What's HOT South Florida :: 04/09 - 04/15

A week ago Monday, Pride Fort Lauderdale presented the first Pride Honors held at The Pride Center at Equality Park, and the honoree was Commissioner Dean Trantalis. Later that night was the annual Miss Boardwalk F.I. Pageant, an official preliminary to Miss Florida F.I., and congrats to Jennifer Grant for winning the Crown.

On Tuesday, Village Pub presented the Stoli original Key West Cocktail Classic, which is a preliminary bartender competition for the Key West Cocktail Classic. Congrats to Todd "Bubba" of Scandals for winning!

On Wednesday, there were 2 big events surrounding drag. In Fort Lauderdale, the Alibi/Monkey Bar had a celebration of life for the one and only Cashetta. She was a super talent and was taken from us way too soon. The crowd that packed the Alibi that night is a testament to the person she was. Cashetta, I will miss you as will so many other people....rest in peace my friend!

Also on Wednesday was the annual Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride. The pageant had 5 contestants and in the end, your new Miss Miami Beach Gay Pride is the one and only Athena Dion. On Saturday, was the 2015 Miami Beach Pride Bachelor Auction at Hotel Gaythering, and there were lots of sexy men auctioning themselves off for this good cause!

On Sunday, Julian presented Bunnies on the Drive, which was a fundraiser for Sunserve.

Thursday, April 9
The monthly Gay and Lesbian Business Exchange After Hours networker is at Events by Grateful Palate (3003 NE 32nd Avenue) from 5:30-7pm. Admission is free for members and $10 for non-members. For more information or to register go to FTLChamber.com

Friday, April 10
Eastern Boys opens at Cinema Paradiso-Fort Lauderdale. Arriving from all over the Eastern Bloc, the men who loiter around the Gare du Nord train station in Paris are scraping by however they can, forming gangs for support and protection, ever fearful of being caught by the police and deported. When the middle-aged, bourgeois Daniel approaches a boyishly handsome Ukrainian who calls himself Marek for a date, he learns the young man is willing to do anything for some cash. What Daniel intends only as sex-for-hire begets a home invasion and then an unexpectedly profound relationship. The drastically different circumstances of the two men's lives reveal hidden facets of the city they share.

Rumors presents Chubs in Paradise starting at 10pm with their 2nd annual Big Belly contest hosted by Daisy Deadpetals with a $100 cash prize.

Saturday, April 11
Today and tomorrow is the annual Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade and Festival. For more information go to MiamiBeachGayPride.com or see the feature and ads in this week's magazine.

Miami Beach Gay Pride will play host to this year's inaugural "Pride Run Miami" 5K run/walk. This event is to raise awareness about human rights and equality for our LGBT community. The run is powered and managed by K Runners Inc, a company that supports non-profits and promote healthy living worldwide. The race will start and finish at Lummus Park on South Beach 11th St, and set to begin at 9am. Registrations are going on now at Miamibeachgaypride.com under the events tab.

Burst Saturdays at the Manor features EDM Star DJ Cody Chase in the ballroom. In the Latin Lounge and Patio, Noche Latina Saturdays presents hostess Erika Norell along with special guest, Miss Pride South Florida, Tanisha Cassadine along with DJ Nena spinning your Latin favorites. 11 pm to 4 am with hot go-go boys and no cover.

Score Productions and Hilton Wolman present Super Urge, the official Saturday night Miami Beach Gay Pride Event, starring DJs Abel and Paulo. Tickets available at UrgeMiami.com.

The Ramrod presents special guest DJ Alvin Murray (Kitchen Club, Church Club Miami, Masquerade Atlanta) from 10pm to 3am.

The Club Fort Lauderdale presents a mechanical bull (Firecracker) at 9 pm. They are inviting Cowboys to go have a ball busting good time.

