Happy New Year 2012
New Year’s Eve in Ybor City
Party Tips
Plan NOW!!
Plan NOW!!
Call NOW for your Dinner Reservations.
Make Hotel Reservations NOW & ask for the MC Film Rate
The Hampton Inn & Suites Ybor
Below is the easy link to use when making reservations.
Below is the easy link to use when making reservations.
hotel=TPAYBHX&corporateCode=0002672438
The Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk
Below is the easy link to use when making reservations.
Below is the easy link to use when making reservations.
The MUST Do Party….
Join Tea Cup on the Hamburger Mary’s Balcony at 4:30 for the Outback Bowl Parade!!!
25 + Marching Bands and floats!
For more Events & Parties visit
2011 Year in Review
What a roller coaster ride for 2011! A real humdinger for news stories. Tampa Bay area had a lot happening in the GLBT community. Starting with an open seat for Tampa mayor, GaYBOR District Coalition had the first all open public mayor debates at the newly opening Metro Wellness and Community Center in Ybor City. Five high ranking community contenders for Tampa’s high post were Dick Greco, Rose Ferlita, Bob Buckhorn, Ed Turanchik and Thomas Scott. With a runnoff between Ferlita and Buckhorn, Tampa’s new mayor became Bob Buckhorn. Carrie West was more than pleased to have been among the candidates for Tampa City Council District 5 race as Tampa’s first openly gay candidate where Frank Reddick won.
A new GLBT community center was opened on 7th Ave in historic Ybor City after a 2.5 million dollar beautifully renovated, Metro Wellness and Community Center. It is part of the coordinated GLBT community services in St. Petersburg, New Port Richey and Tampa. A new gay Tampa circuit party, Gancho Party, was created during the Tampa’s Gasparilla invasion. Great parades GaYBOR were included in were Sant’ Yago Knight Parade, St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Florida’s largest Gay Pride Festival, St. Pete’s Pride Parade in June with over 100,000 attendees. In April was the 2nd Annual Pride on 7th Festival. May had the largest Gay Days at Disney Week. Over 250,000 went to the mouse town for the annual gay week. GaYBOR Day’s had a great showing during the 4th of July weekend with community health fair, guest international activist and slain gay political leader pf Harvey Milk, nephew Stuart Milk showed the movie, “The Harvey Milk Story” and a full weekend of other major events. Local gay establishment Streetcar Charlie’s Bar & Grille closed unexpectedly and Laughing Cat Italian Restaurant opened there. Also the Ybor Eagle closed and changed names to the Ybor Social.
A lot of national and international journalist came to experience GaYBOR District and ran great positive press about our 4 year old growing community including writers from Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, England, Ireland, and Canada. A multitude of writers have been exploring Tampa Bay from all across the country and writing about the new positive gay friendly Florida destination. GaYBOR members went to work and challenged other area groups to raise money for Police Bicycles in historic Ybor City. A $1800 bicycle was given in partnership with Hampton Inn & Suites Ybor to Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor.
The Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival had a great 10 day run in October. Orlando Pride got rained out and rescheduled to mid November. But the 4th Annual GaYBOR Storefront Decorating in historic Ybor went onto bigger extravaganzas. A full 6 weeks of holiday fun with ‘Art in the Park’, lighting of a 34′ Christmas Tree in Centro Ybor and a, Snow Blizzard on 7th Ave all with help of GaYBOR District, YCDC, Tampa Recreation Dept and Florida Entertainment Group.
These events and hundreds not mentioned made for a crazy 2011. Onto next year, 2012!
2012 Will Be Bringing These Events….
It will be a kickoff to 2012 with the Outback Bowl Parade New Years Eve Night in historic Ybor City. 5:00pm the drums will be banging and the trumpets blaring through the streets. A very refreshing start of the 1st day of the year with a parade, university band pep rally competition and a Michigan State vs Georgia football game. The 2nd Annual Gancho Circuit Party is set for Gasparilla Weekend Jan 27-29th. That is also the only Olivia Cruise this year and leaves from Tampa with over 1300 women aboard. Jan 29-Feb 5th they will be hitting the high seas. The 18th Annual Gasparilla Softball Tourney, sponsored by the Tampa Bay Suncoast Softball League is Feb 17-19th playing all around Tampa Bay baseball diamonds.
Sant’ Yago’s Pinchasers Night Parade is Feb 18th at 7pm. And of course the weekly events at all the clubs/ bars and non profits in the area.
GaYBOR Meetings are always the 2nd Friday of the month. www.GaYBOR.com
Happy New Year 2012.
GaYBOR’s New Year’s Resolution
“To continue & develope our close relationship with the Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa and Develop a United and Happier GLBT Community”
“To continue & develope our close relationship with the Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa and Develop a United and Happier GLBT Community”
A Softer Side of Ybor City
Many people think that Ybor City is all about Brick Buildings, Cobble Stone Streets & Hard Core Parties. What really makes Ybor City such a “Special Place” is the people who live and/or work here and go to school here. Yes many people do live in Ybor City and many who work here also call Ybor city home. Together this wonderful group of hard working, hospitable, honest people create the “Ybor Experience” that we are known for world wide. In an apartment window on the corner of 15th St & 9th Ave is a warm example of the softer side of Ybor City. Walking by you might not notice the softer side until you pause and take a closer look. Viva La Ybor City The friendly village we all call home.
Are you from the Dakota’s?
Now forming “The Dakota Club”
If you understand the joke… “the only Gay Bar in North Dakota is in Minnesota!” You are from the Dakota’s!!! We now know 4 groups of people from the Dakotas who are living in Tampa Bay but do know each other. The idea was tossed up to form a Dakota group. A chance to get together and share experience. If you are from North or South Dakota please send your name, phone number & email to dishingmcfilm@aol.com
Featured GaYBOR Member of the Week.
Thomas Ward
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000173616525
By day Thomas is a hard working business person. By Night hi is the Crazy Manager/Bartender at G.BAR!!! If your not his facebook friend yet you need to join today. Tomas will keep you up on all the Hottest parties in GaYBOR. Just remember he is on facebook, so be careful what you say to him, especially when we are all cocktailed!!! LOL LOL Many (((HUGS)) “That’s ice water in my Tea Cup Officer!”
By day Thomas is a hard working business person. By Night hi is the Crazy Manager/Bartender at G.BAR!!! If your not his facebook friend yet you need to join today. Tomas will keep you up on all the Hottest parties in GaYBOR. Just remember he is on facebook, so be careful what you say to him, especially when we are all cocktailed!!! LOL LOL Many (((HUGS)) “That’s ice water in my Tea Cup Officer!”
Mark & Carrie’s Nephieu of the Week
Brian McAlister
Have you ever been dancing at Steam Friday’s of G.BAR and looked up into the DJ booth and though …”Who is that cute Guy in the booth with the DJ?” That was probably Brian and he is the lighting director at the clubs.