YOUR ULTIMATE TLV PRIDE 2015 TO DO LIST

It’s that time of the year when Tel Aviv’s streets are filled with guys from all over the world, wearing tiny shorts and sexy shades, celebrating Tel Aviv Pride. It’s like a summer festival: if you don’t know where the party is, you might just find yourself lazing on the beach all week – not that there’s anything wrong with that. However, if you want to forgo a severe case of FOMO – stick to my detailed event schedule published in my column of Time Out Israel.

Interviewing Sherry Vine and Gloria Viagra at the TLVFest – Photo by Ari KoKa

The “Nonstop City’s” 17th Annual Pride Festival takes place June 7-12, with its highlight being the City’s largest ever gay parade, with an expected all-time record of 180,000 participants (2014 saw 130,000 party-goers) – making it Asia’s largest ever gay pride event. This year’s events will focus on supporting the Transgender Community, and Eurovision Star Conchita Wurst (Austrian Winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest) will be performing in the parade. For even more info, stick to the blog’s Facebook page.

FOR MOVIE MANIACS

Celebrate TLVFest’s 10th anniversary at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque during Pride week. This year’s festival features new movies starring James Franco and Robin Williams. Special guests include queer icon Sherry Vine, Jonathan King – producer of Lincoln and Dreamgirls, and the “Material Boy” aka Luizo Vega, a film maker claiming to be „lost son” of Madonna who she gave birth at the age of 15.

As usual, TLVFest will present a very diverse Israeli program featuring more than 30 new Israeli short movies in their world or Israeli premieres. Notably, the new documentary Karam: A Matter Of Karma (2014) tells the story of a Palestinian-Israeli drag queen who speaks about his tormented past, his tragic coming out in front of his Muslim family, finding shelter in an LGBT-youth house in Tel Aviv and his ambition to change the image of the LGBT-people in the Arab community.

June 5-15. See: TLVFest

FOR THE LADIES

Girls deserve to let their heads go too – and in Tel Aviv Pride is all about equality. The city’s unstoppable lesbian party organizer duo, Dana Ve Anat bring multiple DJs playing pop and dance anthems.

Their events turned into one of the most iconic lines for the lesbian community – Changing locations, constant fun – experience it yourself at Kuli Alma.

For more info see: Dana Ve Anat.

FOR ART BETCHES

“Same as You ” is a group exhibition exploring gender, sexuality, identity, love and equality as part of Tel Aviv Pride week 2015. The exhibition connects emerging and established artists from backgrounds as diverse as fine art, photography, drawing, collages and mixed media, bringing them together in an exhibition that is innovative, thought provoking, yet appealing to a wide audience.

The exhibition challenges stereotypic ideas of LGBTQ art and aims to act as a forum for expanding the discussion. Exhibition participants: Igor Zeiger, Assaf Mordechai, Sigal Mizrahi, Alexander Kargaltsev, Nir Sason, Alexander Ivanov, Vlada Katzman, Maayan Hatan, Yuval Israeli, Rona Zehavi, Andrey Povarov.

Exhibition open June 10-13. Opening event is at 20:00 on Wed. See: Mazeh 9

FOR FETISH LOVERS

Israel’s Berlin style Beef parties produced by Thomas are the darkest and sexiest deals of the Pride week: not one, but three bashes are arranged for those who like it hot. Beef Jerky – on June 9th at Penguin bar – offers progressive tech house music by, spiced up wide a crusing bar and a darkroom.

For tickets and locations, see: BEEFtlv

FOR A HOUSE PARTY FEELING

Industrial and easygoing Comfort 13 Club in Tel Aviv’s “hipster” neighborhood, Florentin gives home to a special party hosted by the sexy club kid Eliad Cohen. “Papa” brings an amazing lineup of international and local DJs – including Issac Escalante, Sagi Kariv, and Tomo Woodland.

Prepare for sexy house sets till late night and an incredible live show with professional acrobats and dancers, and stunning visuals art.

June 11. For tickets, see: tickets@atraf.co.il