Loeries in the pink...
2007-04-29 23:52
Knysna - At least 12 000 people attended the Pink Loerie Festival at Knysna at the weekend, the biggest one on record.
Juan Lerm, the prime mover behind the popular gay festival that has been presented in Knysna for the past seven years, said: "On Friday night, we had about 8 000 guests at various venues.
<>By 02:00 on Saturday morning, the row of people queuing to get into Zanzibar (nightclub) stretched way round the corner of the block."
By 15:00 on Saturday, the main street was packed from the Zanzibar to Pledge Square with people who had come to see the gay parade.
The large presence of non-gay visitors was striking: from mothers and fathers with young children, elderly folk who brought chairs so they could sit up front, and couples strolling hand-in-hand, enjoying the merrymaking.
Lerm said the festival had been a huge success because of the weather, which was a lot better than last year, the extra-long weekend and the tolerant attitude of the people of Knysna.
Businesses also benefited
"It's one big party, with everyone doing their own thing.
"The festival has definitely helped to take away the feeling of 'other-ness' of the gay community. 'Moffies' were a token thing for many years."
In contrast with the cold weather last year, it was cloudy, but not cold, on Saturday afternoon.
Among those taking part in the procession were the winners of two big competitions.
The Bird of Paradise beauty competition was won by Yvonne von Diemon and Karel Petzer, a professional dog-walker was voted Mr Mardi Gras 2007.
Von Diemon and Petzer won trips to Zambia and Singapore, respectively.
Wilco van Eeden of a national travel agency in Johannesburg said: "I decided to sponsor decent prizes so that people could see it was a decent festival."
He said the festival was attracting many more visitors from Johannesburg and he had done the travel arrangements for 80 visitors himself.
Local merchants were delighted.
According to Robert Callaghan, the owner of a popular coffee shop, it was "a lot busier than last year".
The festival was attended for the first time by Mr Gay South Africa, Christian de Jager, and Miss Drag South Africa, Noxima Jackson.
Well-known drag queen Dainti Delishia was accompanied in the procession by Mr Mardi Gras 2007 Karel Petzer.