Is there such a thing as too much Pride?
A rift has formed in the Las Vegas gay community, centering around Pride Week. Organized by SNAPI (the Southern Nevada Association of Pride, Inc., the official governing body that supports countless nonprofit programs and events), the festival runs from April 28 through May 4 and features, among its list of activities, the 10th annual Pride Night Parade and the Pride Ball. As nightclubs hold an important position in the itinerary for the week, men’s and women’s parties, drag bingo and pool parties are organized and hosted by sponsoring venues such as Piranha, Freezone and the Blue Moon Resort, as well as not-exclusively gay properties like the Luxor. For Vegas locals transplanted from Boston, New York and San Francisco, Pride Week, the Pride Parade and the partying that comes with them are anticipated like an adult spring break.
But while web-surfers might easily find their way to LasVegasPride.org, SNAPI’s official website, they might also end up on LasVegasPride.com, a web domain purchased by Krave Nightclub which redirects folks to their own week-long Pride event—Sin City Pride. By all appearances, Sin City Pride looks like the official Pride Week festival.
Drama! Vegas has an excess of everything else, so why not Pride? How can you have too much of a good thing?! Well, if the festivals run in direct opposition to one another and split the attention of a community celebrating its unity, that’s how.
Speaking for SNAPI, Vice President Bob Napierala explains that the rift formed over a contract dispute. He says Krave failed to make good on a commitment to pay $12,000 over 12 months for a year of festival ramp-up activities which would culminate in Krave being the chief sponsor of Pride 2008. After only two installments, Napierala says, the payments stopped. Despite all attempts to collect, a $10,000 balance remains, and Krave lost the sponsorship package. Krave’s Kelly Murphy counters that the deal specifically included a SNAPI Saturday monthly, which he says SNAPI ceased arranging and marketing after two months.
Murphy also points out that Krave gave SNAPI an elaborate Pride 2008 proposal, one that would encompass the entertainment, celebrities, DJs and marketing for all of Pride Week. “Unfortunately,” says Murphy, “SNAPI remained very short-sighted and summarily dismissed our proposal. Krave decided to proceed with our events in a manner that would supplement the SNAPI event.” SNAPI’s reaction: If it were supplemental, there would be no conflicting events.
Despite insistence by some SNAPI members that Krave be booted from Las Vegas Pride for the website stunt, Napierala fought to keep them in; Krave will keep their festival booth and walk in the parade. At press time, they were also scheduled to have hosted a Community Counseling Center benefit on Wednesday, April 30. “The whole point of Pride is inclusion,” he says. “That would be against what Pride is all about.” There’s a lot of emotion behind Pride for Napierala, last year’s festival president. “The biggest issue for me is, why would a for-profit business take over the website of a not-for-profit organization and lead it to their own website? It’s deceptive; it’s misleading.”
Like everything else these days, it just comes down to money. At a standstill, with SNAPI waiting for Krave to pay up and Krave waiting for SNAPI to start up the monthly Saturday party again, no one is budging. Las Vegas Pride and Sin City Pride are both underway and both reporting success. Thursday, both festivals will host men’s parties, and on Saturday, Krave’s Blue Ball goes head-to-head with the official 2008 Pride Ball at Piranha. We’d wish them luck, but if one side actually wins, don’t we all lose?
Party over here. Party over there.
The salon of beauty is being branded. Downtown’s Beauty Bar will celebrate multiple times during the first weekend in May. Party numero uno kicks off at 8 p.m. on May 2—but not at Beauty Bar. Lot 9 Boutique at 4480 Paradise Road, Suite 475, will play host as Beauty Bar unveils its fashionable side. Using the Beauty Bar logo as inspiration, the collection of tees, hoodies and dresses features motifs from six edgy young designers priced from $30 to $45. The “hipster chain” of lounges has also formed a partnership with the cruelty-free cosmetics company Urban Decay for a Beauty Bar nail polish. Bar owner Paul Devitt says he anticipates adding lipsticks and other color cosmetics in the future. Jewelry and accessories are in the works as well.
The celebration moves over to the Beauty Bar at 10 p.m. for the monthly Get Back First Friday afterparty. Snag your brand-new Beauty Bar shirt before heading over to Fremont Street, as impulse-buying will be out of the question (the collection will be sold exclusively in select boutiques or online at BeautyBar.com, but not at any Beauty Bar locations).
But don’t throw away your party hat just yet. Beauty Bar has an additional reason to celebrate on May 4. Patrons can observe BBLV’s third anniversary with the music of Autolux, Hearts Revolution, the Beauty Bar DJs and special guest DJ Franki Chan. There will be hosted bar from 7-9 p.m. and a complimentary barbecue, but if you really want to impress the Beauty Bar’s trendy clientele, BYOS (Bring Your Own Spork).