On a personal note, it’s been a long time since I’ve been at Bacchus House with my camera taking photos (years, literally), so I’m definitely looking forward to this!

Another event I’m looking forward to returning to is the annual GayDays Anaheim weekend, October 1-3 at the Disneyland Resort.

As in past years, an estimated 35,000 of us red-shirted homos will be swarming over both theme parks during the day – Disneyland on Saturday, and California Adventure on Sunday. On top of that, there’ll be two dance parties (Wonderland on Friday night, Kingdom on Saturday night), scavenger hunts, a huge group photo, a family luncheon, singles gatherings, a couples dinner, and three big cocktail parties at various locations.

In addition, this year will feature a brand new pool party event on Sunday afternoon: Plunge! at the Hotel Anabella, just across the street from Disney. I’ll have more to say on all this as the big weekend approaches, but for now be sure to visit GayDaysAnaheim.com for information, tickets, and hotel and park discounts.

Speaking of pool parties, the next one on the summer calendar is coming this weekend. This Saturday from noon to 6pm the Baja Betty’s “Sin Nombre” softball team is having a pool party fundraiser (the team is representing San Diego at this year’s Gay Softball World Series in Columbus, Ohio). Tickets are $20 pre-sale ($25 at the door), which includes open bar and free food, hot go go boys, and music by DJ (and center fielder) Luis Perez. Additional sunblock “massages” are only $10 (sounds fun!).

And don’t forget that a couple weeks later on August 14 Guys Like Us (GLU) will be having their second big pool party of the summer. This one will be at the same beautiful house in Hillcrest that hosted the party last year, generously provided by Michael Weiss and Castin Li. Tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door, and include food and drinks, music by DJ James Adams, and a fashion show by Luigi Vera. Proceeds to benefit GLU’s 2010 AIDS Walk team.

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

There are, however, a few Comic Con themed events going on here in Hillcrest and North Park, in which both attendees and non-attendees can mingle and get into the spirit of the weekend:

On Thursday Fiesta Cantina will kick-off Comic Con weekend with a Superhero Party at 8pm. Look for body painted superheros to be serving up drink specials all night, and be sure to come dressed as your favorite superhero or villain yourself – there’ll be prizes and give-aways to those in the best costume.

On Friday Disco Dolly will be hosting a Comic Con Costume After Party at U-31, featuring a performance by the sexiest band on the planet, Le Sexoflex. Doors open at 9pm, and the show starts at 10:45pm.

Also on Friday, Rich’s will be having their 6th annual Heros vs. Villains Party, starting at 9:30pm. There’ll be lots of stuff going on here: 10 dancing super-go-go-boys, a special performance by the Happy Feet dancers, chances to win Comic Con passes, face painting all night, Jello shots served up by Prism Comics, a costume contest, and a sexy underoos contest for those in the best hero or villain undies. Cover is $10, $3 off with your Comic Con badge until 11pm, or free until midnight if in costume.

We’ve all just survived another Pride weekend, and so this Saturday Michael Mack is hosting a Pride Recovery Event at Spin, from 9:30pm to 4am. With DJs Ideal and and Big Chris, cover is only $10 all night, or free with a Spin flyer before midnight.

And speaking of Pride … I want to give a big shout out to this year’s SDPIX Pride photography team – Brian Nagle, David Arce, Franz Sino, Josh Rice, Trish Conner, Adam Mutchler, Eric Lahtinen and Todd Nelson – who (along with myself) took over 3,000 Pride photos at over 30 cooperating venues and events. They now reside on SDPIX, which has pretty much become the community’s most extensive and definitive historical archive for San Diego Pride photos since 2002. Great work team!

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

And since nearly all of the big events that I’m aware of have some sort of presence on Facebook, I figure the easiest, fairest and most practical way to do this would be to simply provide each event’s Facebook event page link. Not only does this approach have the advantages of brevity and compactness, but it also allows the various parties and events to speak for themselves.

