies, our tuckshop arms, our hairy backs. Love them as we do."

Event: Carnaval Fiesta

Location: Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

Date: 6 March 2010

Time: 17:00 – 06:00

Entry: Free

Details: Carnaval parade from Playa Flamingo to the Plaza Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Playa Blanca from 17:00. Followed by a performance from Grupo Swing then Javi Sanchez (acid party) and DJ Pedro Diaz (welcome to the club) from 23:00 through to 06:00.

Black & White is the only gay bar in Lanzarote!

They are situated in Centro Comercial Atlantico in Puerto del Carmen and open every night from 21:30 to 04:00.

Black & White are holding a live music disco night "The Legends of Pop" with hits from the 70’s & 80’s on Friday 12 March 2010 from 01:30.

The Arrecife Carnaval Gala Drag Queen election was a sell out event on Sunday, 1,700 tickets were sold at €2 each to raise funds for Cruz Roja who are donating the €3,400 raised to Haiti. Unfortunately at least 50 people were refused entrance as the venue was deemed full although capacity had reached 2,000 for the Concurso de Murgas held on the Friday.

The Drag Queen has become an important part of the Carnaval celebrations and this was the IX edition, during the evening homage was paid to Willie Díaz who has directed these popular Lanzarote events from the start.

Drag Queen Asharik  “Bitch Spunk” beat the other nine contestants to be crowned Drag Queen 2010 with designer Rayco Santana Peña.

First Finalist: Drag Senegon “Garuda” with designer Juan Miguel Sosa Hernández

Second Finalist: Drag Agamenon "¡Entre joyas pulcras.dios qué cuadro!" with a fantastic costume designed by Oswaldo Machín y Oliver Benítez..

The drag float was spectacular as it made its way through the streets of Arrecife, with Asharik’s arse clearly on display whilst he proudly balanced on his incredible platform shoes.

The float L'Cabaret was full of men in drag wearing glittery red dresses and dancing the night away! We love the local tradition that the Spanish men and boys regardless of their sexuality embrace the chance to cross dress at these carnaval events.

Event: Maraton Electonico

Date: 13 & 15 February 2010

Venue: K-che & Rincon del Majo, Arrecife, Lanzarote

Time: 13 Feb 0:00 & 16 Feb 14:00

Entry: €10 in advance €12 on the door including a drink in both venues

Details:

The night starts at K-che on C/ José Antonio in Arrecife at 0:00 and then moves at 06:00 to Rincon del Majo on  Avda Puerto Naos in Arrecife for another 6 hours of clubbing or until you drop.

Saturday 13

Hector Couto, Robert Garcia, Tonny Caceres & Chipy

Monday 15

Sebastian Roya, Robert Garcia, Fran Himenez & Maxeiner

More information call 636 825 550 & 609 959 286

Event:: After de Carnavales

Venue: Biosfera, Arrecife, Lanzarote

Date: 16 February 2010

Time: 08:00 – 12:30

Entry: €5 with one free drink

Details: If you thought the party was going to stop at 8am in the morning after the Arrecife carnaval and the house tent closes then you’d be wrong! Join DJ Pedro Diaz and the others listed below in the Biosfera club from 8am to 12:30 or when your body gives up.
JAVI SANCHEZ - Acid Party
CARL V - Acid Party
BORJA MANEJE - Acid Party
DJ SORPRESA - Ven y Descúbrelo

Swedish MP Frederick Federley has been in the news recently for accepting an all expenses trip to the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. Frederick’s response to the allegations was that Ursula his drag queen alter ego accepted the trip and not him!

The trip was taken in January to coincide with the annual drag queen carnaval in Gran Canaria and was sponsored by a number of companies.

Federley explained that the purpose of the trip was to prepare travel tips for people intending to travel to the Spanish island's annual drag queen carnival. The invitation had come from gay community website Hanky.se where the politician maintains his blog. Reading Frederick’s blog website which translates to The Other Side of Federley he wrote "Sometimes I get asked if I want to do something extra that has nothing at all to do with my parliamentary work. If it doesn't clash with the job, I'll take on a commission. And like anybody else I'll ask to be paid for it,"

Event: Club

Date: 6 February 2010

Venue: Biosfera, Arrecife, Lanzarote

Time: 23:55 – 07:30

Entry: €10 advance €15 door includes one free drink

Details: Dj’s in the cabin

ALEX FONT (Londres)

JAVI SANCHEZ (Acid Party)

DJ PEDRO DIAZ (Welcome To The Club)

JUAN K (Team Brothers)

IZAN DJ (Lanzarote New Generation Dj's)

FALO (Residente Biosfera)

5 February

20:00 Pregón del Carnaval a cargo de la batucada Pipol en el Castillo de San Gabriel

6 February

19:00 Gala Elección de la Reina de las Personas Mayores 2010, con la actuación de “Georgie Dann”. En la Recinto Ferial.

