The closing event for the 2nd Asia Pacific Outgames in Wellington in March 2011 will be "one of the biggest gay and lesbian parties New Zealand has ever seen."
International DJs, world-class entertainment, and lighting and sound systems which will set a new benchmark in the capital city are all part of the early plans for the party, say the Outgames crew.
GayNZ.com understands that pencil bookings have already been made for one large venue, while others are still being investigated.
Outgames co-chair Virginia Hopkins-Burns says numbers are expected to comfortably exceed those of previous big gay dance parties in the city, such as Devotion and Deus which attracted over 1,000 partygoers. "There will be Outgames participants from other parts of New Zealand, from Australian cities, Asia, and the Pacific Islands," she says.
Proposals are being invited from events managers and other organisations who are interested in providing specific services, or who would like to consider organising and delivering the party in its entirety.
A request for proposals document is available from Outgames organisers, and proposals must be received by 20 November.
The party will be the biggest single event in the Outgames, which is a week of sports competition, visual and performing arts, and conferences on a range of themes. The Outgames will be held from Saturday 12 March to Saturday 19 March 2011, with the party on the 19th.
SWIMMERS SIGN UP FOR 2011
Meanwhile, Auckland's gay swimming team say they're looking forward to heading down to Wellington's Outgames in 2011.
"We've had a team at every Gay Games since New York in 1994, and had 29 swimmers in Sydney for 2002," says Team Auckland Master Swimmers' spokesperson Cynthia Borne. "We loved the first Asia Pacific Outgames in Melbourne last year too.
The social swimming team, which currently has around thirty active members, meets twice a week at The Teps pool in Customs Street West.
"So we're excited to be signed up to Wellington's Outgames and are looking forward to hitting the water with new friends from around the globe."