So, without further ado … here’s your guide to San Diego Pride weekend parties (as seen through the medium of Facebook):

Weekend-Long Events
Pride Week at Bourbon Street
Weekend Events at Numbers
Pride Festivities at Urban Mo’s
Celebrate Pride Weekend at Martinis Above Fourth
The Pride After Parties at The Brass Rail

Individual Events

Friday, July 16
7:30pm to 11pm – T-Dance On The Bay Night Cruise – Confirmed Guests: 239
8pm to 2 am – R-NIGHT…For Girls at The Brass Rail – Confirmed Guests: 107
8pm to 10am – A Night of Cabaret at The Flame – Confirmed Guests: 12
9pm to 2am – SD Pride Kick Off Party at Rich’s – Confirmed Guests: 370
9pm to 2am – SD Pride Red Carpet Party at The Flame – Confirmed Guests: 208
9:30 to 4am – Alley Cat/Dirty Kitty at the Keating Hotel – Confirmed Guests: 13
10pm to 2am – The Pride Ball San Diego at The Abbey – Confirmed Guests: 235
1:30am to 4am – Encore – After Hours at Keating Hotel – Confirmed Guests: 18

Saturday, July 17
10am to 2pm – Parade Viewing Party at Jake’s on 6th – Confirmed Guests: 196
11am to 5pm – The Pool Party at the Handelry Hotel – Confirmed Guests: 302
11am to 8pm – Hard Tea at the Andez Hotel – Confirmed Guests: 284
12pm to 8 pm – Helix Hotties at The Brass Rail – Confirmed Guests: 48
8pm to 2am – U*NI*TY SD Pride Event at True North – Confirmed Guests: 84
9pm to 2am – ReFresh Pride at Numbers – Confirmed Guests: 93
9pm to 2am – Bear Night Pride at Bacchus House – Confirmed Guests: 90
9pm to 2am – Femme Fatale Ladies Party at Numbers – Confirmed Guests: 101
9:30pm to 4am – Mancave Primal Lust at Keating Hotel – Confirmed Guests: 32
9:30pm to 6am – Pride 2010 at Spin Nightclub – Guest list hidden
10pm to 6am – Circuit Daze at The Hall of Champions – Confirmed Guests: 308
10pm to 5am – Popsicle Pride at 4th & B – Confirmed Guests: 679

Sunday, July 18
1pm to 7pm – Rally at Remedy at Lei Lounge – Confirmed Guests: 127
4pm to 11pm – The Zoo Party at the San Diego Zoo – Confirmed Guests: 431
8pm to 2am – Ladies Pride Foam Party at Bourbon Street – Confirmed Guests: 37
10pm to 5am – Salvation Pride at 4th & B – Confirmed Guests: 562
10pm to 4am – Fete Accompli at On Broadway – Confirmed Guests: 288
10pm to 2am – Play Pride at Numbers – Confirmed Guests: 36

The “Confirmed Guests” statistic is as of 12pm Friday, July 16 … by the time you read this, I imagine those numbers should have all gone up a bit. Like I said, it’s my intent to make this list as all-inclusive and accurate as possible, so if I’ve overlooked any Pride-related Facebook events or made any errors please email me ASAP at jim@sdpix.com and let me know … thanks to the miracle of electronic publishing I should be able to update this list immediately if need be.

Speaking of omissions, one big Pride club night that strangely doesn’t seem to have it’s own Facebook event page (thus requiring special mention here) is the L.L. Bear Pride Party at Rich’s on Saturday night. This is San Diego’s biggest Levi, leather and bear event … with Masterbeat’s superstar (and super hot) DJ Brett Henrichsen at the turntables. Early arrival is strongly recommended (every year, the line of bears goes down to the corner, and around down Vermont Street … it’s crazy!) – although you can always avoid this inevitable line with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass.

And it’s not only the bears that’ll have their own pride parties this weekend … there’s also one for dogs! On Saturday from 10am to 2pm Fido & Co Canine Country Club, right there on the parade route at 1228 University Avenue, is having a Pride Party for Dogs, complete with a Most Prideful Dog Contest from 10am to 11am. The contest will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges, including 4 time Olympic gold medalist, actor, speaker, author, human and animal rights activist Greg Louganis, while the party afterwards will feature parade viewing on a raised stage above the crowd, a couple free drinks, snacks, doggie treats, and a raffle. Proceeds will benefit the Golden Hearts Animal Sanctuary and the LGBT Community.

