Watermark, Baker return to 20th Gay Days Weekend

Last year, several nighttime events scheduled during Gay Days Weekend were mired in confusion, lawsuits and shifting venues. The result was diminished attendance and a cloud over at least some aspects of the annual event-filled gathering that attracts more than 100,000 to Orlando and its attractions during the first week of June.

But this year the originators of some of the weekend’s biggest events are returning to what remains the largest annual gathering of gays and lesbians on the continent. 

“I think we all see this as a chance to reset these events and get them back on track,” said promoter Mark Baker.

The respected party producer created several Gay Days Weekend parties in the late 90s and early 00s, including groundbreaking events at Hard Rock Live and Universal Studios. In 2010, Baker will produce major parties at the House of Blues on Thursday and Hard Rock Live on Sunday, as well as late night parties at Arabian Nights throughout the weekend.

Baker will also provide production support for Stratosphere, a Saturday night dance party at Universal Studios Florida sponsored by Watermark Media. Stratosphere is the first Watermark-produced Gay Days Weekend event since Beach Ball, which the newspaper originated in 1997 and then sold in 2002.

Chris Alexander-Manley and Tommy Manley have promoted Gay Days from the start, first in conjunction with The Center and then with their multifaceted GayDayS.com company. For the last 15 years, they’ve witnessed steady growth in hotel bookings, their sold-out business expos, and a number of related and popular events.

According to Alexander-Manley, the damage last year was limited to promoter Johnny Chisholm’s events. “Even with the slow down in the economy, last year was a great year,” he said.

GayDayS.com is planning their most ambitious lineup to date in 2010. They’ve moved their host hotel, pool parties and expo to the huge Doubletree Resort on International Drive, and booked comedians Alex Mapa, Vickie Shaw and Michele Balin as featured performers. And with a unifying theme of ‘Heroes,’ they plan to facilitate events that will benefit numerous worthy causes.

Sometimes lost in the shuffle is the original Saturday afternoon event that started everything back in 1990—Gay Day at the Magic Kingdom—and still attracts as many as 50,000 red-shirted LGBTs to Walt Disney World on the first Saturday in June.

“The official Gay Days has always continued to grow and provide a diversity of events,” said Alexander-Manly. “Some of the outside promoters who’ve organized circuit events have ebbed and flowed. We’re ecstatic to see Watermark get re-involved at the 20th anniversary.”

In 1997, Watermark and California-based promoter Jeffrey Sanker created the first-ever theme park-based nighttime parties held in conjunction with what was then simply called ‘Gay Day.’ Watermark’s Beach Ball was Friday night at Typhoon Lagoon, and Sanker’s One Mighty Party was Saturday at Disney/MGM Studios. Both attracted larger-than-expected crowds the first year and grew exponentially afterward, helping turn Gay Days Weekend into both a daytime and nighttime phenomenon.

Baker followed with his Sunday night Coliseum parties at Hard Rock Live. Wither her Girls in Wonderland events, Alison Burgos also expanded weekend nightlight to an important new audience.

After Watermark left the field, Baker was the principal nighttime party producer during Gay Days Weekend until he ceded his events to New Orleans-based Johnny Chisholm in 2006. Chisholm also drew large crowds until last year, when allegations of unpaid bills forced last-minute venue changes that drastically reduced attendance. Only Lets Go Play, produced out of Fort Lauderdale and designed to fill the resulting vacuum at Typhoon Lagoon, was successful. 

“I think what we created in the late 90s was unique—a world-class event,” says Baker.  “The perception of that has kind of gone downhill a little bit.”

Baker will provide technical and production assistance for Watermark’s Saturday night Stratosphere party. The Universal Studios Florida venue is the huge Music Plaza, with the new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit rollercoaster providing background thrills. The coaster and three other rides will be available to guests, and the party will stretch over several blocks at the attraction. Tickets are $75, and proceeds will benefit the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. 

“I’m really glad we’re doing this,” said Watermark publisher Tom Dyer. “The last couple years have been rough on everybody. It’s the perfect time to loosen up for a big, spectacular party. We’re hoping that locals will want to be there, and that they’ll feel a sense of ownership of the event and the weekend. It’s something that can’t be experienced anywhere else in the world.”

Baker also hopes to recapture the energy of past Gay Days Weekend nighttime events.

“I love the over-the-top stuff, but that’s also what made ticket prices creep up to $95 last year,” he said. “By peeling it back but keeping the hardcore impact items, it’ll be a party everyone wants to attend and more people can afford.”

All Gay Days Weekend event producers have a common goal: to fuel the future viability of an annual event that generates millions in local revenue and keeps Orlando on the worldwide LGBT radar.

“We want people who travel here to say, ‘This is an amazing weekend. This is something I want to do every year. This is a great way to spend part of my travel budget,'” Baker said. 

More information:
Mark Baker Events
Gay Days
Girls In Wonderland