They sewed seven new outfits, found matching shoes and packed enough lube to grease the rails of Penn Station. They even spent in upwards of $1,000 just to make it to the event. But, alas, some big ass hurricane by the name of Gustav came whistling by and gay leather daddies, twinks and drag queens scurried like John McCain had just entered the room and farted.
I'm talking about Southern Decadence in New Orleans, arguably one of the queerest events in the world that takes over the streets of the French Quarter the week of Labor Day every year. Hosted by the notorious porn diva Chi Chi LaRue, Southern Decadence is touted as the "Gay Mardi Gras", an event known for bringing debauchery to the streets of New Orleans for the last 37 years.
But, disappointment has now replaced all the debauchery and left party-goers with a half-empty schedule, forcing the gays out of the city, dodging the category four hurricane. Many patrons of the event were left with the feeling of abandonment; stripped nude by wind and rain, and left feeling as if an itch had not been scratched. Now what? Just go home? This is where Twist comes in to play.
A new party has emerged in Dallas - well, Lake Grapevine, really. But, that's just a hop, skip and a Twist away from the Big D, only a 20-minute drive. All those Southern Decadencers now have a way to release all that energy that was built up in the French Quarter.
A gay party on the lake, you ask? Sounds like Splash, you might think. Splash is another signature gay event that takes place on Lake Travis in Austin, Texas the same weekend as Southern Decadence. For years, the gays had to choose which event they were going to attend. Some even alternated between the events; attending Southern Decadence one year and Splash the next.
Splash has been going on for years in Austin, the mastermind special event invented by Ben Parsley. The event first began in Parsley's apartment more than 10 years ago, but it kept growing by leaps and bounds every year. Parsley eventually turned it into a big circuit party weekend, complete with big name DJs, dance events, and the signature event at Hippie Hollow - a cove on Lake Travis known to be a nudist area. Parsley has since retired from the event and now it is completely coordinated by local gay bar Oil Can Harry's. Though, through partnership, OCH has always had some stake in the event.
Splash went off without a hitch last weekend. While thousands of gays were fleeing the streets of New Orleans, muscled hot men were getting wet on Lake Travis in Austin - no where near the path of a destructive hurricane. So, it looks like this year...Splash won.
But, now, Splash is over. Southern Decadence was tied up, flogged and topped by Gustav. There's one more party left this season where the boys can show off their goods, and it's called Twist on Lake Grapevine.
On Saturday, September 13 at 4 p.m., Twist will take Lake Grapevine by storm. Twist is not another Splash, nor is it meant to compete with the already successful event. Instead, Twist is the answer to an age old problem in the Dallas gay scene: what the heck is there to do around here? Twist offers a local, entertainment option that, up until now, has not been available in North Texas.
Twist takes place at the center of Lake Grapevine, where for the day and part of the night, the water turns all shades of rainbow. Tickets to Twist are only $30, but you can get a discount by entering a coupon code found at the end of this article. All tickets inlcude entrance to the party barges, beer, food and entertainment.
So, what are you waiting for? Don't miss the newest gay event to hit the Dallas scene. Get tickets today by visiting www.crew96.com. Save $5 per ticket by entering the coupon code below at checkout. Have a big group coming? Special discounts are available for groups of four or more. Contact us at info@crew96.com for more information.
Tickets: $30
Coupon Code: absblog
www.crew96.com
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