 Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County opened the area’s first LGBT+ Visitor Center to showcase attractions of interest to LGBT+ visitors. Greater Fort Lauderdale has been popular with the LGBT+ community for decades, welcoming 1.5 million LGBT+ visitors who spend $1.5 billion annually. The Visitor Center is a result of a partnership between the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The new center will be co-located with the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce in the heart of Wilton Manors, Broward County’s gay-centric district with the destination’s largest concentration of gay residents and businesses. “We are proud to have a long and positive history of supporting the LGBT+ community. The opening of this Visitor Center marks another important milestone in the uniqueness of our area in recognizing the value and needs of the LGBT+ visitor,” said Richard Gray, Vice President of LGBT+ for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are very excited about this latest advancement in calling attention to all of our great attractions, hotels, clubs, bars and restaurants that cater to this important audience.” The Greater Fort Lauderdale area has hundreds of gay-owned and operated businesses and the highest concentration of same-sex couple households in the country, and is noted as one of the most diverse and welcoming destinations in the world. The LGBT+ community has played a major role in the economic growth and development of the area and is a major tourism draw with its nightlife including some of the most popular LGBT+ bars in the country, such as Hunters Nightclub, and clothing and novelty stores, such as Pride Factory. Gay-owned business, such as Castelli Real Estate, have been drivers of real estate for many years and great ambassadors to draw new residents to Broward County. Many local businesses, such as Thasos restaurant, are active in providing support for LGBT+ causes in the community.  “The economic impact the LGBT+ community locally cannot be understated, especially by LGBT+ visitors that come here from all over the world year after year,” said Keith Blackburn, CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce. “While LGBT+ travelers have many of the same needs as straight travelers, many unique needs exist. This Visitor Center will serve as a place where people can stop in, ask for recommendations and receive information about the community, our member businesses, events and organizations.”
Greater Fort Lauderdale is also home to one of the largest Pride Centers in the country, the world's first AIDS museum, the global headquarters of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, and the Stonewall Museum, one of the only permanent spaces in the U.S. devoted to exhibitions relating to LGBT+ history and culture. Recently, the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB announced plans to host the first-ever Pride of the Americas Festival in 2020. The 10-day event will draw attention to the issues LGBT+ individuals face in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is expected to attract more than 350,000 attendees and will include a parade, a beach party, arts festival, social events and a human rights conference focused on LGBT+ rights. The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau has been welcoming LGBT+ travelers since 1996, when it became the first Convention & Visitors Bureau with a dedicated LGBT+ marketing department. Since then, Greater Fort Lauderdale has continued to break down barriers and facilitate visibility for the LGBT+ community at large, acting as a pioneer in the hospitality industry and ensuring that the destination is inclusive and welcoming with a diverse, safe and open community for all travelers. For more information on LGBT+ travel in Greater Fort Lauderdale, visit www.sunny.org/lgbt.
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 The entire Key West community celebrates Pride each year and this year will be even bigger & better. Key West is a small town and the parade has a small town feel, with big surprises. Key West knows how to throw a parade, where the official motto is ONE HUMAN FAMILY! Celebrate PRIDE on a tropical island that is legendary for its laid back style and its open and accepting atmosphere. Whether you’re looking to party with friends, travel with family, or get lost in the magic of this tropical island, rediscover Key West and discover how one island’s One Human Family philosophy has created one of the most integrated and unique communities in the world. With Key West’s annual Pride Week (for a list of Pride events click here) taking place June 6-10, The Gates Hotel Key West invites guests and locals alike to celebrate on June 9 from 2-5 pm with the hotel’s first-ever Foam Pool Party. Guests can lounge underneath shaded cabanas with signature drinks in-hand from the on-site Prohibition-inspired bar, Rum Row, while cooling off in a pool filled with foam as part of the festivities. Those looking to spend Pride at The Gates Key West can book the "Poolside Cabana Package" by calling (305) 320-0930 or online to receive three free rewards including $25 flight credit, high speed WiFi, complimentary coffee, and much more. Click here for a special Connextions Magazine Poolside Cabana Package Special: "Poolside Cabana Package" at The Gates Hotel Key West, with rates starting at $189/night:
About The Gates Hotel:
Located at the entry point of the island on North Roosevelt Boulevard, The Gates Hotel is a gateway to all things Key West, providing you with the full island experience at your fingertips. The island of Key West can be accessed by plane, boat and car. Mixing contemporary design and retro Floridian flair, The Gates Hotel features guestrooms with modern amenities that uniquely combine upscale sophistication and polished service with the island’s casual laidback vibe. Rum Row, the hotel’s lively pool, bar, and lounge scene, welcomes guests to kick back in true Key West style with live music, handcrafted cocktails, and regionally inspired tapas. Patrons can channel the days of Prohibition with specialty spirits and the custom Gates Key West Hotel Rum from our exclusive partnership with First Legal Rum Distillery, or experience a taste of Cuban-Key West history at our very own cigar lounge featuring events and products from Rodriguez Cigars.  The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival Celebrates Pride Month with the Florida Film Premiere of “Ruthie & Connie: Every Room In The House (2014 Update).”
