LOCAL NEWS: Jim Kenney, Other Celebs to Guest-Bartend at Philly4Pulse Event

Philly4Pulse is Thursday, July 21, 2016 in the Gayborhood.

Philadelphia’s Gayborhood unites with public figures to support the victims of the Orlando Pulse shootings.

Since June 14th, owners and representatives from the Gayborhood’s most popular bars have joined forces to help host an event to support the victims of the tragic Orlando shootings at Pulse Nightclub. Called “Philly4Pulse,” these bar owners (including Tabu, ICandy, Knock, Woody’s, Tavern on Camac, and more) are putting on a huge one-night-only fundraiser with funds going directly to Equality Florida. “With 14 established bars coming together and pooling our contacts, resources, and energy, we have seen an unprecedented response from vendors, suppliers, volunteers,” said Tabu owner Jeffrey Sotland. “We have come together to support the community in ways we never imagined.” The July 21st event is slated to have participating bars feature over 30 local celebrity/public figure guest bartenders including Mayor Jim Kenney, Mike Jerrick and Alex Holley of Fox29, Rue Landau, and District Attorney Seth Williams. Equality Florida CEO Nadine Smith, who helped organized the 1993 March on Washington, will also be at the event in support. In addition to the bar crawls, participating nightclubs will hold Latino-themed evenings as a way of recognizing the majority of the victims of the shooting. “This event is more about just raising money and bringing customers into the bars, Sotland said. “This event is about engagement and the bar owners are bringing Nadine Smith, Executive Director of Equality Florida, to Philadelphia to meet and engage with our community…she was 100% on board, when asked.” For more information on this upcoming event, check out the official Facebook event page.

Popular drag queen Martha Graham Cracker is headlining Equality Pennsylvania’s efforts to “Get Out the Vote” during the DNC.

Wondering where the LGBTQ community is going to officially party during the DNC? Equality PA, the state’s leading LGBT advocacy organization, is throwing a “Get Out the Vote” fundraiser at Philly’s highest beer garden, Top of the Tower. “Between the out-of-town delegates and local politicos, we are the Philly Welcome Committee for Equality here in the Commonwealth,” said Equality PA statewide development director Andrea Simonelli. “So we plan to show ’em how Pennsylvania entertains a crowd.” The event is open to the public with cocktails, heavy appetizers, and an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the most powerful political figures in the nation. But beyond the schmoozing and impressive views, one can also expect to let loose to the tongue-in-check tunes of entertainment headliner and drag favorite Martha Graham Cracker. “I am so happy that the Dems are here in Philly for the convention, proud city and cradle of a kind of democracy that we continually aspire to,” said Graham Cracker. “I am honored to support the work of Equality PA and its beautiful mission that stands in elegant and direct contrast to the bloviations of Mr. Trump.” The event is set for Tuesday, July 26th. Tickets