And congratulations of Babycakes’ owner Christopher Stavros on the opening of Baby’s Bar at Baycakes … yes, starting this Pride weekend they’ll have a full bar in operation there, so you can now get cocktails with your cupcakes at Babycakes. Sounds intoxicatingly delicious!

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

Here’s a brief guide to all the parties and events happening at all the venues covered by the 2010 VIP Pass:

Tuesday July 13:

San Diego Pride Dirty Jock Kickoff Party at The Flame
Time: 10:00pm to 2:00am
Location: The Flame, 3780 Park Blvd
Cost: FREE for jocks in team uniforms

Kick-off San Diego Pride week with the jocks! SDPIX and The Flame present ‘Jock’s Night Out’ on Tuesday, July 13. With two large dance floors, three fully stocked bars, lounge areas, two DJs spinning, hot jock go-go boys, and a hip vibe, The Flame is the place to start off Pride right. Players in San Diego’s LGBT sports leagues who come in their jersey or league t-shirt will pay no cover and receive one free drink ticket. Others who attend wearing any sort of sports gear will receive a free drink ticket. Come celebrate Pride and sports with San Diego’s hottest jocks at The Flame.

Thursday July 15:

The San Diego Pride WET Foam Party at Bourbon Street
Time: 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Location: Bourbon Street, 4612 Park Blvd
Cost: FREE

Kick of your San Diego Pride weekend with San Diego’s only Pride Foam Party for the boys! This is a FREE event and we will reach capacity early…but VIP Pride Pass holders will receive front of the line priority entry all night long. And be sure to check out the special Pride edition of the weekly Bourbon Street Wet contest at midnight.

Friday July 16:

Pride T-Dance on the Bay Night Cruise on the Spirit of San Diego
Time: 7:30pm – 11:00pm
Location: THE SPIRIT OF SAN DIEGO, 1050 North Harbor Dr.
Cost: FREE with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass (normally $45)

Michael Mack Presents T-DANCE ON THE BAY Night Cruise, with DJ Kimberly S above deck, and DJ Marcel Hetu down below spinning the latest Top 40 and Hip-Hop, along with amazing sound and lighting. Boarding Time is 7:30pm, departure time 8pm, with a return time of 11pm. This is once of the five Official San Diego Pride Parties included on your card, so the admission is FREE.

A Night of Cabaret at The Flame
Time: 8:00pm to 10:00pm
Location: The Flame, 3780 Park Blvd
Cost: $7.00

The Flame Nightclub Presents “A Night of Cabaret” on Friday July 16, 2010 at 8pm with DJ Tim Harmon. The cast members are Rosanna, Ruby Dee, Norma, Phenelope, and Sonia with the Hostess being Medina Monet. There is a $7 cover for this exciting event, and your VIP Pass will let you leap-frog the line to grab the best seats in the house!

The Pride Kick-Off Party at Rich’s
Time: 9:00pm to 2:00am
Location: Rich’s, 1051 University Avenue
Cost: FREE with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass (normally $15)

Rich’s will be hosting the official “after-the-boat” Pride Kick Off Party on Friday night. Look for expanded capacity this year with a beer garden in the side parking lot and both dance floors going off all night. DJ Dan De Leon from Los Angeles headlines the main dance floor with uplifting tribal vocals and local favorite DJ Will Z keeps the front room hopping with pop and hip hop videos. They’ll also have hot go go dancers, great lighting, and a special laser show.

The Boys of Summer Party at Bourbon Street
Time: 9:00pm to 2:00am
Location: Bourbon Street, 4612 Park Blvd
Cost: Free

Celebrate Pride at San Diego’s hottest gay bar, with sizzlin’ go-go boys dancing to the tunes of local favorite DJ Jon Sautter. Front of line entry with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Card.

SoulKiss San Diego PRIDE Red Carpet Party!
Time: 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Location: The Flame, 4612 Park Blvd
Cost: ???