Two screenings at the Mandel JCC: June 10th at Boynton Beach & June 11th at Palm Beach Gardens The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival presented by Mandel JCC Palm Beaches, brings “Ruthie & Connie: Every Room In The House (2014 updated version),“ as part of their WITH PRIDE film commemoration for June Pride month. RUTHIE & CONNIE is an inspiring documentary of two women who also happen to be teachers, community organizers, mothers, grandmothers to 21 grandchildren, friends for 17 years, then life-partners for 35 years — and now legally married. This new release will include brand-new footage of Ruthie and Connie getting married in New York City in 2011, as well as an updated interview with them sharing their reflections on their lives since it originally aired on HBO/CINEMAX in 2002. Directed by highly-acclaimed filmmaker Deborah Dickson, a three-time Academy Award nominee, RUTHIE & CONNIE is a coming out story about love, friendship, passion, politics — and a cry for justice that resulted in a landmark LGBT civil lawsuit for domestic partnership benefits. The suit, the first of its kind, helped pave the way for what has now become the LGBT community’s crusade for full civil rights and marriage equality. “Ruthie & Connie” will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10th at the Mandel JCC Boynton Beach, 8500 Jog Rd. and Wednesday, June 11th at the Mandel JCC Palm Beach Gardens, 5221 Hood Rd. Both screenings will have a question and answer session with Ruthie & Connie following the film. Refreshments will follow the presentation. Doors open at 6pm. General audience cost is $8 per ticket. Film Society Members & Sponsors are complimentary. Cash or credit card is accepted at the door beginning 6:00pm, seating capacity permitting. To purchase tickets, call 561-736-7527 or visit us online at http://www.jcconline.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=pbg_a_cult_PBJFF. Residents of Palm Beach County, Ruthie and Connie can be found about town playing bridge with friends or supporting local organizations such as The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival. The Donald M. Ephraim Palm Beach Film Festival is presented by the Mandel JCC Palm Beaches. The Mandel JCC is a partner agency of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. High quality cultural arts programs are a priority of the Mandel JCC. The Film Festival has expanded to year round programming to increase the Jewish film experience for all residents. Our year features a diverse mix of films, speakers and film-related experiences for all. What: Ruthie & Connie: Every Room In The House (2014 Update) Florida Film Premiere for June Pride Month Presented by The Donald M Ephraim Palm Beach Jewish Film Festival, Mandel JCC When: Tuesday June 10 at 7:00pm Boynton Beach Wednesday, June 11 at 7:00pm Palm Beach Gardens Where: Mandel JCC, 8500 Jog Rd, Boynton Beach- June 10 Mandel JCC, 5221 Hood Rd, Palm Beach Gardens- June 11 Cost: $8 per ticket includes film, discussion and refreshments. Current Film Society Members & Sponsors are complimentary. How: Credit card orders in advance: 561-736-7527 Cash or credit card is accepted at the door beginning at 6:00 pm, seating capacity permitting. Presenting Sponsors: Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Lifespace Communities: Abbey Delray. Abbey Delray South & Harbour’s Edge Sponsors: Attorney Mitchell Kitroser, Palm Beach Gardens, Mittleman Eye Care of West Palm Beach Assoicated Financial Services, LLC of Ft Lauderdale. Community Partners : Compass, Blast, Pflag, FoundCare and Ft Lauderdale Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce  Join Connextions Magazine at this year's FAMILY OUTFEST event in Orlando, Florida! The mission of Family Outfest™, is to celebrate the shared cultural heritage of what all families look like, regardless of who you are, how you identify or whom you love. Our purpose is to celebrate our diverse and authentic kin while exploring the wonders of Orlando. This event is guaranteed to be an incredible week with fun filled festivities, that will not only excite your little ones, but also pique the interest of parents alike. With Orlando’s world class theme parks, attractions and restaurants, there is no doubt together, we will have a gay ol’ time! JULY 1-7, 2014 ORLANDO, FLORIDA Click for more info: www.familyoutfest.com     Gay Key West invites you to the lush tropical island, with fascinating architecture, friendly people, a rich history, and plenty of activities to keep you engaged or help relax.
