So I happen to be riding a roller coaster at the Universal party at Gay Days in Orlando last week and happen to be sitting next to the owner of the clubs in Ybor City, Tampa, USA. Ybor is the area that most of the clubs are located in the Tampa area..at least the cool ones and the gay ones! He told me that they are planning a huge event for July 4th Weekend this year and that it will feature one of my favorite artists of all time Andy Bell from Erasure. Erasure is one of the all time best groups that you never hear much about but yet they helped make electronic music and gave the gay community something to take their minds off of things when faced with years of discrimination and hate.
Andy Bell from Erasure is scheduled to perform during Gay Ybor Days for the Closing Party at the Honey Pot at 1507 E. 7th Ave. Door open at 9pm for this event. The Opening Party starts out as a VIP event with Idol, Drag and Strip on Thursday, July 1st. Hamburger Mary’s is hosting a Amateur Strip Contest at 12am located on the 2nd floor of the Centro in Ybor. If you have not been to this Hamburger Marys you are in for a surprise its one of the best locations I have seen and you will love the atmosphere!
Friday night July 2nd VJ David Knapp spins all night at “Enter the Ice Age” at the Steam Party at The Honey Pot. Not only does the Honey Pot have a impressive drag queen stage but they have a dancefloor where you can get on levels and show off your moves. Tons of hot guys and good music you would expect from Knapp.
On Saturday, July 3rd, the Official Gay Ybor Event takes place with a bar crawl starting at Reservoir bar at 5pm going on until 9pm. If you are still stumbling around by that time you do not want to miss my favorite club in Tampa called the G-Bar around 10pm. Las Vegas and America’s Got Talent Derrick Barry as Lady Gaga performs at G Bar on Saturday night (probably sometime around 12am?). G Bar has some of the hottest bartenders and shot boys around. There will also be a performance from Matthew Rush at the Ybor Eagle bar down the street if the twinks at G Bar are not enough for you.
July 4th the big day to celebrate America’s Independence there will be a pool party from 3pm to 8pm with a $10 Keg with DJ CK and DJ Jeffrey J spinning poolside at the Green Iguana Hawaiian Village at the Days Inn @ 2520 N Dale Mabry Hwy in Tampa. This is located close to the airport. Following the pool party madness there will be a Miss Firecracker Pageant starting at 9pm at Hamburger Mary’s then the City of Tampa presents a July 4th Fireworks Spectacular best viewed from 15th street parking garage in Ybor City starting after 9pm.
VIP All-Access passes are available for only $69 which includes too many things to list. The hotels in the area closest to Ybor City are the Hampton Inn off of East 7th and Hilton Garden Inn off East 9th.
Andy Bell releases Non-Stop’s first single, Call On Me on June 1st. Featuring an exclusive track, Had It All, plus remixes of the title track from Wyda Productions (Eddie Craig & Jim Sullivan of the Wideboys whose previous remixes include Rihanna and Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris), Vince Clarke, Chicago’s Hey Champ and Deadboy (described by Clash as “the next future garage mastermind destined to blow up in 2010”).
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