SOUL KISS presents Red Carpet Pride Party 2010. With your hostess for the evening – FLO of the Bad Girls Club, along with LIVE performance by WHIPLASH! Also featuring DJs GIGI and MONIQ: 2 rooms of Hip Hop, House, Dancehall, Soul and more! HOSTED HPNOTIQ 9-10p. Early arrival is STRONGLY suggested. This night will be packed and there might be a line all the way to your mama’s house so get here early…however, you can get front of line entry with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass.

Pan Dulce Pride at Numbers
Time: 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Location: Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd
Cost: ???

LA’s hottest Papi dancers invade invade San Diego at Pan Dulce Pride! Hosted by Lola, with two huge rooms of latin/hip-hop music, and free CD giveaways all night long. No waiting in line with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass.

Saturday July 17:

The Pride Parade Viewing Party at Jake’s On 6th Wine Bar
Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm
Location: Jake’s On 6th Wine Bar, 3755 6th Avenue
Cost: FREE

The Official Pride Parade Viewing party will take place at Jake’s on 6th Wine Bar during the 2010 Pride Parade. There’s no cover at this free event, however this event will definitely reach capacity so arrive early. 2010 San Diego VIP Pride Pass holders receive priority entry. Drink specials on wine, sangria, and beer as well as promotional give-a-ways from the sexy men and women of Blue Moon Brewing Company.

Pride Parade Beach Party at Rich’s
Time: 11:00am to 4:00pm
Location: Rich’s, 1051 University Avenue
Cost: FREE

Rich’s will be open during the Parade, and will also have an outdoor beer garden (fully stocked with frozen drinks) with a dance floor and a parade viewing platform. Music by DJ Michael Paul and DJ John Joseph. This event should fill up quickly, so your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass should come in handy here in avoiding those pesky entry lines.

Latino Pride… PAPI STYLE! at The Flame
Time: 9:00pm to 2:00am
Location: The Flame, 3780 Park Blvd
Cost: ???

CLUB PAPI featuring DJs MIKE + BEN (LA) and WIN VIP “Meet and Greet” tickets to LAURA LEON! 12 HOT @$$ PAPI DANCERS!!! $5 off before 10:30p with flyer or VIP. Visit www.clubpapi.com for more info. Front of line entry with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass

Pride Beach Ball Party at Bourbon Street
Time: 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Location: Bourbon Street, 4612 Park Blvd
Cost: FREE

It’s a hot Gay Pride night at Bourbon Street, with hot go-go boys from the Men of Dirty Tony, and hot music from DJ Shane Stiels. Hot hot hot! Use your VIP Pass to avoid standing in line, and being left in the cold.

Femme Fatale – Ladies PRIDE Party at Numbers
Time: 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Location: Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd
Cost: $15

It’s PRIDE 2010! Come out and play with GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS…Femme Fatale will be celebrating in the Gayborhood and we can’t wait! With 2 Dance Floors (Resident DJ Kiki in the main room, 3 full service bars (Franki, Nic and Mila will be behind the bar…if you’ve seen these ladies, it’s reason enough to come for a visit!), an outside patio, and go-go girls on the bar all night long. Also, The smoking’ HOT Renegade Roller Derby Girls will be hosting Jello Shots and they’ll be skating their way through the PRIDE Parade…Look out for them and show them some love! Get there early to avoid the long lines, it is expected to reach maximum capacity…although, those with San Diego Pride VIP Passes get priority entry.

ReFresh Pride at Numbers
Time: 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Location: Numbers, 3811 Park Blvd
Cost: ???

July is here and so is ReFresh Pride!! ReFresh is hosting the hottest and ONLY Pop and Hip Hop night in Hillcrest for Pride at Numbers San Diego. What does a mix of ReFresh and Pride come up with? Cheap Bottle Tables hosted by the ReFresh Bottle Crew (make reservations early at ReFreshSD@gmail.com), hot go-go boys, music videos with ReFresh’s Own DJ Will Z, drink specials, and lots and lots of boys and fun! This night is expected to hit capacity so early arrival is suggested…but you can always beat the line with your Pride VIP Pass.

