'Redneck Riviera' home to large gay Memorial Day bash

orlandosentinel.com ^ | 05/26/07 | MELISSA NELSON

[TornadoAlley3]

PENSACOLA BEACH -- Souvenir shops that line this sugary white Panhandle beach display Confederate flag beach towels, window decals and T-shirts. Hooters and other bars fly POW-MIA, Marine and Navy flags and cater to the sailors and Marines from the nearby base. Vacationing Southern families usually fill the hotels and condominiums in this slice of paradise long nicknamed "The Redneck Riviera." But every Memorial Day they mostly stay away as this Florida Panhandle town becomes more like trendy Miami Beach -- 700 miles and a world away. 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. Following two years of rebuilding, organizers anticipate 50,000 this weekend -- and the resulting culture clash. Instead of flying rainbow flags to symbolize gay pride, people should fly American flags on Memorial Day, Godfrey said. "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.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Sounds like a good time and place to take a bible and share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Good idea if you're looking for martyrdom.

These aren't your old show-tunes and limp wrist lispers. The "John Edwards" of today tend to be a great deal more militant and violent.

Prayer from a distance would be much less risky.

[ladyjane]

My boss and his wife took off on the spur of the moment to look at a retirement property down there.

That's your boss's story.

[capt. norm]

Thank heaven they go to Pensacola to do this....keeps them over 100 miles west of where I live (Panama City).

[capt. norm]

Panama City Beach has gotten kicked out of the “Redneck Riviera” because just about all the cheap hotel/motels have been bought out and replaced by expensive condos. The rednecks are (noticeably) missing, especially the past three years.

[Deepest South]

The locals don’t like it but the local newspaper loves it. The Pensacola News Journal(owned by Gannet) has touted how just freaking wonderful this is for our economy.

Plenty of people have tried to steer this event away from here. The local politicians direct law enforcement to look the other way.

My wife has been threatened with arrest for praying on the parking lot of one of the venues for the after dark events the gays have during the weekend.

The Memorial day weekend “festivities” were formerly centered in a secluded piece of beach between Pensacola and Navarre. Hurricanes Opal and Erin made and X on that beach within 6 weeks of each other several years ago ( go to a Hurricane archive to see the tracks.

Ivan, Dennis and Katrina did a pretty good job of trashing the gay beach even more recently, the beach road is still gone between Pensacola and Navarre.

Many local pastors speak against the Memorial day gay bash but their reward is to be called bigoted homophobes by the media.

I don’t think the Alabama beaches would embrace the gay weekend as does nearby P’cola. The “family friendly” reputation of Pensacola beach has been tarnished by the continued backing of Memorial “Gay” weekend. Families go to Johnson’s beach on Perdido Key of travel further West to intolerant Alabama.

[napscoordinator]

I am sorry that you have to go through that especially your wife getting harassed. Truthfully I don’t care that they get together and have their weekend, but why on Earth in Pensacola and on Memorial Day Weekend. They should all go down to Key West. I heard that they would be in more accepting company. lol.

[Alter Kaker]

I know we’re not supposed to say that God is punishing certain areas, but it does seem odd that areas where these types of events are prevalent, hurricanes come along and destroy them.

I'm sorry, but hurricanes have always hit Florida. When a hurricane hits San Francisco or Provincetown, Massachusetts, you'll have my attention. But a hurricane in a part of the world that has seen frequent hurricanes during all of recorded history? Not too persuasive.

[Suzy Quzy]

LOL!!!

[Suzy Quzy]

An X on the beach??? WOW!! Any pics?

[don-o]

My first exposure to the "gay" life was in the old Atlanta stadium. As I was leaving the men's room, I saw two men enter separate stalls, then one crawl on the floor to join the other.

Why I didn't go get a cop, I can't recall.

[wku man]

It's used in a lot of places. Even the beach along the Clearwater side of the Courtney Campbell Causeway is called the Redneck Riviera. I've heard Tybee Island, GA called that, also.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[FreedomPoster]

I’m in ATL, so in reasonable driving distance to all the places discussed on this, here. The stretch I’ve described, and especially PC, would be the most common understanding for the term, in these parts.

[wardaddy]

It sorta aggravates me the way the Yankee press calls this area the redneck riviera.

The true redneck riviera is Gulf Shores Alabama.

South Walton county along Hwy 30-A has some of the most expensive real estate in the country and is my favorite place to take my large family to rent a beachfront home for a week in the summer. We have been doing that for 8 years now. It ain’t cheap.

I grew up in Jackson Miss and went to HS in Fairhope Al and fished out of Destin for years back when there was only the Holiday Inn and it was wilderness on 98 tween there and Panama City.

Now, we go to Seagrove. You go on a music nite to the town square at Seaside where you will see a gathering of some of the prettiest mommies the south has to offer with their children playing and teenaged kids flirting about giggling (sneaking cigs like I woulda done) and dads like me just taking it all in(and worrying about how much we are spending per hour for this)....i can tell you....redneck is the last thing that comes to mind. I have never seen more beautiful classy women tanned and sundresses and happy families.

it’s more like a Norman Rockwell moment southern style and hardly comes cheap.

Redneck my arse...that’s some pasty(and jealous) northerner’s snide invention.

Pensacola has always been a fav for homosexuals....as long as I can remember.

folks want a homo-heaven beach.....try Fire Island.

[wardaddy]

lol...

[Kakaze]

LOL!! Very Good Lady Jane...I’ll use that line on him monday when I tease them about this:)

[Biggirl]

I have an older married sister who is married to a retired air force veteran who live in Navarre, FL, in the Panhandle.

[Biggirl]

As a CT Yankee who is listening for the first time to University of Connecticut baseball Big East Championship baseball against Rutgers, besides please see post #36, but also have heard via phone calls, visits by my sister and brother-in-law, and e-mails about the Panhandle area, including Destin, FL.

[Biggirl]

When I read your comments, I said when you had typed in Navarre, FL, I shook my head because my married sister lives in Navarre. This “Gay Memorial Day Weekend” activity has got to be embaressing to both her and my brother-in-law since they are church going folks.

[trumandogz]

"You have the fundamentalist churches who always rant and rave against the (Memorial Day) event and there are always letters to editor complaining about it, but it has been tolerated because the money is green...

And they spend lots of it.

[PAR35]

I guess I’m showing my age.