Friday, April 27, at 7:00 p.m. will mark the return of Nashville Pride’s fourth-annual Martinis and Jazz party. This year’s event will again be held at the home of Jon Glassmeyer, 1414 Eastland Ave. in east Nashville.
“The Martinis and Jazz Party is such a lovely social event, and I am happy to once again serve as event host,” said Glassmeyer. “It is an excellent and easy way for people to give their monetary support to the Nashville Pride Committee. I have heard it said that Pride is no longer relevant and/or needed, that Nashville is overall an accepting place to live. While I agree that Nashville may be more accepting, I believe Pride will always be important and relevant as a place for the GLBT and Nashville community to come together and celebrate diversity and acceptance.”
“People have been asking me for months if we are once again having Martinis and Jazz. I have assured everyone that we will,” said Nashville Pride President Todd Grantham. “Tickets for this year’s Martinis and Jazz are only $25. Just think of that. For $25 you are helping to ensure that the Pride celebration will continue, expand, and remain free to the public. I anticipate this year’s event to be a great success.”
“And if lending your voice to Pride is more your idea of fun,” Grantham continued, “then you will want to make sure you are at Blue Gene’s Back Pocket on Friday, May 18, at 8:00 p.m. to participate in Nashville Pride’s newest event – ‘Queeroake.’”
Presented by Bud Light, the Radisson Hotel Nashville Airport and Out & About Newspaper, a $10 cover gives you access to an unlimited Bud Light bar and chances to win prizes. And according to Grantham, an additional $5 gives you the opportunity to showcase you talents as a Queeroake singer.
“This will prove to be an exciting night for one lucky performer, as the winner of the Queeroake competition will be invited to perform live on the main stage during PrideFest 2007,” Grantham added.
Other prizes awarded will include: a $250 gift certificate from the Radisson Hotel Nashville Airport and a Bud Light gift for the 1st runner up as well as a $150 gift certificate to any Radisson Hotel and a Bud Light gift for the 2nd runner up.
“And if martinis, jazz or performing in front of a crowd at Queeroake are not your ideas of fun, we have arranged one of the easiest ways for everyone in the GLBT community to help raise money for Pride. All you have to do is sit down and eat,” Grantham said.
The Nashville Pride Board presents Pride Night at Ombi Bar, 2214 Elliston Place, Monday, May 14. Starting at 5:00 p.m. until closing, Ombi Bar will donate 25 percent of all purchases to support Nashville Pride and the 2007 Nashville Pride Festival.
“We cannot begin to thank Ombi Bar owner Wonnie Short for his incredible support of Nashville Pride,” said Grantham. “And we want to show them our support in return by making this evening one of the busiest that they and their staff can remember.”
To ensure that your purchases are included, reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 615-320-5350.
“I anticipate all of these nights to be a fantastic success,” Grantham said. “I also feel the need to stress to all the readers of this publication that it is only through these types of events and the kind donations of our event sponsors that we are able to throw the largest and most incredible Pride Festival in Tennessee.”
Nashville Pride 2007 sponsors include:
Presenting Sponsor
Out & About Newspaper
Gold Level
Blue Gene’s; Instinct Magazine; iOut Nashville; Nashville Scene; Night Technologies; Outloud Books and Gifts; Packers & Poodles/ Village Real Estate; Petco; SBResults; Tribe/Play
Silver Level
Bridgestone; Church Street Freedom Press; ID Lube; Lucky's Garage; Radisson Hotel Nashville Airport
Rainbow Level
Budweiser; Remax/Elite; SunTrust; Verizon
Non-Profit Organization Sponsor
Stonewall Mission Church; TN Youth Suicide Prevention