Long Beach Gay Pride - The Hit List
By: Joe Thompson
5.14.2010
Long Beach Gay Pride starts tonight, and we've got a local's guide to help you navigate the weekend. First, some quick links:
•Long Beach Bar Guide (because drinking makes everything more fun)
•Long Beach Restaurant Guide (because if you don't eat you'll puke from all that drinking and then that cute dude in the surfer shorts won't give you his number)
BAR INFO:
The bars in Long Beach are primarily on Broadway between Alamitos Ave.
and Cherry Ave.
TOP 5 BARS TO HIT:
Club
Ripples
5101 E. Ocean Blvd. 562-433-0357
Hamburger
Mary’s Long Beach
740 East
Broadway, 562-436-7900
The Brit
1744 E. Broadway, 562-432-9742
The Falcon
1435
E. Broadway, 562-432-4146
Paradise
Piano Bar & Restaurant
1800
E. Broadway, 562-590-8773.
FRIDAY NIGHT
The Pink Party
Promenade Square Park
Friday, May 14, 2010, 7pm
562-436-4259
Kicking off Pride weekend, the Downtown Long Beach Associates will host the 3rd Annual Pink Party. Hosted by famed drag performer, Jewels (who we love, but that link to Unzipped.net may be NSFW), this event boasts the return of the very popular Long Beach Drag Diva contest, an appearance by the America's Gay Bachelor competition finalists and other special surprises.
Be sure to wear pink as you party the night away for a good cause.
Tickets are $10 at the door.
SATURDAY
America’s Gay Bachelor 2010
Hotel Maya
700 Queensway Dr.
Saturday, May 15, 2010, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
What makes a man “America’s Most Eligible Gay Bachelor?” Join us for the Grand Finale with a tea dance, live fashion runway show (sponsored by Rufskin), celebrity guests, and hundreds of America’s most eligible bachelors.
SUNDAY
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Step-off at 10:30 AM
The parade hot spot kicks off an hour early at 9:30 a.m. located on
Cherry Ave. and Ocean Blvd. at Bixby Park, the location provides plenty
of shade and a community gathering spot for anyone watching the parade.
PARKING IS A PAIN. Long Beach is never an easy city for parking so be prepared to park and walk to the parade.
TIPS
•There are tons of house parties on Ocean Boulevard parade route. Meet a local on Saturday and you'll find yourself invited into a lot of them on Sunday.
•Be friendly and you'll be invited to even more house parties throughout the day; Long Beach's small town feel makes it perfect for these kinds of connections. Considering stopping in a liquor store and bringing something to the next party you hit.
•Pace yourself. If you start drinking at 11am you'll never make it to the festival.
DON'T DRINK & DRIVE
•Use the Passport, also known as The Little Red Bus to locals. It's cheap (rumor says it may even be free on Pride weekend), and it could save a life.
