Tickets are selling fast for the fifth annual Unpredictable Fashion Show, an annual fundraiser for the Nashville GLBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLBTCC), this year called Freshly Unpredictable.
At press time there were less than 50 general admission tickets remaining and 21 VIP tickets for the event on Sunday, April 25. Event co-chairs Michael Fluck and Jerry Jones said the event sells out every year, but tickets are going at a faster pace than usual this year likely due to several factors.
“We’ve built a reputation for the event in the past five years and people expect to have a great time so more and more people are buying their tickets in advance,” Jones said. “With an underwear contest and some fresh new designers, we expect this to be our most popular show to date.”
The event will begin 5:30 p.m at Play Dance Bar (1519 Church St.) with a silent auction including items such as a set of Bridgestone tires, artwork and vacation packages. Hors d'oeuvres will be provide by Bacon & Caviar.
The event is the sole fundraiser for the NGLBTCC. It has raised more than $70,000 for the group in the past four years.
The co-chairs of the event this year strove to include strong representation from the lesbian community with the participation of designer Sheika Taylor. Taylor will show her Verandeno line which she creates for ‘butch’ lesbians. Fashion from Nashville Clothing Co. will also be a part of the show as well as underwear from Pistol Pete, Mundo Unico and 2(x)ist.
A bit of skin has become a staple of the Unpredictable brand of fashion and fun and this year the co-chairs set out to raise the bar by having an online contest to choose male underwear models for the show. The top winner will receive $500 cash. The contest will run April 1 through April 16 at outandaboutnewspaper.com. Several models had already entered the contest by press time in March.
Chamber President John Wade said the group consistently finds ways to utilize Chamber members when possible and to promote gay-owned, operated and gay-friendly businesses. He said much of the event's success can be attributed to hard-working volunteers and the Unpredictable co-chairs.
"Unpredictable continues to be the Chamber's primary source of revenue, allowing us to maintain consistently low membership rates," Wade said. "Additionally, much of the revenue generated is being saved to further our mission with the eventual hiring of a full time executive director."