February hasn’t been the same for several years since the Millennial League, a fundraising and education arm of the AIDS Service Foundation of greater Kansas City, launched an alternative to traditional Valentine’s Day romantic dinners and created a festive party called Val-O-Ween.
This year, the event will be at 8 p.m. Feb. 8, at a new location -- The Foundation event and gallery space, 1221 Union Ave., Kansas City, Mo., in the historic West Bottoms neighborhood.
“This will be the fifth year of Val-O-Ween,” reports Joshua Minnis, president of the Millennial League.
The theme is “Neon Nights”, or as Minnis joked, “It’s black light, bitch!”
Organizers are encouraging a creative dress code — clothes that look good in black light, black with neon or white.
The emcee for the evening will be Daisy Buckët, a well-known entertainer who has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the AIDS Service Foundation through AIDS Walk, her annual print calendar, and other means.
The party will have dancing with DJ M. Scott, a photo op area, free HIV testing, and more. Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and $15 for those under 21. Included in the price of admission for those over 21 is a bottomless “Signature Glowing Cocktail” all evening.
Minnis describes the Millennial League as a “training ground for those under the age of 30.” The league hosts events not only to raise funds for the AIDS Service Foundation, but more important, to raise awareness and educate people about HIV/AIDS. The theme for the Millennial League is “Wrap it Up” and the group has really creative T-shirts with that logo available on their website.
Other officers are Matt Anderson, vice president for communications; Adam Merando, vice president for education; and Birju Solanki, vice president for finance.
To purchase tickets or sponsor Val-O-Ween, go to their Eventbrite page, which also features a map to the location: valoween2013.eventbrite.com.
For more information on the Millennial League, visit their website: www.millennialleaguekc.org.
Tea Dance Graffiti Party
Even before Val-O-Ween, though, the Millennial League Tea Dance is hosting a Graffiti Party from 4 to 7 p.m. Jan. 27. Although their Tea Dances have previously been held at Bistro 303, this event will be held at Hamburger Mary’s, 101 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
Here’s what they’re asking you to do: “Find your best white T-shirt. Wear it. Bring a marker, pen, charcoal, anything that writes. Write on your friends. Or people you don’t know. Write funny things. Leave your number on that certain someone you’ve had your eye on. It’s OK. We brought condoms. Oh, and you will dance.”
After the Graffiti Party, the league encourages people to wear their graffiti-decorated T-shirts to “The M Factor” that evening. It’s Kansas City’s own variety show, with all kinds of talent represented. This fundraiser for the league is held on the last Sunday of every month at Missie B’s, 805 W. 39th St., Kansas City, Mo. As with all M Factor shows, all tips are donated to the Millennial League.
Admission to the Graffiti Tea Dance is a requested $5 donation to the AIDS Service Foundation of Kansas City.