Popsicle Pride at 4th & B
Time: 10:00pm to 5:00am
Location: 4th & B, 345 B Street
Cost: FREE with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass (normally $40)

San Diego Pix & San Diego Gay & Lesbian News Official Media Sponsors of San Diego Pride present Popsicle Pride with DJ Nikno of San Diego & DJ Casey Alva of Los Angeles. Your senses will be stimulated with special themed performances, an incredible state of the art light show and towering LED light wall at San Diego’s largest after-hours destination. Look for special guest performance by KIMBERLY COLE and ERIKA JAYN, the latter of which will be performing her new #1 Dance single, “PRETTY MESS”

LL Bear at Rich’s
Time: 9:00pm to 2:00am
Location: Rich’s, 1051 University Avenue
Cost: ???

LL Bear presents San Diego’s biggest Levi, leather and bear event…with Masterbeat’s superstar (and super hot) DJ Brett Henrichsen at the turntables. Early arrival is strongly recommended…although you can always avoid the inevitable lines tonight with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass.

Michael Mack Presents: Pride 2010 at Spin Nightclub
Time: 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM
Location: Spin Nightclub, 2028 Hancock Street
Cost: $10 b4 11pm, $15 after

The DJ Boys, John Joseph and Michael Paul, return to celebrate Pride 2010. Featuring 3 levels and 10,000 square feet of nightclub real estate (including a rooftop bar), 60,000 watts of real thunderous sound, kinetic lighting and lasers, lush lounging, free street parking…and a Pride special on Skyy Vodka bottles…two for $250 (contact vip@spinnightclub.com for details). Front-of-line entry with your Pride VIP Pass!

Sunday July 18:

Remedy’s Pride Celebration Sunday at Lei Lounge
Time: 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Location: Lei Lounge, 4622 Park Blvd
Cost: FREE

Come join Michael Mack and crew for our Pride REMEDY!! Sunday with overflowing cocktails, a global brunch menu and a tropical outdoor setting with cabanas and fire-pits. With an amazing musical environment provided by DJ Mark Nygard. Reservations are advised for the weekend also for private cabanas and fire-pit seating. Your San Diego Pride VIP Pass will bypass any outside line.

Ladies Pride Foam Party at Bourbon Street
Time: 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Location: Bourbon Street, 4612 Park Blvd
Cost: FREE

It’s ladies night at Bourbon Street the night of Pride Sunday, with a Ladies Pride Foam Party. Also, a wet t-shirt contest with $500 in cash and prizes, along with live performances by Ashley Matte, music by DJ L Vee, and hot go-go girls all night long. Beat the line with your San Diego Pride VIP Pass.

Salvation Pride at 4th & B
Time: 10:00pm to 5:00am
Location: 4th & B, 345 B Street
Cost: FREE with your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass (normally $50)

San Diego Pix & San Diego Gay & Lesbian News Official Media Sponsors of San Diego Pride present Salvation Pride with: DJ Tracy Young of Miami & DJ Oscar Velazquez of Mexico City. Your senses will be stimulated with jaw dropping themed performances, an incredible state of the art light show and our towering wall of fire at San Diego’s largest after-hours destination.

All Weekend Long

Baja Betty’s, Gossip Grill, Urban Mo’s and Fiesta Cantina, being on or near the parade route as they are (and incredibly popular year-round in any case), will be JAM PACKED all weekend long. It’s like this every Pride – you know this to be true. Therefore, the only way you’re going to get to talk to that hottie at the front of the line just walking in, and nab him before someone else does, is to use your 2010 San Diego Pride VIP Pass to cut up to the front yourself. The others in line may hate you for it, as they watch you buying that hottie a drink…but hey, it’s Pride weekend, the competition is fierce, and you gotta do what you gotta do…

See you all Pride weekend!

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

Bourbon Street/Lei Lounge
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:00PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

The Flame/Numbers
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:10PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

Baja Betty’s/Gossip Grill
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:20PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

Rich’s
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:25PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

Fiesta Cantina/Urban Mo’s
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:30PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

Jake’s on 6th
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:00PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

Park Manor Hotel
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:10PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

Porta Vista Hotel
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:20PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

The Sofia Hotel
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:30PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

W Hotel
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 8:40 PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

4th and B
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 10PM. Last shuttle between 3:30AM and 4AM

Spin
Approximately every 20 minutes starting at 10:20PM. Last shuttle between 1AM and 1:30AM

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

On Saturday July 3 Michael Mack and Spin Nightclub will bring DJ Kimberly S into town for their Freedom Dance Party. Red, white and blue attire is the encouraged theme for the night, and the party will start at 9pm and be rocking well into the 4th with afterhours until 5am.