The Sage Book Discussion Group presents Gaysia by Benjamin Law - at Stonewall National Museum & Archives (1300 East Sunrise Boulevard) from 11 am to 12 pm and is free. An old Tibetan proverb has it that on every journey the traveler must die once - the person who arrives back home should not be the person who left. Submitted for a Lambda Literary Award in Non-Fiction, Gaysia, by Australian author Benjamin Law guides readers to evolving changes in gay life across a span of seven Asian countries, For information contact Philip (443) 614-7135 or Alan (561) 499-2913.

Sunday, April 12

Hilton Wolman's Salvation Sunday, the official Sunday party of Miami Beach Gay Pride, features DJs Cindel and Ivan Gomez. Tickets available at UrgeMiami.com

Twist presents Pride 2015 Beach Ball T-dance starring DJ Lady Bunny starting and the Gaiety dancers at 6pm.

DJ Deanne, is back to rock the block for Miami Beach Gay Pride at Palace's free block party.

Flip Flops Dockside Eatery presents their monthly T Dance from 4-7 pm, the only T dance on the Intracoastal, starring Amanda Austin and DJ Silvio, with this month's special guests Natalia Monae, Cathy Craig and Jazlyn Alezae.

Village Pub presents Electra in Living The Legends as Bette Midler. This will be an all Bette revue featuring her greatest hits and songs from her latest album "It's the Girls." At 9:30 pm.

South Florida Pups and Handlers presents a Puppy Hop, Easter and Anniversary party at Rumors from 9 to 12pm. They will feature no entry fee, a puppy mosh, snacks and raffles.

Tuesday, April 14
Slow Burn Theatre presents songs from Rent at Stonewall Gallery (2157 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors) at 7pm. This is a free event and they invite you to Meet the actors and hear the songs from, Rent. Complementary refreshments and bar provided. Attendees of this event will have a special opportunity to purchase discounted tickets for performances of Rent (4/9-4/26) and Little Shop of Horrors (6/5-6/28) at the Slow Burn Theatre West Boca Performing Arts location. Learn more at SlowBurnTheatre.org

The Monthly Mack Mixer invites everyone to join them in supporting Robert Boo for the 2015 AIDS Lifecycle Ride from 6:30pm to 9pm at S3 (Sun-Surf-Sand), 505 North Fort Luaderdale Blvd). $10 entry at door includes one complimentary Ketel One Cocktail. No RSVP required. For more info visit MackPlanet.com

This is HOT
On April 14, Reba will release her first new music in over four years as the flagship artist on the innovative label Nash Icon Records, a joint venture between Big Machine Label Group and Cumulus. "Love Somebody" is a collection of uplifting and heartfelt music that seamlessly blends songs about strength and empowerment with some intimately personal peeks inside her life.

The beaten-laden first single, "Going Out Like That," is a powerful hint of what's to come as Reba makes a bold return. It's the story of a woman who rebounds heartily after a breakup but instead of wallowing in the mud, she becomes the life of the party, dancing the night away. The message struck a chord with a lot of listeners: The single catapulted to #1 on the iTunes Country Top Songs charts in the U.S. and Canada

A Target deluxe of Love Somebody includes two bonus tracks: "Whatever Way It Hurts The Least" (Brandy Clark, Tommy Lee James, Josh Osborne)** and "More Than Just Her Last Name" (Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)* and will be released in conjunction with the standard version. Fans can pre-order the album across digital retailers beginning March 24.

Throughout her illustrious career, Reba has achieved a rare pinnacle with 35 #1 singles at radio, over 56 million albums sold worldwide and a spot in the upper echelon of #1 album debuts in the Country genre. The Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and first-ever Billboard Woman of the Year, has won a plethora of industry awards from the American Music Awards, ACM Awards, People's Choice Awards, CMA Awards and Grammy Awards.

In June, Reba will join forces with Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn to launch REBA, BROOKS & DUNN: Together in Vegas, a one-of-a-kind Country music residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. For tour dates and more, visit Reba.com.