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Hello Friends!

Welcome to Labor Day weekend: the unofficial end of summer! While we are sure many of you have lots of fun things coming up for the weekend that might take you out of town, for those of you that are sticking around there is plenty happening this weekend.

However, before you go ahead and have fun, we encourage you to PLEASE pick up the phone, as it’s time to call our Senators again. Yes, that’s right. The NY State Senate is expected to revisit the subject of marriage equality before the end of September. As you likely remember, last May and June we were all calling our Senators prior to their unscheduled vacation. However, now they are back to work and if we are going to see marriage equality happen this year, we all need to get active! Not just the LGBTQ Community, but our heterosexual allies as well.

Earlier tonight, we spoke with one of our town councilmen here in Highland. Now, keep in mind, he is a Republican who represents a relatively conservative community.   I asked him his thoughts on Marriage Equality and he explained to me that eight years ago, he would not have been in favor of gay marriage. However, after meeting us, he now feels as though Marriage Equality legislation should be passed here in NY in 2009 – so much so that he is going to call Senator Larkin (another conservative Republican) tomorrow, and ask him to please support this legislation. Sure, its one thing for me to ask the Senator for his support, but it is another thing to have a heterosexual ally do the same.

OK, enough preaching. Please pick up your phones and call today! Not sure who to call? Find your Senator here.

On with the listings!

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Friday, September 4th

Old Lesbians Organizing for Change Pot Luck, Kingston @ 6:30pm
Join the OLOCs (60 and over) at the LGBTQ Center in Kingston for their monthly potluck. Bring a dish to share. For more information, e-mail alix@oloc.org

“Create, Love, Sing” with Tom Goss, Poughkeepsie @ 8pm
Come out and support gay singer, song writer, Tom Goss at Poughkeepsie’s Cafe Bocca at Mt. Carmel Place in downtown. $5 Cover.

Day to Be Gay Concert with Vicki Genfan, North Branch @ 9pm
This year, Day to Be Gay in the Catskills will feature two smaller events over the course of Labor Day weekend; the first being a live concert at the Old North Branch Inn. Bar opens at 6pm with concert at 9pm. Following the concert, tune in to WJFF Radio Catskill, 90.5 FM for a live broadcast of “Out, Loud, and Queer” from the Old North Branch Inn with host Kathy Rieser. Admission is $20.

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Saturday, September 5th

Northern Dutchess Annual Studio Art Tour, Rhinebeck and Beyond, 11am – 5pm
The Annual Art Studio Views Tour will be held Labor Day Weekend September 5th and 6th. This year’s weekend-long tour includes Clinton Corners, Hyde Park, Milan, Red Hook, Rhinebeck, Rhinecliff, Staatsburg, and Tivoli. The artists work in a variety of mediums including oils, acrylic, water color, mixed media, photography, ceramics, stained & painted glass, etching, and print making. The tour is free and open to the public. For more information about the artists or to map your tour online, check out this link.

Butch Femme Dance Lessons, White Plains @ 1:30pm
A special Introduction to Dance Lessons presented especially for the Butch/Femme Society, check out this link for more information. $12 for singles, $20 for couples.

Primetime Anniversary Party, Highland @ 10pm
Come and join the Hudson Valley’s original gay bar for their anniversary party, hosted by Ms. Primetime 2009 – Coco Kane. Special guest performers, and a new food menu!

Homo on the Range at Truman’s, New Paltz @ 10pm
Free entry all night for anyone in cowboy attire. $3 drink specials, and free fondue buffet from 5pm – 10pm.

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Sunday, September 6th

Labor Day Tea Dance, Highland @ 5pm
The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center hosts its annual Labor Day tea dance at Primetime in Highland from 5pm – 9pm. Proceeds benefit Pride 2010.

Labor Day Tea Dance and Pork Roast, Albany @ 5pm
Before the weekly Savage Nights celebration at Rocks, join the gays in Albany starting at 5pm for a tea dance and pig roast. Proceeds for the night benefit the Albany AIDS Walk.

Day to Be Gay Tea Dance & Karaoke Festival, Cauneonga Lake @ 1pm – 5pm
DJ, Cash Bar, Food, and lots of great Karaoke – $10 each.

Savage Nights, Albany @ 11pm
Rocks Bar on Central Avenue continues the party in the NY State Capital with a night of Drag Mayhem!

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Monday, September 7th

Labor Day Benefit Barbeque to Elect Deborah Schneer, New Paltz @ 5pm
Ulster County Court Judge, Deborah Schneer, is the first woman and a member of our community to hold this position.
The LGBTQ community can take great pride in having such a highly qualified person on the bench here in Ulster County, and donations of any size welcome to help the campaign at this event! For more information, please contact meglehr@hvc.rr.com

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Wednesday, September 9th

HALO, Poughkeepsie @ 9pm
The college boys and girls are back in town, and that mean’s Poughkeepsie’s favorite Wednesday night big gay party is hoppin’ once again! So check out Halo on Main Street in Poughkeepsie where the crowd usually gets going after 10pm!

A Time for ENDA: NOW!, White Plains @ 7pm
The Loft Gay Center in White Plains presents an information session on the yet unpassed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that would provide basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. ENDA simply affords to all Americans basic employment protection from discrimination based on irrational prejudice. The bill explicitly prohibits preferential treatment and quotas and does not permit disparate impact suits.

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Thursday, September 10th

World PREMIERE of Tom Judson’s “Canned Ham”, Hudson @ 8pm
Middle-aged former actor, musician, waiter, bartender, porn star (a.k.a. Gus Mattox,) writer, carpenter, composer, activist, streetfood vendor, bike messenger, chorus boy, callboy and all around gadfly presents his new show – hosted by Hudson’s own Trixie! Plans are under way to bring Tom down this way soon, too – Stay tuned!

Trixie Star Interviews Tom Judson on his new show \”Canned Ham\”

STD’s & Safer Sex for GBTQ Men, Kingston @ 7pm
Andrew Rotans from the Dutchess County Department of Health will discuss sexually transmitted diseases as they relate to gay, bi and trans men. All men are welcome. The presentation takes place at the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center at 300 Wall Street, Kingston, NY.

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Be sure to mark your calendars for next Saturday, September 12th for the first-ever Westchester Pride at Rye Playland! We hope to see you there!

Have a great Big Gay weekend!
Stephan & Patrick

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