http://pumpascher.chaussurespaschere.infoA BRISBANE-based group is behind an ambitious push for the Gold Coast to host a Mardi Gras-style gay pride festival.
The two-day event would replace Gold Coast Gay Day, which has been canned after six years due to a lack of funding and the loss of Parklands showgrounds.
The event does not have a name or a venue yet but organisers stress on their website that they plan for it to be the biggest gay and lesbian event in the state, aimed at attracting massive economic benefit.
It is not the first time a Gold Coast company has chased the lucrative pink dollar.
Just last year Gold Coast Tourism launched Gay Gold Coast, a gay and lesbian-targeted advertising campaign.
But the proposed two-day festival, which could include a gay pride parade, has been tipped as a guaranteed revenue-builder.
Surfers Paradise Alliance boss Mike Winlaw said a festival and parade in Surfers Paradise could bring the town to life at a much-needed time.
“You only have to look at Sydney Mardi Gras to see the economic value in the pink dollar,Plans for gay pride festival on the Coast Local Gold Coast News,” he said.
“It is a valuable market and we would be supportive of an event being held in Surfers Paradise.
“Getting the timing right would be the important thing — it could be a much-needed boost during low season.”
Surfers Paradise drag queen Martini Ice, a former Gold Coast Gay Day hostess, said it was important for the local gay and lesbian community to have a day to call their own.
“Gold Coast Gay Day has been the most important event on the gay and lesbian community calendar for the past six years,” he said.
“It is the one day we all come out of the woodwork to celebrate our community.
“It would have been a real shame if no replacement event was created.”
Martini said Gold Coast Pride had declined offers from local performers and was co-ordinating the event from Brisbane.
“It is strange that the group is meeting in Brisbane and that the local gay and lesbian community on the Coast are being left out of the loop,” he said.http://pumpascher.chaussurespaschere.info
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