The heyday of gay men’s circuit parties may be on the wane, but lesbians are feeling the party fever full-on! In the last several years, a number of huge circuit party-type events have sprouted up to draw lesbians to the sun and the fun. These events
have a few things in common: Thousands of scantily clad lesbians frolicking pool-side in tropical environments; celebrity entertainers (also likely scantily clad); and large, late-night dance parties with “white” in the title.
These circuit parties have a precedent: They may be fueled by Red Bull and house music these days, but the history of women gathering together to create raucous good fun goes back to the women’s music festivals of the 1970s (some of which are still thriving). These spring break-type extravaganzas still offer music, and they still offer ladies, but there are some improvements, among them plumbing and room service. Party on, girls!
Olivia Cruise for Our Cause Caribbean
March 30-April 6, 2008
www.olivia.com/Travel/Trips_Cruise_for_Our_Cause.aspx
If you're looking for a party with a purpose, Olivia's Cruise for Our Cause is your best bet this season. The itinerary combines fun in the Western Caribbean sun with a charity auction to benefit the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation for women's health education research. The cruise kicks off with a Heart concert, and includes performances by Michele Balan, Rene Hicks, Vickie Shaw, Lisa Koch, Suede, and Julie Wolf. Staterooms begin at $999 per person. And hurry! This one's coming soon!
Dinah Shore Weekend
April 2-6, 2008
Palm Springs, Calif.
In case any of you were wondering, the Kraft Nabisco Championship (a major LPGA golf tournament taking place on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course) actually does take place in Palm Springs, Calif., the same weekend as the massive lesbian party that has since eclipsed the athletic event and stolen its name. In 2006, the two major producers of Dinah Shore weekend (Girl Bar and Club Skirts) parted ways, resulting in a somewhat confusing but even more party-drenched weekend of lesbians in bikinis, celebrity guests and hoopla.
This year, the division between the two Dinah Shore weekends is clearer, with distinctly different parties and celebrities, though both producers share the Wyndham Hotel in Palm Springs as a host hotel through this year. Here's the lowdown on how the two Dinah's differ:
Girl Bar Dinah Shore Week
http://www.dinahshoreweekend.com
Los Angeles-based Girl Bar offers an entire week of parties and events based out of the Hotel Zoso as well as the Wyndham. Girl Bar promises that all the parties will be within walking distance from sponsored hotels, which surely will be useful after imbibing one too many mimosas at one of the many pool parties in the hot Palm Springs sun.
Girl Bar Dinah Shore Week kicks off with cocktails on Wednesday evening and doesn't let up until Sunday night, with a nonstop variety of themed pool parties, dance parties, and shows. Thursday features comedy and Premiere, the first of the major dance parties. Friday brings the TGIF pool party at the Wyndham and the Pure White party at the Zoso, featuring a performance from Belinda Carlisle. Saturday is all about pool parties, with the Wet and Wild at the Wyndham and the Chillout Pool Party at the Zoso for those who prefer a mellow vibe. Saturday night, the Mardi Gras Masquerade features the original girl rockers the Go-Go's and an estimated 4,000 women looking to party.
If you've ever been to Girl Bar in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago or Phoenix, you'll know that you can expect a ton of femmes to be there in all their tank top-wearing, lipstick-lined glory. Passes to Girl Bar Dinah Shore Week begin at $164 for entry to the three main events, and go up to $204 for the Deluxe Girl Pass.
The Dinah
http://thedinah.com
Produced by San Francisco-based Club Skirts and PlanetOut, The Dinah is based out of the Doral Resort and boasts the lion's share of celebrity events, with appearances by Colbie Caillat, Uh Huh Her, Kate Moennig, Leisha Hailey, Ilene Chaiken, Michelle Paradise, Dani Campbell and Tila Tequila (from A Shot at Love), and a slew of other celesbian guests.
If you'd rather dance than ogle celebs, The Dinah offers three huge parties, beginning with Friday night's White Diamonds (yes, wear white), which features a midnight performance by Leisha Hailey's band Uh Huh Her. Saturday night's Paris '08 party features Colbie Caillat, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo in concert. Finally, Sunday's closing party features dancing all night and a meet and greet with The L Word rockers Betty.