7 February

18:00 Fiesta Infantil. Elección de la Reina Infantil del Carnaval, exhibición de Murgas Infantiles y Concurso de Disfraces con los apartados: Individual, Pareja y Grupo con la actuación de Lucia Gil la Ganadora de “My Camp Rock” de Disney Channel. En el Recinto Ferial.

8 February

21:30 Primera Fase del XX Concurso de Murgas en el Recinto Ferial con la actuación de la Afilarmónica “Las Revoltosas”.

9 February

21:30 Segunda Fase del XX Concurso de Murgas en el Recinto Ferial.

10 February

21:30 Tercera Fase del XX Concurso de Murgas en el Recinto Ferial con la actuación del cantante “Juanjo”.

11 February

18:00 Pasacalle Tradicional desde la cuatro esquinas pasando por la Calle Real hasta la Plazuela con la Parranda los Buches, los Diabletes, Cabezudos etc.

12 February

Final del XX Concurso de Murgas en el Recinto Ferial con la actuación de la Afilarmónica “Las Revoltosas” y la cantante “Isi”.

13 February

12:00 Pasacalle de Batucadas y Comparsas desde el Parque Islas Canarias hasta el Ayuntamiento.

21:30 Gran Gala Artística y elección de la Reina del Carnaval 2010 presentada por la humorista Paz Padilla en el Recinto Ferial con la actuación de “Edwin Rivera”.

14 February

21:30 XI Elección Drag Queen con la actuación de “Chumina Power y Joe Jackson” en el Recinto Ferial.

15 February

18:00 Gran Desfile de Carrozas con la participación de Murgas, Comparsas, Batucadas y Grupos Coreográficos con salida desde la Ciudad Deportiva por la Vía Medular finalizando en el Recinto Ferial.

16 February

11:00 Carnavalito Infantil en el Parque Marítimo del Recinto Ferial con actuaciones, talleres, colchonetas, animación y la actuación de la Escuela de Percusión de Lanzarote y la joven cantante Eva Ruiz.

17 February

18:00 Entierro de la Sardina. Salida desde al Ayuntamiento de Arrecife finalizando en el parque frente al Cabildo con la quema de la Difunta Sardina Y Fuego Articiificiales.

Zona Almacén (12, 13, 15 & 17 February)

Kuarta Pot

Lanzarote Swing

Rika Banda

Banda Nueva

Los Conejeros

Trio de Valterra

Dj Maxi Ferrer

Zona Parque Ramírez Cerdá (12, 13, 15 & 17 February)

Tamarindo

Maquinaria Band

Suso y Familia

Cuarteto Atlántico

Los Conejeros

Salinas Show

+ DJ

Zona House Recinto Ferial (12, 13 & 15 February)

DJ Mario Beltrán (Barcelona)

DJ Lady Morales (Tenerife)

DJ Robert García (Wave Lanzarote)

DJ Javier Berbis (Barcelona)

DJ Salva Marquez (Gran Canaria)

DJ Surfer (Natura)

DJ Andrés Iván Spinelli (Cádiz)

DJ Odizeus C (Gran Canaria)

DJ J. Luis Bouza (Acid Party)

DJ Javi Sanchez (Lanzarote)

Thomson have launched their Freedom Collection on the 22nd January 2010,  bringing a new range of holidays aimed at the gay market. Designed with gay and lesbian travellers in mind, it’s the only collection of its kind to be offered by a mainstream tour operator.

All holidays featured in the e-brochure have a GayComfort seal of approval which means that the hotel staff have received training to remove any awkwardness regarding same sex couples. You won’t find that it's a problem to ask for a double bed rather than a twin and there will be a Holiday Advisor on hand to give you the inside information on the local “scene”, nightclubs and beaches.

Thomson Innovation manager, Philippa Morgan, says: “This is a hugely exciting launch for Thomson. There’s definitely an appetite in the market for gay-friendly holidays that come with the security and peace of mind that only a big tour operator can offer.”

Philippa continues: “The reason we’ve taken this approach is because research has shown that three out of four gay or lesbian holidaymakers actively search out hotels they believe are genuinely welcoming.”

The hotels which include some Gay Exclusive properties are spread across seven ‘pink’ destinations (Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Sitges, Ibiza, Majorca, Mykonos & Lesbos), all of which have either well-established or blossoming gay scenes.