"I'd say this is a pretty homophobic place."
She added her surprise that the event had flourished in the conservative area. "Everybody knows that's gay-pride weekend, and we don't even come out this way because of the crowds," said Trish Jablonski. "It's just not my kind of crowd," Jessie Jablonski said laughing, as the longtime Pensacola couple fished for flounder and snapper off a bridge one recent afternoon. Jessie Jablonski, an Air Force retiree, and his wife, Trish, said they avoided the beach on Memorial Day weekend.
"I personally feel like it's just inappropriate behavior from a biblical standpoint." "I think what goes on out there on the beach on Memorial Day is surprising to a lot of people who move into our community," he said. Instead of flying rainbow flags to symbolize gay pride, people should fly American flags on Memorial Day, Godfrey said. Gordon Godfrey, pastor of the 2,000-member Marcus Pointe Baptist Church, said many in his congregation were offended by the activities. "We used to have groups that picketed, but for the most part even that has gone away - there are just some religious groups that have a problem with it now," said Jim Goldman, an organizer of the charity Art Against AIDS, which receives a portion of the proceeds of the events. While no one can recall any violent incidents targeting the gay tourists, the raucous weekend of concerts, Cirque de Soleil-like dance troupes and female impersonator RuPaul hasn't always sat well with everyone - although that may be subsiding. Starting in the mid-1980s, gay men from New Orleans and other nearby cities began gathering here for a three-day party that has grown into one of the South's largest gay gatherings, attracting more than 60,000 people in 2004 before hurricanes Ivan and Dennis destroyed many beach roads and buildings.Īfter two years of rebuilding, organizers anticipated 50,000 this weekend. Vacationing Southern families usually fill the hotels and condominiums in this slice of paradise long nicknamed "The Redneck Riviera."īut every Memorial Day they mostly stay away as this town becomes more like trendy Miami Beach - 700 miles and a world away. Hooters and other bars fly POW-MIA, Marine and Navy flags and cater to the sailors and Marines from the nearby naval air station.
Souvenir shops lining this sugary white Panhandle beach display Confederate flag beach towels, window decals and T-shirts. It is advisable to book hotel accommodation in advance when staying in Pensacola, especially during Pensacola’s Memorial Day Weekend in May and Come Out Pensacola in October.PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. Pensacola has a lively gay scene with many gay/lesbian clubs and gay-friendly hotels and restaurants. Expect to see the Angels flying home over the beach every Sunday afternoon! The Gay Scene in Pensacola Beach Pensacola is also home to the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the United States Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron, popularly known as the Blue Angels. Every Memorial Day weekend, tens of thousands of gay and lesbian travelers flock here to party with their toes in the white sand.įor those who crave laid back urbanity while at the beach, the Historic District of nearby Pensacola, is a theme park for architectural buffs and boasts a vibrant gay nightlife, many fine restaurants, theaters, museums and galleries. It also hosts the biggest yearly LGBT pride event in the south. Pensacola Beach is home to many gay residents and several successful gay business owners. The community is laid back, accepting and embraces gay travelers. Plan to park your car for the duration of your visit because everything you need for a relaxing beach getaway, including restaurants, bars and a wide array of outdoor adventure activities, is easily accessible on foot. Local development is severely curtailed by the wild beauty of the Gulf Islands National Sea Shore. Located on Santa Rosa island, in Northwest Florida, Pensacola Beach is buffered on both ends by bridges and surrounded by water on both sides- with the emerald blue vistas of the Gulf of Mexico ‘Gulfside’ and the tranquil views of Pensacola Bay ‘Soundside’. This vacation gem is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Miami. Pensacola Beach is one of the most expansive, beautiful and less known white sand beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.