Always new events and activities with the GaYBOR District Coalition. Membership has never been larger and there isn’t any lack of events. Another very successful GaYBOR Beach Blanket Bar Crawl netted the group over $1850 and well thanked promoters Jayme Kossar from the YC Wine Bar and residents Mike Olds and Scott W. for the great accomplishment.
Six groups spoke to the Tampa Bay GLBTA community for a very busy meeting held at Muvico Centro Ybor.
Tampa PD Officer Sean Mahabir talked about “Interaction of GaYBOR/ Ybor City business with public safety and social media. It is all in the same equation.” Officer Sean started and implemented the Tampa areas Ybor City Business Crime Watch which is a very successful model and great for other districts to follow. Lastly telling the crowded meeting, “Remembering that the police dept can’t attack a problem if it isn’t reported!”
The statewide Equal Marriage Florida Petition drive for putting Same Sex Marriage Rights on the 2014 Florida ballot is going full steam. Hamburger Mary’s has a petition drop off box and had 937 petitions were brought to the meeting. MC FILM has collected over 450 signatures in the last 2 weeks. The statewide cumulative goal was to reach 100,000 by Saturday. Over 130,000 have signed the statewide grassroots ballot initiative collectively for Florida Equal Rights and a goal of 1,000,000 is needed by January 15, 2014.
www.EqualMarriageFl.com for more info & to sign the petition.
Mathieu Stanoch informed the group of the upcoming annual Ybor City Holiday Spirit Events & Parade set in November through January 5th. GaYBOR District President Mark Eary gave a $2000.00 check from GaYBOR to the YCHS event. The traditional community Christmas Tree lighting event with Santa Clause is set for November.16 area high school marching bands have signed on to be in the holiday parade. An estimated 50,000 people are expected to watch this years parade and experience falling snow down 7th Ave. A fun Toga Bingo fundraiser for the holiday event is set for 7 pm, Wednesday, Sept 25th at Hamburger Mary’s in Centro Ybor.
Tom Keating, Ybor City Chamber of Commerce President, showed the new movie just released by movie producers, Paul & Pete Guzzo about Ybor City history that is shown at the Ybor City Tourist Info Center. www.ybor.org
Rene Cossette, executive director from the Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival talked about the upcoming annual gay film festival October 4-12th at Tampa Theater and Muvico at St Pete’s Baywalk. Great GLBT movies, discussion panels and parties for the October fall kickoff season.The new festival guides were distributed to all attendees. www.tiglff.com
Tom DeGeorge and Don Barco talked of the upcoming Ybor Merchants Association’s 2nd Annual Fantasma Fest in Ybor with it’s first Annual Bed Race that will be held down 7th Ave Sat, October 26th.
