Newspaper Page Text
14
Southern Voice/July 19,1990
COUNTERCULTURE
Hotlanta is
Happening
Again
Walt Greer talks about
this year's event,
Dream 90 -The Future
by Dave Hayward
What's four days long, attracts 4,000
hedonists from around the world, and is
called "the biggest gay party in America?"
If you guessed the Hotlanta River Expo
you rate a trip down the Chattahoochee
August 5 with all the other water babies
who'll flock here from across the country
and around the world.
"I think we'll probably hit the 4 to
5,000 mark [in total attendance] as we
always have," speculates Walt Greer, chief
organizer of Hotlanta. "Our legal limit for
the River is 1,000."
Beginning in 1979 as a group of 250
who shot the 'hooch together, the Hotlanta
River Expo has exploded into a four day
festival that includes a mammoth "Dream
90" ball at the Excelsior Mill and the "Mr.
Hotlanta Contest" with big name enter
tainment at the Fox. This year, Laura
Brannigan ("Gloria") is headlined, backed
by up-and-coming diva Vicky Sheppard
whose disco version of "Somewhere" cur
rently fills dance floors.
New York, San Francisco, Houston and
Florida usually field the largest contin
gents. But this year, with the Gay Games
in Vancouver beginning August 5, West
Coast attendance is slightly down and East
Coast up. "We also have people from
South Africa, Australia, Canada, England
and Amsterdam," exclaims Greer with
pride and excitement. "We're getting more
than one from those countries; word on
Hotlanta is getting
out. It's more
respected outside of
Atlanta than in
Atlanta. That's the
way any event is in
any city."
The event is
something of a
logistical nightmare
says Greer. "There
aren't many places
in the city you can
rent that will hold
three to four thou
sand people," he
deadpans. The Mr.
Hotlanta Contest
was set for the
Georgia Tech
Coliseum. "They
canceled out after
they'd approved it;
I think it's because they found out we were
a gay group, but I don't know that."
Next the event was slated for the Hyatt
Regency, then "the Fox called me and said
they were available..."
"This Mr. Hotlanta is one of the more
expensive shows we've ever done. The
Fox costs about double what the Civic
Center does....but it's worth it." And in
order to get permission to float a thousand
people down the river, the Hotlanta
Committee forked up an additional $6,000
in liability insurance premiums to placate
the new Parks manager.
The Parks Department reports bacteria
levels in the river are up, and Hotlanta is
heeding the warning. "We are recom
mending that people not drink the water
and if they have an open cut or wound
they bandage it. There's no precaution
thing or special danger for HIV-positive
people," adds Greer.
Invariably a
logistical night
mare, last year's
Hotlanta ball
became controver
sial when ACT UP
members were
banned from dis
tributing condoms
and safe sex pam
phlets. This year
the Hotlanta
Committee contact
ed AIDS organiza
tions, gay service
groups and
Hotlanta's commer
cial sponsors to
offer space for info
distribution at the
Expo's Colony
Square headquar
ters.
"We are also letting ACT UP set up a
non-manned table at Excelsior Mill to
have safe sex information and condoms
available. I don't want someone handing
things to people because some people
don't have pockets, and their natural reac
tion is to take it and throw it down," says
Greer. "If people want to pick it up , it's
there for the taking."
"We contacted AID Atlanta and the
National Association of People With
AIDS and we gave them tickets to each
event," explains Greer. "I asked them how
many they wanted and I gave them to
them. They said they didn't want to give
tickets out to people just because they
have AIDS, they want to give them to
people of need who are also able to enjoy
the event."
Sadly, the founder of the Hotlanta
River Expo Mark McCutcheon and its
Artistic Director Burl Compton have both
succumbed to AIDS. McCutcheon narrat
ed the Expo's Hotlanta show in 1987, and
the next year's 10th anniversary celebra
tion was dedicated to him. This years
event will honor Compton who passed
away in May.
"That's the hardest thing I've had to
come up with, is the letter of dedication
about Burl," reflects Greer, "...it's very
hard to write something that other people
really care about reading when you're real
ly right next to it."
This year's theme of dreams then
becomes all the more applicable to the gay
and lesbian nation. "We're starting into a
new decade and what we want to dream,
what would be the perfect dream for this
decade, the future?" wonders Greer. "I
think for us we're looking forward to a
cure for AIDS."
"We're also looking for advancement
and being accepted in the general commu
nity as a person—not as a gay person or
straight person—but as a person," he con
tinues.
Greer ponders what keeps him going
through the in-fighting and organizational
angst. "God knows it's not the money!" he
laughs "It's no secret I get a SI,000 a
month and I work on it year-round, con
stantly." (Greer also has his own party
planning business, Hotlanta.)
"What keeps me going is the thought of
doing something that everyone
loves...what keeps me going is the plea
sure everyone has and the enjoyment. It's
probably known as one of the best events
in the country."
Call 872-3976 for more information
about Expo 90 events.
WALK-INS
ALWAYS WELCOME
We've got
the cure for
sHootch-Abuse..
0°°
Cheshire Point Center,
2000 Cheshire Bridge Rd.
(Next to Back Alley Video)
321-5775
Not if you have a Back Alley
Video Frisbee! Look for us on
the Hootch, River Rafters.
Welcome to Hotlanta.
Two for One Tuesdays
and
Two for One Thursdays
(our Thursday Special expires 9-27-90)
Wmw
*
A
2000 Cheshire Bridge Rd.
(Next to Hairanoia)
Spend your time on the
River, but don't forget
your
do...
Atlanta's Only Gay Variety Store
All the Necessary Hooch Accessories
Magazines
Dozens of Gay Titles - Lesbian Selections
Lubricants Condoms
Aloe 9 and Wet 3 Packs and Singles
T-Shirts
by Jef Tek, David Hawkins, ACT UP
Posters and Gay Flags
Cards — Buttons — Lapel Pins — Stickers
Pink Triangles, Gay Flags and more
Tanning Lotions and Moisturizers
and more tempting items with which to spoil yourself
780 N. Highland NE (#4 in The Alley) 876-6567
Mon-Sat 11-8, Sunday 12-6