Photo: LightSea Images
For most of us in the LGBTQ community, Pride is the most fun and anticipated time of the year. So, as autumn begins to nip at our heels, it is hard to accept that we have to wait another year for the festivities. Luckily, this time of year in Hawaii they are getting things started with Maui Pride, which is held annually the first weekend of October.
“This is a big year for us. We’re having Frenchie Davis come out and perform, which is a huge opportunity because no other pride in Hawaii has had a celebrity come out,” says Bob Kincaid, an organizer of Maui Pride and Product Manager of Maui Sunseeker LGBT Resort. “Frenchie Davis to me, especially since she came out as bisexual, is exciting because it’s something that helps us cater to the ladies. We’d love to see a lot of the Tagg readers come out and experience Maui first hand.”
Local lesbian musicians, The Deborah Vial Band, will also headline the pride festivities. This will be the third year the local band will perform for Maui Pride attendees.
“We offer so many different opportunities for pride that we try to make sure we have something for everyone,” says Kincaid.
Photo: LightSea Images
Maui Pride has a plethora of activities, including a pride hike, dance parties, the pride festival, aerial performances, a beer garden, vendors, and lots of delicious food. Another popular event is the Pride Brunch followed by Big Toys Little Beach, in which all the brunch goers head down to Little Beach, Maui’s clothing-optional beach, with large inflatable toys and ride the waves, lay out, and participate in events and competitions.
“The water is perfect. It’s typically around 85 degrees, which is amazing. Plus, there are so many different pride activities going on in the mainland,” says Kincaid.
The weekend will also kick off with a film festival including “Princesa” and the second installation of “Fagbug”, in which Erin Davies takes the Fagbug to Alaska and Hawaii. Davies and her wife Sonia will also be in attendance.
As the LGBTQ population on Maui grows, so does the caliber of performers, scholarship funds, and sponsors. Two new prominent sponsors this year are Servco Subaru and the Maui Visitors Bureau, which are both taking active steps to pull out the welcome wagon for LGBTQ travelers.
As an added bonus for travelers, Maui Pride works with a travel agent who assists with travel on layaways. Attendees can pay a small down payment, and pay on a monthly basis leading up to their travel date. Organizers work hard to make sure the process is as easy as possible for everyone.
“We want people to experience Maui. Maui is a very beautiful island and it’s very LGBT-friendly, and we’d love to get more people over here,” says Kincaid.
Maui Pride 2014 will be held October 2 – 7. For more information, visit www.mauipride.org and www.mauisunseeker.com for lodging.
Aloha!
