New York, NY: Out In Events announced this week that Fairgrounds VIII, better known as ‘Gay and Lesbian Day at Six Flags’, has been rescheduled for Friday, October 7th from 5:30pm until midnight at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. The original date of September 23rd was cancelled due to severely inclement weather. Fairgrounds VIII will now coincide with Six Flags’ popular Halloween event, Fright Fest. DJs Steve Sidewalk and Seth Gold will provide the musical entertainment with performances by Sylvia Tosun, Neon Hitch, and Kelli. Over ten thousand gay men and women (and their friends) are expected to attend. A portion of the net proceeds will benefit the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund, The Imperial Court of NY, The A.S.P.C.A, and The LGBT Center.
This year’s theme for Fairgrounds is ONE community for ALL. “We themed this year’s event One Community for All because Fairgrounds is the one east coast event that unites all walks of the LGBT community in a large number” says co-founder Mark Nelson, an LGBT events planner and producer. “Age, race, social standing, body image do not matter at Fairgrounds. What matters is that everyone has a smile on their face while they recapture their youth running from ride to ride.”
Six Flags’ Fairgrounds launched eight years ago at Six Flags Great Adventure. “It was wildly successful from the start”, explains co-founder Gage Kristofer. Last year’s event, featuring performances by Wynter Gordon and Vassy, was the second largest attendance in the event’s history with over seven thousand attendees. “We welcomed gay men and women from Washington DC, Boston, Pittsburg and the entire tri-state area. It was truly a coming together of lesbians, twinks, chelsea boys, bears, homo thugs, club kids, and more – all uniting with pride.”
2010 also saw an influx of gay newlyweds and gay families with their children.
Six Flags Great Adventure is world renown for its award-winning roller coasters. Amusement Today recently awarded El Toro coaster with its Golden Ticket for being the #2 top wooden coaster in the country. At a record-breaking 76 degree incline, El Toro features the steepest drop of any wooden roller coaster in the USA. They also awarded a Golden Ticket to Six Flags Great Adventure’s Nitro coaster, ranking it the #3 steel coaster in the country. Nitro blasts riders 230 feet in the air with a 215-foot drop at speeds approaching 80 mph.
Six Flags Great Adventure’s new Green Lantern stand-up coaster delivers a smooth, white-knuckled adventure – but this time standing up while upside down on a 15-story ride of twisting green steel! All three coasters will be open at Fairgrounds VIII.
Six Flags Great Adventure is prepared to keep ride lines moving swiftly at Fairgrounds VIII. A VIP pass is also available to insure quicker access to rides.
“Fairgrounds takes place right before October’s National Coming Out Day,” continues Nelson. “So we like to think of it as a pre-celebration to the coming out festivities. There’s so much to be proud of this year. Come out to Six Flags, because you were born this way, baby.”
For more information on Fairgrounds VIII, please visit www.outinevents.com or www.gaysixflags.com.
About the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund
Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force was the first national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights organization and remains the community’s uncompromising, progressive voice. The Task Force fights for equality and justice by building grassroots power through training, advocacy, organizing and forward-thinking research and expertise. It challenges not only the status quo in mainstream America, but politics as usual within the LGBT community, and refuses to make political compromises that would leave anyone behind.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has offices in Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, Cambridge and Minneapolis. The Task Force is a 501(c)(3) corporation incorporated in Washington, DC. Contributions to The Task Force Foundation are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. For more information visit thetaskforce.org