Filled with a funky charm, Key West is a sophisticated place with amazing restaurants, diverse entertainment, eclectic art, professional theatre, and live music that includes salsa, show tunes, disco, country, opera, and classical. Our gay and lesbian guest houses are legendary, and our mainstream hotels and inns are always All Welcome. Drag shows, commitment ceremonies, water excursions, late night parties, beaches, clothing optional resorts, and the only gay & lesbian historic trolley tour make our island the preeminent LGBT vacation choice. But the best part about our town is our open and accepting attitude. “One Human Family” is our city motto, and our closets are only used for our costumes! Whether you are looking for a romantic retreat or decadent fun, you can find it here in Gay Key West where we throw a party 365 days a year! For details and information on Key West Pride, Womenfest Key West and Tropical Heat for men - CLICK HERE.
The GLBT Travel Expo will be in both Ft. Lauderdale & Miami in 2013!
The 2013 Travel Expo Tour is an exciting event where you can learn about new travel destinations, rediscover old ones, find glbt friendly travel providers and get information to plan your next vacation. Exhibitors include: Airlines | Hotels | Trains | Cruise lines | Car Rentals | Resorts | Exotic Destinations | Convention & Visitors Bureaus | Travel Magazines Every one of them reaching out to the glbt consumer. Attendees will be able to get the latest travel information, get special travel packages and great deals from the very best travel providers as well as win great prizes. Face to face promotions still represent one of the best ways to promote your services. This afternoon event will draw 500-1,000 elite consumers from a great demographic group. This is the third year Steven Levenberg Productions, LLC has been producing these events. Each year these shows have had an ever expanding exhibitor base and attendance. Miami The GLBT Travel Expo is pleased to announce that the Art Deco Welcome Center of Miami Beach has become the site for the Miami GLBT Travel Expo. The Welcome Center is located on 10th Street on the famous Ocean Drive in the heart of South Beach. Thousands of people stop by each week to learn about everything to do in Miami. It offers 4,000 square feet of exhibition space in an incredibly beautiful building. The Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL) is a non-profit organization devoted to preserving, protecting and promoting the cultural, social, economic, environmental and architectural integrity of the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District and all other areas of the City of Miami Beach where historic preservation is a concern. It was originally organized by Barbara Capitman in 1976 and is the oldest Art Deco Society in the world. The Miami show will be held February 10, 2013 The expo is presented by: Miami Beach Sisters Cities International Miami Design Preservation League- Art Deco Welcome Center Sponsored by: Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Miami Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Click to http://www.glbttravelexpo.com/happiness/ for more information or please contact Steve Levenberg at Stevenlevenberg777@verizon.net 718 622 5709 A Steven Levenberg LLC Production  Lehman Gallery-Schoultz-Tree Explosion INAUGURAL MIAMI PROJECT ANNOUNCES
EXHIBITOR HIGHLIGHTS & PARTNERS AT THE MIAMI PROJECT ART FAIR The inaugural Miami Project Art Fair launches next week, December 4-9, 2012, and will feature 65 leading galleries from around the globe in a 65,000 square foot exhibition space centrally located in Miami’s Midtown adjacent to the City’s energetic Wynwood Art District. Max Fishko, Managing Partner, says, “After speaking with many galleries from across the U.S., we were struck by a recurrent message – our colleagues were looking for a home that focused on quality, consistency and strong personal connections. That quality is illustrated by the range of impressive programs and installations being presented by our exhibitors at this year’s Miami Project.” Highlights include: · San Francisco veteran dealer Cheryl Haines will be presenting a highly developed immersive new media experience which artist, Camille Utterback has been developing since 2001. Custom video tracking and drawing software create a projection that responds to the viewers’ movements in the space captured by an overhead video camera. Untitled 5 will present a dynamic and fluid installation that is both algorithmic and organic. Utterback, the 2009 MacArthur Foundation Fellowship recipient, is an internationally renowned artist who has had work presented at some of the most prestigious museums and new media centers around the world – including The New Museum, New York, Ars Electronica Center, Austria and The Netherlands Institute for Media Art. · Nina Katchadourian’s acclaimed series Seat Assignment, will have a mini show in Catharine Clark Gallery’s booth. A large selection ofphotographs from the artists fifth solo show with the gallery will be thoughtfully installed. The series, which was conceived – and first explored/executed on a flight the artist was on in 2010 between New York and Atlanta, was a response to the artist’s feelings – and indeed those of many travelers- of confinement and restraint during air travel. The series is highly improvisational – the artist uses only her camera phone and materials that are easily accessible and readily available. On the one hand, an inflatable neck pillow and tissues, put on in the airplane lavatory, transform the artist into a sitter of a Flemish portrait, while on the other a photograph of a travel magazine covered with pretzel crumbs becomes an image of a landslide. The Brooklyn-based artist first exhibited the Seat Assignment series