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UPDATED: Jane Lynch calls out Atlanta Pride over annual Aquarium party

Jane Lynch

Actress Jane Lynch this week sent a letter to the Atlanta Pride Committee urging the APC to change the venue of its now-annual Pride Kickoff Party at the Georgia Aquarium over concerns for the animals' well-being.

"These parties are supposed to be loud and boisterous—it's a celebration!" writes Lynch in a letter to APC's acting Executive Director Buck Cooke.

"However, animals shouldn't have to suffer for the sake of a party,” Lynch continued. “Many of the marine mammals at the aquarium are extremely sensitive to sound, and large parties create an even more stressful environment than they already endure in captivity. … Since the kickoff party sets the tone for all of Pride, will you please consider moving it to one of the many alternative venues that Atlanta has to offer?"

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Augusta Pride returns with expanded events

Augusta Pride

Augusta Pride organizers expect the third annual celebration to set attendance records with an expanded schedule that features several new events in addition to the hallmark parade and festival.

Travis Jenkins, who serves as the Augusta Pride president, has been with the group since its inception and was nominated to lead the 2012 event after working his way up from being the Pride vendor coordinator. A grant from the Augusta Convention and Vistors Bureau has allowed Augusta Pride to do more advertising, including placing banners throughout the city, and beef up the number of days involved.

The long weekend of Pride kicks off Thursday, June 21, with the VIP party/President’s Soiree at the Landmark Marion Hatcher House. Friday, June 22, is the kickoff party, with a Pride cabaret featuring drag performers at Club Argos and Augusta’s lesbian band She N She performing at The Filling Station bar.

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Gay Cinco de Mayo party more than margaritas at Las Margaritas

Cinco de Mayo at Las Margaritas

Don't tell gay Atlanta that Cinco de Mayo isn't the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico. The landslide of bar events is too grande to stop and besides, El Dieciseis de Septiembre just doesn't roll off the tongue.

The man at the helm of Midtown's largest Cinco fiesta is Oscar Alfredo Valdivieso, better known as the mile-a-minute "Papi" by friends and regulars who frequent his Latin restaurant, Las Margaritas.

"This is not just tacos and margaritas," Valdivieso says of his second annual Cinco de Mayo Outdoor Latin Carnaval. "They're going to go crazy."

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DJay McCracken bids farewell to Atlanta

DJay McCrackenAs Atlanta DJ Jay McCracken prepares to officially move shop to Los Angeles next week, he spins for a goodbye party on Friday night at Jungle.

McCracken has lived in Atlanta for seven years and Georgia for 20. He says that goes somewhat against his grain, as he usually moves around every six months to a year.

Though McCracken is popular DJ around town, he got his start DJing only four years ago. He admits that he had always had an interest in electronica. 

After moving to Atlanta, McCracken started handling promotions for former gay nightclub Wetbar with his production company, Spiked Entertainment. He did some bartending there and then turned to DJing for his own birthday party. That started his experience spinning.

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Sponsors withdraw support from ‘Bedlam Presents’ party over ‘Indian’ theme

Bedlam PartyThe popular Atlanta costume-themed party "Bedlam Presents" stepped into hot water again this month when it attempted to host a "Pocahotass" party on Saturday that numerous people found offensive and took to social networking to get sponsors pulled.

The party, to be held at the Mood Lounge and named "Pocahotass," enraged several people who posted comments to the Facebook page of the party's invite on Tuesday and Wednesday. That page, however, has been deleted, but not before dozens of posts were made by those who opposed the party, stating the party was exploiting an oppressed people. Bedlam Presents supporters argued back that, essentially, the party was not offensive and telling those who did not like the theme to not attend.

The party, founded and hosted by Barry Brandon, who is openly gay, invited people to dress up as "Indians and pilgrims." Those opposing the party said the name of the party was offensive and to dress up as people from an oppressed culture was "racist." The poster (above) for the party, also, was deemed insensitive by those opposing the party.