And a reminder, Kimberly S will also be DJing the T-Dance on the Bay Pride Night Cruise on Friday, July 16; so, this party on Saturday should be a great musical preview for the big boat on Pride Friday.

Also on Saturday, Bacchus House will be celebrating Fourth of July with their Red, White & Bears! bear night party. DJ Jon Williams will be bringing in the beats, hot gogo men will be shaking it on the boxes, and Bacchus’ sexy bartenders will be serving up the booze from 9pm to 2am.

It’s also their Kylie Minogue Aphrodite CD release party, so look for Kylie giveaway goodies all night long.

And on Sunday afternoon, Michael Mack will kick off the Fourth with Remedy Live at Lei Lounge, 1pm to 7pm. Featuring house music by DJ Sachamo, Paul Lopez the percussionist, along with DJs Bency and Ele.

.

If your in North Park on Sunday and in the mood for food, the Redwing Bar and Grill will be having a 4th of July Big Ass BBQ from 2pm to 7pm. They’re going to have BBQ chicken, burgers, and hot dogs with all the fixins’…and a $1 beer bust from 3pm to 6pm.

The Loft in Hillcrest will be having a 4th of July BBQ too. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be serving up the meat at their Cum On U Can Take Them They Rn’t That Big, 4th of July Hot Dog Party, 2pm to 9pm, with proceeds benefiting the Sister’s charity fund.

And then on Sunday night, get ready for fireworks (after the fireworks) at Rich’s Freedom Party, 10pm to 2am, with DJ Nikno in the main room bringing you uplifting house music.

Meanwhile, Bourbon Street is hosting a full slate of weekend parties, starting with a Stars & Stripes Foam Party on Thursday. This will be a good practice event, I think, for the San Diego Pride Wet Foam Party two weeks hence.

On Friday they’re having their We Want You To Go-Go night…an open call to all professional and amateur go-go dancers to compete in their Hottest Go-Go Boy Contest, with a $300 prize for first place. Sounds like the perfect event for one of Hillcrest’s outstanding male personalities, GoGo Christian Taylor!

Then on Saturday it’s Bourbon’s Boston Tea Party. Billed as “a salute to all tea baggers” it promises $2 tea bag cocktails from 10pm to 12am, hot go-go boys, and music by DJ Lil’ Chris.

And finally, on Sunday it’s ladies night with Miss Independence. Featuring music by DJ L Vee, a live performance by Ashley Matte, hot go-go girls and and go-go girl contest with $300 in cash and prizes.

Speaking of Bourbon Street, the construction project there I mentioned last week is expanding. Not only has the side pool room been demolished (I’ve now been told it’s being turned into an outdoor patio), but the ornate column in the center of the front bar is gone as well…sources say this is to facilitate the installation of some new big screen TVs. And even more big changes are in the works it seems…stay tuned for details!

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

These GLU parties have traditionally been some of the best and eagerly anticipated pool parties on the local pool party calendar; you can view photos from some of their most recent events here. This year DJ Luis Perez returns to the turntables, and as in past years food and drink is included in the very reasonable price of admission ($15 in advance, $20 at the door).

Advance tickets can be purchased on their website. And like I said, this is only the first GLU Pool Party of the year…another one (which’ll include a fashion show) is scheduled for August 14.

Will Universal reopen in time for Pride weekend? That’s what Gay San Diego is reporting in it’s premiere issue, which came out last Friday. According to the article, the lease between the new building owner and a yet unrevealed gay nightclub owner is a “done deal,” and the plan is for a “grand opening” before Pride weekend, with possibly a temporary closure after Pride for more extensive repairs and remodeling.