at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery in New Zealand. Her work has been shown both nationally and internationally at museums and exhibition spaces including PS1/MoMA, the Palais de Tokyo, Paris and The Serpentine Gallery, London. · Monique Prieto is a well-known and influential Los Angeles-based artist whose paintings will be presented by ACME. The installation for Miami Project will consist of seven recent oil paintings in various sizes in which the artist playfully combines abstraction and text with a great sense of composition and color. The paintings’ silhouettes refer to the tradition of classic still life painting – the text in each of the works is from the diaries of British writer Samuel Pepy’s chronicling life in London during the 17th century. The silhouettes in these paintings refer to the tradition of classic still life painting. Prieto has had numerous solo exhibitions throughout United States and Europe. Her works are in many museum collections, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, among others. · In addition to the photographs, paintings and installations to be found at Miami Project, Los Angeles gallery Coagula Curatorial will present a series of performances entitled SEXT ME IF YOU CAN by artist, performer and author Karen Finley. The interactive painting performance will feature an on-site studio where the artist will transform “sexted” images on her cellphone from anonymous collectors into “fine art” acrylic paintings. Visitors can purchase a private code and phone number to sext the artist during the fair and she will paint images she receives during the show that will then be on view for the duration of the fair. Finley, a recipient of many awards and grants including a Guggenheim Fellowship, has performed and exhibited widely including such venues as the Yerba Buena Vista Center, San Francisco and the Orange County Museum of Art. She teaches at NYU, has lectured extensively and has authored several books. Her work has stirred up much controversy over the years for her graphic depictions of sexuality and abuse. · Other performance-based work includes Group Therapy with Lorelei Ramirez, presented by School of the Visual Arts. A 10-minute guided sound meditation by “psycho-observational research founder” Lorelei Ramirez invites therapy session participants to close their eyes and join the artist on a “journey to heal”. Fair-goers who sign up for the guided mediation are placed in a dim-lit public space where they experience their own personal sound retreat. · In response to the devastation that was caused by Hurricane Sandy, Richard Levy Gallery will present AID + AID. Each exhibiting gallery artist generously donated a gift for the exhibition at Miami Project and all sales from the installation will benefit the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Artists include: William Betts, John Chervinsky, Jenna Kuiper, Matthew McConville, Manjari Sharma and others. For images and more information visit: http://levygallery.com/current/benefit_2.html · Outside the fair’s main entrance Techo, a non-profit organization that organizes social initiatives to fight against poverty, will be presenting a series of installations as part of their project ARTECHO. The organization has invited a group of nineteen artists from around the world to create small-scale replicas (16”x 8”) of the houses that are built by TECHO throughout Latin America to raise awareness about the cause. Additionally, Miami-based, artist and designer Fabian de la Flor, will perform a live intervention on a full-scale 194 square foot house and will paint the house throughout the five-day fair. Viewers are invited to view a photographic exposition mounted inside the house. According to Fair organizers, collaborations and partnerships are an important element that helps the Miami Project stand out. “Along with all the events and bells and whistles taking place in Miami during what is the most important art week in the United States, many of the clients with whom we spoke talked about wanting to focus on the art and the galleries. That is what we have set out to do. One way we’re adding heft and a sense of connection is through partnerships with leading cultural and arts organizations including Miami’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Museum of Art and Design, The Whitney Museum as well as Miami International Film Festival.” Location: Miami Project Art Fair NE 1st Ave & NE 30th Street Miami, FL 33137 Hours: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 - 11am to 5pm Thursday, December 6, 2012 - 11am to 7pm Friday, December 7, 2012 - 11am to 8:30pm Saturday, December 8, 2012 - 11am to 7pm Sunday, December 9, 2012 - 11am to 6pm Admission: $20 General admission $10 Seniors / Students For additional information, please visit: http://www.miami-project.com/miami Media contact: Helen Allen/Meryl Cooper, Allen/Cooper, 212-260-8100, info@allencooperenterprises.com Sponsors and Partners Support from: MOCA North Miami Design Partners: FX FOWLE, PIE studio Supporting partner: ArtSpace Art Handling & Logistics: Cadogan Tate Fine Art Product Sponsor: Perrier Cafe Sponsors: GastroPod, Panther Coffee and Real Sorbet Cultural Partners: Guggenheim Patrons, Guggenheim Young Collectors Council, Miami International Film Festival, MoMA Junior Associates, New Museum, Whitney Contemporaries, The Apollo Circle, Young Friends of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Art & Design Media Partners: American Art Collector, American Fine Art Magazine, Art Fag City, Art Guide Miami, Art in America, Art Ltd., Art Nexus, Artfacts.net, ArtInfo, Artnet, Artprice, Colossal, Hyperallergic, Miami Herald, Modern Painters, Santa Fean, SFAQ, The Art Newspaper, VENU |
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