Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Gay and lesbian travelers looking to extend their summer fun into autumn need look no further than Philadelphia in 2009 and beyond. With a handful of new restaurants, bars, clubs, events and hotels to complement Philadelphia’s cherished and historical gay-friendly heritage, Philadelphia is the place to Get Your History Straight

Art lovers, garden enthusiasts, film connoisseurs and sports fans keep coming back year after year for festivals, sporting events, art shows, parades and cultural events in Philadelphia. Here’s what’s going on in the region in 2010*:

January:

• Thousands of decorative strutters kick off the New Year by marching up

Philadelphia’s gay culture is shimmering with a vibrant day and nightlife scene thanks to new restaurants and must-see shops, boutiques and galleries throughout the city. And while visitors are encouraged to get their history straight and their nightlife gay while visiting town, they’re also free to eat, drink and shop,

After exploring the Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy exhibition, appearing only in Philadelphia, only in 2009 (April 4 through September 7, 2009 at The Franklin Institute Science Museum), visitors are encouraged to spend a night or two and enjoy other exhibitions and events in the region.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) has launched a contest as part of the Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay® tourism marketing campaign. Entrants can sign up to win “Philly’s Ultimate Gay Stay,” including a trip to the city and dining, shopping and pampering at

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is proud to announce the renewal of three partnerships to support its groundbreaking gay and lesbian marketing campaign, Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay®. Southwest Airlines has teamed up with GPTMC for the second year, while R Family Vacations

Restaurants/Cafes:

• 10 Arts by Eric Ripert – In this intimate space located inside the glitzy Ritz-Carlton, Chef Eric Ripert presents American cuisine with an emphasis on organic, locally grown ingredients. 10 S. Broad Street, (215) 523-8000, ritzcarlton.com/hotels/philadelphia
• Bindi – Guests enjoy the spices and full flavors of traditional Indian

Philadelphia is heating up this spring with some of the East Coast’s hottest gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender (GLBT) events. Festivities swing into high gear with the first-ever Philadelphia GLBT Artists Festival, the 10^th anniversary of Philadelphia Black Gay Pride and the second annual Liberty Stampede Rodeo. Throughout the

Gay and lesbian travelers eager to get their “history straight” and “nightlife gay” will find an eclectic mix of fun and fabulous happenings in Philadelphia and The Countryside® throughout the year. Dance parties, drag shows, pride parades and cultural events are among the offerings for gay travelers in 2009. Here’s

Philadelphia is the 13^th most visited U.S. destination for gay and lesbian travelers, according to the 13^th annual LGBT Tourism Study of 4,500 gay and lesbian travelers conducted by San Francisco-based Community Marketing, Inc. This year’s report shows a remarkable increase in total visitation by gay and lesbian

Art lovers, garden enthusiasts, film connoisseurs and sports fans keep coming back year after year for festivals, sporting events, art shows, parades and cultural events in Philadelphia. Here’s what’s going on in the region in 2009:

January 2009:

• Thousands of decorative strutters kick off the New Year by marching

R Family Vacations and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) are proud to announce the “R Family Philly Weekend,” March 10-11, 2007. This excursion marks the first time the acclaimed vacation company has offered a family-friendly, gay-friendly getaway in a city. Packages, which go on sale on Wednesday, November

Equality Forum will present the nation’s largest annual gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights forum from April 30 to May 6, 2007, with over 60 programs, parties, and special events. Equality Forum 2007, featuring the United Nations, celebrates the 15^th anniversary of the organization, which has grown to

Martina Navratilova will receive the 12^th Annual International Role Model Award, and M•A•C Cosmetics will receive the 5^th Annual International Business Leadership Award at Equality Forum 2007. The awards will be presented at the International Equality Dinner on May 5 at the National Constitution Center in Independence National

It’s only fitting that the city that created the American principles of liberty and equality for all would be the place where the rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals are sought. Long known as one of the most tolerant cities in the country, Philadelphia has made history again

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) announced today that a special partnership will take this year’s annual National Coming Out Day to new heights with a Freedom Weekend in Philadelphia customized specifically for the lesbian community from October 5-7, 2007. GPTMC, Southwest Airlines and local businesses and promoters, including Sisters

