It’s been rumored for awhile but the planning committee for the 2013 Seattle Red Dress Party has made it official: the Drag Queen Diva of Gay Porn, Chi Chi LaRue will be bringing her DJ skills to this year’s gala event, Saturday, July 20, 2013. The 5th (almost) annual event is one of Seattle’s most popular destination parties as well as one of the most worthwhile…Red Dress raises funds for five local non-profits that provide services and advocacy for men, women and children dealing with HIV/AIDS. This year’s beneficiaries are Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Gay City Health Project, Inspire Youth Project (formerly “Rise N’ Shine), Babes Network YWCA, and Rosehedge Multifaith Works.
Chi Chi LaRue’s career in adult entertainment spans nearly thirty years, rising from an adult bookstore clerk in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to a lowly sales rep at William Higgins’ gay porn film studio Catalina Video in 1986, to quickly becoming an award winning porn director and producer. The drag diva also quickly became an international drag celebrity famed for her cameo appearances in adult films and music videos for Madonna and RuPaul, and hosting lavishly produced parties and events in Los Angeles and around the world. Ms LaRue’s skills as a drag performer and host also led to bookings around the globe and gradually the performer began to add DJ to her long list of accomplishments. Today, Chi Chi LaRue has her own porn studio, Channel One Releasing and divides her time between producing/directing gay adult entertainment and taking DJ gigs at gay parties, fundraisers and pride events.
The Seattle Red Dress Party is a spin-off from Portland’s beloved event and has since been copied in other cities. Even for gay men and women who normally wouldn’t be caught dead in any dress/skirt regardless of color, the opportunity to don crimson ladies wear and dance the night away is an irresistible one. Red Dress has raised thousands of dollars for local groups, but the sheer logistics of putting on an event of this magnitude has led to an inconsistent schedule. The last Red Dress Party was February of 2012 and the one prior to that, was in the fall of 2010. The scheduling of the 2013 event in July has raised some eyebrows, but organizers are confident that supporters of the event will turn out. A greater chance for pleasant, warm weather means an opportunity for skimpier/sexier apparel as well as hopefully preventing having to schlep to the event in freezing rain, which was the case for the last Red Dress in February of 2012.
One thing repeating from the previous event, is the venue. Once again, the Fremont Studio space at 155 North 35th Street in the Fremont neighborhood will serve as the host site. Announced sponsors so far include the event producers Sinfinite Productions, The Baltic Room, Red Bull, and John Fulton Design with more to be announced in the weeks ahead.
There is at least one new component being added to the 2013 incarnation of Red Dress: A Silent Auction. VIP ticket holders will get an hour’s head start on the bidding with general admission ticket holders to follow. General admission tickets are on sale now, at Brown Paper Tickets with the Uber VIP and VIP packages to go on sale this coming Saturday, May 25.
Look for many MORE announcements in the coming weeks about the headlining and featured entertainment.