A multi-day event such as Gayze Festival doesn’t just organise itself, and it’s taken the combined efforts of two high-spirited event organisers, both with their big gay hearts beating in all the right ways, to come to together and merge their exceptionally cheeky views on life, love and partying into something truly wondrous.
Kam Shafaati of THICK ‘N’ JUICY and John Pants of HONCHO DISKO, have been great friends for many years, and although both run very different, yet complementary, large-scale events, the idea of doing something together and unifying their respective party-mad crowds had never really surfaced.
THICK ‘N’ JUICY is known for its big diverse party family of sexy, friendly people; famous for high-profile DJs, amazing performers, hunky gogo dancers, cheeky themes and awesome venue transformations. While HONCHO DISKO is a renowned queer and drag community, providing supportive safe spaces and original events that combine performance, art, creativity, fashion and extreme self-expression.
It was only when these two friends recently put their heads together, talked events, and shared some wild new thoughts on what makes a great party tick, and also what would be needed to get Melbourne much wider recognition and respect on the LGBTQIA+ global festival circuit, that they soon realised their sparkling ideals were brilliantly aligned, and that combining both their parties into something even more spectacular and inclusive was well overdue.
From this much-needed brainstorming, they bounced around some truly liberating and vivacious new ideas…
What if the numerous factions of the LGBTQIA+ community could all be brought together under the same banner for the whole Pride weekend? What if EVERYONE could feel safe, accepted, connected, and just a little spoilt, all at the same time? What if Melbourne Pride parade could be more than just a one day event, but also encompass a fully organised, weekend-long, lifestyle/party experience, rivalling anything else in the world?
Being the flamboyant and dynamic promoters that they both are, and realising these delicious new ideas were not simply wishful thinking, but completely realistic ambitions, they got to work.
Their combined efforts, ideas, and aspirations of unifying these diverse and spirited communities have now all been realised, and their shimmering brainchild, Gayze Festival, has finally been put into spectacular motion.
Gayze Festival is a completely unique experience spanning the whole of the Melbourne Pride Weekend (Fri 31st of Jan to Sun 2nd of Feb 2020), where all the colours of the rainbow are celebrated and embraced, and where every party-goer’s needs are arranged, indulged and satisfied while they enjoy unchecked freedom in a wide range of deluxe settings throughout the beachside paradise of St Kilda. It’s an unprecedented and unifying experience that you’d kick yourself for missing.
If you are interested in being part of this first Gayze Festival extravaganza, and experiencing a standout Pride Weekend that will live on in your memory for a long time to come, Early Bird Tickets go on sale Wednesday 6th of November at 7pm.