Philadelphia continues to come out as one of the nation’s top gay-friendly travel destinations. As reflected in its high-profile ad campaign, Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay®, the region has become the place to learn about America’s past by day and to experience a little

Good taste rules in Philadelphia’s diverse “Gayborhood,” a colorful nine-block swathe that includes dozens of gay-owned and gay-friendly cafes, restaurants and lounges. Whether the craving is for a designer martini at Bump or an Italian meal at Vetri, named “one of America’s top 50 restaurants” by Gourmet Magazine, the

From queer gear to trendy housewares and mid-century furniture, Philadelphia’s nine-block “Gayborhood” offers a diverse shopping experience for visitors. Located within the city’s hip Midtown Village neighborhood, the gay-owned and gay-friendly boutiques and stores share the streets with lively restaurants, bars and clubs. But, best of all, clothing shopping in

Philadelphia’s lively “Gayborhood” has become even more colorful with the addition of rainbow-branded street signs, but that’s not all that’s new in the city’s gay-friendly neighborhood or the region’s gay-friendly town of New Hope, an artsy enclave less than an hour’s drive from Center City. A slew of new gay-friendly

New Year’s Day is an all-day party in Philadelphia, and it’s all centered around the Mummers Parade, a 106-year-old tradition that is part of what many locals consider the best “gay” day of the year.

Parade Basics:
The heart of the New Year’s Day celebration in Philadelphia rests on

Gay travelers to Philadelphia eager to get their "history straight" and “nightlife gay” will find an eclectic mix of fun and fabulous happenings throughout the year. Dance parties, drag shows, pride parades and cultural events are among the offerings for gay travelers in 2006-2007. And with the Philadelphia Freedom Hotel

As shown by its high-profile ad campaign, "Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay," and resulting coverage on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, CNN and other national media, Philadelphia has officially "come out" as a gay-friendly travel destination. The region is the place to learn about what

Gay nightlife in Philadelphia isn’t all about the men. Lesbian travelers have a vibrant scene all their own with Sisters Nightclub, a seven-days-a-week women’s bar, and themed parties at an array of venues each week. There’s a place in Philadelphia for all kinds of lesbians, from the artist to the

Gay nightlife in Philadelphia isn’t all about the men. Lesbian travelers have a vibrant scene all their own with Sisters Nightclub, a seven-days-a-week women’s bar, and themed parties at an array of venues each week. There’s a place in Philadelphia for all kinds of lesbians, from the artist to

With so much to do in Philadelphia, visitors will want to sleep over so they don’t miss a thing. And with pleasant weather ushering in even more events—and a hotel package that gives guests a $50 gift—there’s even more to fit into a Philly trip. Fortunately, there are a number

Openings:

• Please Touch Museum and Centennial District – When it opens on October 18, 2008, the children’s museum’s new location in Fairmount Park’s Memorial Hall—a National Historic Landmark built in 1876 for the Centennial Exhibition—will boast three times more space for exhibitions and programs. Just outside the museum,

Visitors from the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) community are in for a treat this spring and summer as Philadelphia makes way for a series of new and annual LGBT events. In May, the city hosts two major sporting events—the Liberty Stampede Rodeo and the Liberty Bell Classic—for

In spring 2008, Philadelphia is hosting a series of first-time events for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) sports fans. From May 9-11, the Liberty Gay Rodeo Association (LGRA) will stage Philadelphia’s inaugural gay rodeo, the Liberty Stampede, at the 100-year-old Devon Horse Show Fairgrounds in the Philadelphia suburbs. Then,

Philly locals will be the centerpiece of new creative developed for the Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay® tourism marketing campaign, giving it a next-generation appeal. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and Southwest Airlines will debut "We Your People" in national advertising placements and in

Name: Matthew Izzo, designer/boutique owner
Affiliation: Matthew Izzo boutiques
His Story: Matthew Izzo opened his first shop in Philadelphia in 2002, and business has been booming ever since. Izzo, a pedigreed Manhattan interior designer, opened his business here because "Philly is fresh. I fell in love with the architecture and