FEATURE

Festival '81 Wildwood Lake, Ohio

Dolly Parton, eat your heart out.

By Special Assignment Editor Mike Ray

So what if it took us three hours to get there?

So what if it poured rain on the way there?

And so what if we had to get up and get going by 9 or 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning?

It was worth it. The 3rd Annual Festival '81 sponsored by the Northern Ohio Coalition was a blast. Sunday, Sept. 13th, was a party day for about 3,000 gay and lesbian people from Ohio, Michigan and other places. They converged on Wildwood Lake, an entertainment complex built around an old limestone quarry, to enjoy the free beer and pop provided, the booths with everything from hamburgers/ and hotdogs to "marriages" for the couples in attendance, and the fun of being around so many wonderful people. Many talented female impersonators and a particularly fine young man with a guitar provided entertainment. There was dancing, volleyball, and of course, plenty. of cruising. The lake which the park grounds surrounded was clean and clear and wonderfully cool. However, the men. and women surrounding it were anything but cool. They were HOT!

One of the features most enjoyed by the crowd was the water slide. I think some .people spent the entire day on it. The park staff was courteous (for the most part) and very helpful.

My two friends and I noticed, however, a definite lack of folks from the Great Lake State. This was really too bad but next year will be better, I'm sure 'cause I know that everyone from Michigan I met there, as well as ourselves, had a fabulous time. The organizers of the event are to be congratulated. I know the two people I went with want to go back next year; I certainly am.

(Maybe some kind bar owner will sponsor a bus? How about it, Tony? Joe? Andy? Yvette? Donna and Sue? Maybe ASP? MOHR? MCC? It would be The Bomb?)

"We Are Family" banner.

Isn't love wonderful?

Chicken of the Sea?

The water slide was among the parks most

enjoyed attractions (besides the men).

ISSUE 59

This guy couldn't get wet enough for these two.

This guy was really cooking. As any fool can see.