Speaking of remodeling, when I was at Bourbon Street last Thursday for the Wet Finals, I noticed that the side pool room has been cordoned off and demolished. Looks like there’s some major construction going on there, although for what I’m not sure…people I spoke to at Bourbon Street seemed very hush-hush about the project. Which of course only increases my curiosity! I’ll see if can find a bit more about this for next week….

As far as my plans for the rest of the week go, look for me to start off the weekend early this Thursday for The Pirate Party at Fiesta Cantina. Rob Corea’s SceneOutSD is sponsoring this buccaneer-themed event, and everyone decked out in pirate garb get happy hour prices all night long. Sounds like a great place to plunder me some booty…arrrh!

And then on Saturday from 3 to 6pm, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are coming to Bamboo Lounge with another great event in support of the community. “SIX PACK” will have music by DJ Michael Carrera, raffle prizes, food and drink specials, and drag entertainment, all hosted by the infamous Sister Shelby Hellbound. The suggested donation at the door is $5, but more is always appreciated!

As you can tell, I love these theme nights…and another big theme night is coming up later on Saturday at Rich’s, with their Arabian Nights Party. Featuring DJ Nikno spinning uplifting house music, the club will be getting a Middle-Eastern makeover…Arabian-themed costumes are encouraged!

Be sure to check out all the albums from last week below, including photos from the Mr/Miss/Ms Gay San Diego Contest held at the Flame last Sunday. And as far as that event goes…all hail our newest title holders! Congratulations are in order to Matthew Michael Brown, Mr. Gay San Diego 2010; to Erik Swanson (aka Erika), Miss Gay San Diego 2010; and to Brenda Hernandez, Ms. Gay San Diego 2010. May their sashes be worn proudly this coming Pride!

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

First off, starting at 6pm Baja Betty’s will be having their annual White Trash Prom. Join your fellow Hillcrest hillbillies, and come dressed to un-impress in tuxedos and overalls, maternity prom dresses, etc…remember, “the higher the hair, the closer to Heaven!” Featuring drink/shot specials, prizes and giveaways, and a “White Trash boo-fay” (which last year, if I recall, was mostly Vienna sausages and ketchup). And at 11pm Sister Iona Dubble-Wyde will (very appropriately) be the one to crown this year’s King and Queen of the Double Wide.

And just a couple doors down, also starting at 6pm, House.Boi will having their 3rd Birthday Party. This party’ll feature DJ Marcel Hetu at the turntables, a free Svedka bar, the full crew of House.Boi models dancing on the go go boxes, giveaways and more.

You know, the great thing about these events is, not only are they going on at the same time and almost next door to each other (Betty’s is at 1421 University, while House.Boi is at 1435), but they are both free…which means we’ll see some serious party hopping back and forth, most likely. I’m actually looking forward to seeing these rather different looking crowds mingle…it should be interesting!

But even before we get to Saturday, be sure to stop by Bourbon Street on Thursday for the finals of the Wet contest (with $1000 in cash and prizes), hosted this week by Rufskin’s Jason Wimberly.

Which reminds me…a new official Pride Party has been added to the lineup. On Thursday July 15 there’ll a “San Diego Pride Wet Foam Party,” which’ll be a foam party in the Bourbon courtyard starting at 10pm, followed by a special Pride edition of the Wet contest at midnight. This is also a free event, and thus last year was packed, so early arrival is recommended (or, just get the handy San Diego Pride VIP Pass, which’ll get you front-of-line privileges to most bars and clubs during San Diego Pride weekend).

Speaking of Pride weekend, every year we here at San Diego Pix recruit an extra team of special Pride photographers to help us cover all the many events that will happening this busy busy weekend. If you own a good camera and are interested in helping out, email me at jim@sdpix.com for more info. As in past years, all our Pride photographers will have media access to the official San Diego Pride Parties, as well the regular Hillcrest bars and clubs during Pride weekend.

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

[Update 6/14/10: It would appear that Spin was actually closed last Saturday 6/12 (the decision being made at the very last minute, apparently). And on top of that, it looks like it'll be open this coming Saturday 6/19. So, I guess the hiatus is now over. If I officially find out of any other changes I'll let you all know ASAP...]

