Page 10 Newport This Week July 11, 2013
New Website Caters to Gay Travelers By Meg O’Neil
Celebrating Our 33rd Year in Business
Open Daily for Lunch and Dinner at 11:30am
Indoors: Weekly Entertainment & Food Specials Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday Nights Outdoors: Family & Pet Friendly Outdoor Patio Open Daily (Weather Permitting)
-Fi Wi d arking an P vailable A
401.849.6623 www.theobrienspub.com
Fabulous Summer Fishing Awaits You
Stripers on the 4th (L-R) Keith and Meredith Lawrence, with their dad Jim
READY TO FISH WITH 10 MINUTES NOTICE! *** Trip Success Rate in 2013 - 99.9% ***
Call Cap Capt. Tim at 401-848-5554 or at the boat: 401-639-6355
It’s an exciting time to be gay in Rhode Island. On Aug. 1, the state will begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples just three months after Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed the marriage equality bill into law. Two weeks ago, the United States Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act to be unconstitutional – a measure which will allow for federal recognition of same-sex marriages performed in the 13 states (and District of Columbia) that permit marriage equality. Locally, an up-and-coming Website called Newport Out is capitalizing on the recent successes equality by creating a travel and tourism site for the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) community. Owned by Newport resident Lionel Pires, NewportOut.com hopes to become the go-to resource site for the gay community. Previously, Pires owned Newport’s last gay bar, Castaway’s, which closed around 2007. Launched in 2005, NewportOut.com had been defunct for several years before Pires purchased the online domain a few years ago with the intention of creating an online presence to attract gay and lesbian visitors to the City By the Sea. According to Pires, gay travelers planning vacations typically conduct a Google search for the word “gay” followed by the name of the place they plan to visit to see what sort of amenities are welcoming to the gay community. “Our community will plan a vacation around that, and they gravitate towards the businesses that are advertised on a site like Newport Out,” Pires explains. It’s a marketing approach that has realized great success according to Advocate.com, a national gay and lesbian news magazine. According to a report from Out Now Global marketing firm, the
NewportOut.com is an up-and-coming Website featuring cultural events, accommodations, attractions, and wedding services all catered to gay and lesbian travelers. potential value of the GLBT leisure travel market for 2013 is $181 billion worldwide, up from $165 billion in 2012. The United States is the biggest single-country market, at $52.3 billion annually – a number that will grow as more states are expected to allow same-sex marriages. With Newport already ranked as one of the top destination wedding locations in the country for straight couples, traction is already building for the city to become a major market for gay weddings. A recent Reuters article out of London listed Newport as the number one up-and-coming destination in the world for same-sex marriage ceremonies, coming ahead of locations in New Zealand, France, Denmark, and others. That’s not the only list where Newport is named a gay wedding destination – a Google search brought up multiple lists on which Newport is ranked in the top 10. “I think the timing is exactly right for the site,” Pires says. Currently, the Website features listings for gay-friendly accommodations, wedding services, events
and more. As Newport Out continues to grow, Pires wants to branch out into the wedding planning industry. “We’ll be able to help facilitate the happiest day of someone’s life. That’s a great thing to do for a living,” he says. The site, which is in the final stages of development, still has a limited number of advertising spaces available, according to Pires. The site also features a Facebook (facebook.com/newportout) and Twitter (@newportout) social media presence. Plans to create and sponsor a weekly Sunday brunch at Christie’s are also in the works. Newport, which has been a haven of diversity and acceptance since its earliest days, is already seen as a gay-friendly resort town, but it doesn’t receive the same level of attention as locations such as Fire Island in New York, or Provincetown on Cape Cod. “Newport is completely different,” Pires says. “This is a romantic, couples-oriented place and also a place where gay couples can bring their children – with more cultural history and events and amazing natural beauty. It’s a niche unto itself – a very successful niche.”
BridgeFest on Tap
RESTORATION CONTINUED FROM PG. 7 Newport’s Best Harbor View at the Ann Street Pier
PRE-SUNSET SPECIALS Monday thru Friday 4–6:30 p.m.
Prime Rib or Lobster Pie $1695 (served with choice of starch or vegetable and a glass of house wine)
HAPPY APPS
1/2 Price Appetizers & Raw Bar Specials 4 – 6:30 p.m. in our lounge Monday thru Friday
that bath the historic stone mill in light from ground level with more energy efficient units. Under their proposal, the current 250-watt metal halide up lights would be replaced with state-of-the-art 18-watt soft LED flood lights that use roughly 85 percent less electricity and have an estimated life span of 20 years. The new low-profile lights would be mounted low to the ground atop existing concrete bases, and
will be connected directed to the existing lighting panel on the Channing fence, thereby eliminating the need for the service box mounted on the fence surrounding the Old Stone Mill. The total cost for that project is estimated at $4,815, which will again be paid for through private donations. If all goes well, the HHA hopes to have the project completed by the fall.
Now Open 7 Days For Lunch & Dinner
401.619.5892
359 Thames St. • Newport
www.theportnewport.com
Wednesdays 7PM $ Win Red SoxTickets 1st Place - $1,000 KARAOKE CONTEST Thursdays 7PM $ $500 in weekly Prizes TRIVIA CHALLENGE season two 1st Place - $1,000
Now Open for our 77th Season
new event
5,000
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www.newportgrand.com
Music lovers from across the Northeast are gearing up for Newport’s signature jazz and folk festivals, but island insiders are marking their calendars for an increasingly popular event sandwiched between the nationally known festivals: Newport Bridgefest held July 29-Aug. 1. Dozens of performers will present at venues across the county, offering multiple concerts daily, showcasing the very best music Newport has to offer. The eclectic lineup offers shows for every musical taste and age group, with dozens of events that are free or available for a nominal fee. The Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County created BridgeFest to bridge the two world famous festivals by giving music enthusiasts a reason to stay and locals a reason to celebrate by showcasing Newport County’s vibrant music scene. For a complete event listing, visit newportbridgefest.com.
BREW PUB & RESTAURANT
Lunch & Dinner Every Day
Again
Flo ...She’s Got The Crabs !
• Gift Certificates • Free Parking Take Home a “Growler” of Beer!
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64WOLZER
GRO
TO G
O
Every Yankee Game on TV!
210 Coddington Hwy. Middletown • 847.6690 www.coddbrew.com
Thurs: All-U-Can-Do Crab Fri: Thick-Cut Prime Rib
from 5 ’til 8 .......... ’til it’s gone .........
$17.95 $ 9.95
Flo’s Clam Shack “famous for clams since 1936”
S RS UR The Clam Shack HOU Topside Raw Bar HO Open Daily 11am ‘til 9pm Thurs - Sun @ 11am ‘til Whenever!
Aquidneck Avenue • Middletown • 847-8141