Mar 12, 2007 12:37 am US/Eastern
Winter Gets Hot At 2007 Winter Party
Daniel Lastra
MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) ―
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Courtesy: Brett Hufziger/bhuf.com
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Her Imperial Highness, Princess Thi-Nga of Vietnam presented the World of Wonders VIP event at the Bass Museum of Art in South Beach.
Courtesy Brett Hufziger/bhuf.com
While the gay marriage debate may preoccupy the minds of many in Florida's gay community, what was on the mind of those attending the 2007 Winter Party Festival was the enjoyment of a week filled with dance parties, shows and family events.
But a deeper message lies in the variety of events offered during this year's week-long festival. Even though, the attendance record was broken again at the annual Beach Party, the event has expanded to be more inclusive of gay and lesbian families.
This year's festival included a family picnic for families and children of all orientations at Hollywood's TY Park. There was also the "Let Justice Roll Down" interfaith religious service in Downtown Miami's Trinity Cathedral, and the first ever Winter Party Tennis Tournament.
And while many are busy enjoying Florida's sultry winter weather, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), is hoping the event also breaks a record in raising money. With issues such as gay unions and marriages looming, the organization hopes to give back to Miami-Dade's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. Not only are they dedicated to training local advocacy groups, but two-thirds of the proceeds stay in South Florida to help fund them. With groups such as Equality Florida, the NGLTF hopes to reach out to the general population about what it means for them to have equal rights.
"The real issue is we human or not," said Executive Director Matt Foreman. "It's if we're created in God's own image and likeness."
Foreman pointed out that the NGLTF has made it a point to reach out to as many communities as possible this year, including gay youth. For this they created the One Tribe, One Vibe event for youths ages 13 to 20 at Parrot Jungle Island.
Figures are still trickling in, but at the beach party alone, attendance exceeded last year's figure of 5,500. That doesn't include those who attended all the other dance parties, spanning from Club Space in Downtown Miami to Crobar on South Beach.
Last year's event raised $300,000.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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