Speaking of San Diego Pride, every year we here at San Diego Pix recruit a team of special Pride photographers to help us cover all the many event that will happening this busy weekend. If you’re interested in helping out and becoming a Pride photographer this year, email me at jim@sdpix.com and give you more info on this as it becomes available. Just like last year, all our Pride photographers will be given a VIP Pass to all the Official San Diego Parties, to facilitate their work!

I’d also like to welcome back to Graham Foote and Ryan Bedrosian of Rich’s back to San Diego, from their week-long trip to Orlando, Florida for Gay Days. By all accounts, the weekend was a smashing success. I know some people predicted that the Gay Days weekend would suffer this year, due to publicity surrounding the failings of the previous promoter last year…well, those people have been proven wrong: Take a gander at real photos (ie, not fraudulently taken when the dance floor just opened) from the weekend here and here, and a real video of the Stratosphere Party at Universal Orlando here. And check out The Circuit Dog and Orlando’s Watermark Online for more honest coverage of this year’s very successful rebirth-from-the-ashes of the Gay Days weekend.

Finally on a somber note, this past week saw a pair of tragic deaths in our community that should be noted here: Danny Bodenmiller and Raymond Portillos Leon. Danny was, among other things, the co-founder of Tantrums and Tiaras, a hugely successful amateur drag competition between the various nightclubs to benefit Mama’s Kitchen, while Ray was both an up-and-coming community activist and the ever-friendly front door man at Universal Hillcrest. Both will be missed.

It’s been a rough year. These are actually the third and fourth industry-related fatalities we’ve experienced…earlier we saw the passings of bartender Tyler Augustine of Rich’s and Eric Schulthise, a dancer at both Rich’s and Bacchus House. All these deaths had widely varied causes, so it seems this run of tragedies can’t be explained in any way other than really bad luck.

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor

On Friday, July 16 promoter Michael Mack teams up with Pride media sponsors San Diego Pix and SDGLN to present the “T-Dance on the Bay Night Cruise,” with DJ Kimberly S on the Harbor Excursion’s Spirit of San Diego. Boarding time begins at 7:30, and the cruise sails and parties about the bay from 8 to 11pm. Pre-sale tickets for this event are $45.

On Saturday July 17 Popsicle Pride returns this year to 4th & B, with DJs Casey Alva and Nikno. The past couple years this event has been quite successful; you can view the 2008 and 2009 photos here, and a video from Popsicle Pride 2009 here.

The party runs from 10pm to 5am, and pre-sale tickets are $30.

And Sunday July 18 marks the return of the Salvation Party to 4th and B. Last year’s party (which featured DJs Oscar Velazquez and Peter Rauhofer) was easily the most talked about Pride event of 2009, with such buzz no doubt contributing mightily to the remarkable turn out that night (photos can be viewed here).

This year, Mexico City DJ Oscar Velazquez returns and is joined by Miami DJ Tracy Young. The event runs from 10pm to 5am, and presale tickets are $40.

The VIP Pass for the weekend is on sale now as well, and like last year not only gets you VIP entry into all Pride Parties mentioned above, but also covers admission to a couple additional parties (the Pride Kickoff Party at Rich’s on Friday night, and the Pride Parade Viewing Party at Jakes on 6th on Saturday). And it’s good for free rides on the limo bus running between Hillcrest and 4th and B on Saturday and Sunday nights, which is certainly a convenience!

On top of that, it acts like an amusement park “Speed Pass” during Pride weekend, allowing the holder front-of-line privileges to the following extremely-busy-during-Pride bars and clubs: Baja Betty’s, Bourbon Street, Fiesta Cantina, The Flame, Gossip Grill, Jakes on 6th, Lei Lounge, Numbers, Rich’s, Spin and Urban Mo’s Bar & Grill (formerly Hamburger Mary’s). The early bird price for this invaluable little card is $125 through July 1.

So, thats a peek at some of the parties we have to look forward to this coming July. By then I’m sure we’ll all be fully recovered from this past Memorial Day weekend here in San Diego. Photos from that festive weekend below, as well as Davina’s fabulous Monster Ball extravaganza at Rich’s Wednesday before last, which raised over $3000 for the American Red Cross.

Jim Winsor (jim@sdpix.com)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jim.winsor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jimwinsor