Story by Ed Salvato; above: men rowing back to Honolulu with Diamond Head in background (Getty)
Hawaii's so laid back that Honolulu Gay Pride takes place over two completely different weekends. The Honolulu Pride Parade & Celebration is held Saturday, June 5 and the Honolulu Gay Pride Festival -- marking its 20th anniversary -- takes place two weeks later, on June 20.
Maui's Gay Pride takes place over one weekend (June 4-6), but it's fast approaching. So if you want to go, better find a good last-minute fare! (Try Prideline, which provides many last-minute fares from airlines that would rather sell a seat a discounted price then fly that seat empty.)
You have a little more time to plan on attending Big Island's Gay Pride celebration, scheduled for June 25-27. Take your honey on (or find a new one for) the romantic Gay Pride Sunset Cruise on Sunday evening June 27.
Speaking of the Big Island, truly one of the most magical, mysterious, and gorgeous of Hawaii's stunning islands, there's a big gay event occurring July 24 that's worth mentioning for fans of Suzanne Westenhoefer, who will be performing her inimitable brand of comedy to benefit the Big Island chapter of PFLAG, Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. One of the sponsors is the lovely, gay-friendly Waikoloa Beach Marriott.
Here's a picture from one of the rooms, showing the ancient Hawaiian, fish catch (the water inlet in the foreground). Small fish were allowed to enter, feed, and grow. Later, they grew too big to leave and were a source of food for the royalty canoeing along the coast. (Photo: Ed Salvato)
