The Fabulous Flame Follies Christmas Spectacular will take place at The Flame on Friday, Dec. 19, at 8 p.m. All of the Fabulous Flame Follies performers will be there including Rosanna, Norman, Medina, Christina and Justice. Bring a new, unwrapped toy for the toy drive and receive a little holiday cheer in the form of a free cocktail. Admission is $5 and reservations are available. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1095.

The GLBT community and its allies will hold Light Up the Night for Equality, a demonstration to make an impact on the private sector, on Saturday, Dec. 20. The candlelight vigil will be in remembrance of the rights that once were for 18,000 same-sex marriages, and in honor of the rights that one day will be again. This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.

The group will stay silent unless asked a question, will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, the group plans to let T-shirts convey its message with candles paying respect.

Join the Impact suggests all attendees wear a white shirt. A slogan can be printed on it to convey a peaceful message regarding same-sex marriage and the rights that were stripped away from same-sex couples with the passage of Proposition 8. The grassroots organizers will also provide labels to attach to T-shirts with the slogan “First Class Citizen/Second Class Rights” along with other slogans.

The color white has been selected because it is dually symbolic — white is the wedding color, and it is a vigil for the marriages that have taken place this year; white also allows demonstrators to be uniform and seen in a visible group at nighttime.

Join the Impact hopes to keep the conversation surrounding same-sex marriage going by remaining visible.

The demonstration will take place at six locations throughout San Diego including:

Parkway Plaza in El Cajon (meet at the East entrance to Sears)

University Towne Center in La Jolla (meet at the fountain in the food court)

Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego (meet at the Northeast corner of Bloomingdales on the grassy lawn facing Friars Road)

North County Fair in Escondido (meet at Main/South entrance next to Wells Fargo/Nordstrom’s, between parking markers M1 and M2)

Otay Ranch Mall in Chula Vista (meet at the east side of Macy’s)

Carlsbad Company Stores in Carlsbad (meet at the center courtyard inbetween Gap and Calvin Klein stores)

For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1095.

San Diego Pride is seeking community participation for its 2009 Marketing Committee. Volunteers with experience, knowledge, as well as specialized skills in areas such as marketing, advertising, public relations, graphic design, media and journalism, or Web design, are invited to contact Pride for more information.

Committee volunteers will design and create the look and feel of the campaign, including print advertising and collateral materials. Volunteers will create and produce television, radio and internet commercials.

A redesigned Web site is also a top priority and volunteers with Web design experience are needed to tackle the job of designing a state of the art website

Experience and a desire to volunteer are key. Participants have the opportunity to shape the marketing campaign for the fifth largest Pride celebration in the United States.

San Diego Pride is a volunteer driven organization. Volunteers work year round on various committees planning and organizing the Pride celebrations. Who are these volunteers? They are teachers, activists, writers, students, graphic designers, programmers, Web developers, youth workers, firefighters, entertainers, bankers, accountants, city employees, real estate agents, consultants, copy editors, and more.

For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1095.

In gearing up for its 30th anniversary, the Greater San Diego Business Association has scheduled Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis as keynote speaker for a celebration scheduled for June 11, at the Hard Rock Hotel in Downtown San Diego. The event will feature dinner and cocktails, a VIP reception and awards given by the GSDBA to various local businesses.

“Greg is an iconic figure in the LGBT community and an excellent business person,” said Joyce Marieb, chief executive officer of the GSDBA.

Louganis won his first Olympic medal in silver for diving in 1976. Later, at the age of 24, he won two Olympic gold medals in platform and springboard diving. Then in 1988, competing against divers half his age, he became the first to win double gold medals for diving in two consecutive Olympics.

In his New York Times best-selling autobiography released a few years later, titled “Breaking the Surface,” Louganis outlined his illustrious diving career and the challenges he faced along the way as a gay man. Also an avid dog lover, he most recently published “For the Life of Your Dog.”

Louganis has also appeared often on Hollywood Squares and in other television shows, movies and theater over the past 20 years. As an activist, he speaks out for numerous organizations and causes such as youth clubs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs and organizations for the dyslexic.

Tickets for the GSDBA anniversary celebration will be made available in early 2009. Sponsorships for the event are still being accepted. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1095.

San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride is seeking original designs from local artists for a giant, eye-catching balloon it plans to include in its 35th annual Pride parade, scheduled for July 18. Artists of all ages and skill levels are invited to submit up to three designs that best capture the essence of Pride in San Diego without being limited to any particular theme.

The balloon will stand 14 feet tall so that it can be seen from dozens of feet away as it lumbers down the mile-long parade route through the heart of Hillcrest. Bright colors are strongly encouraged, and the designs must be visually appealing from all sides. Lewd or offensive images will not be accepted. In addition, designs that depict particular people or children must include a signed waiver by those being represented.

“The balloon contest is part of an effort to increase community involvement in the parade while adding an exciting element to the event,” said Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego Pride.

Entries must be submitted by Jan. 23, in a medium of the participant’s choice: digital email, CD, or 3-D models no larger than 24 inches high by 18 inches wide; and printed hard-copy images no smaller than 12 inches by 14 inches. Copyrighted images, logos or fonts are not permitted. The winner will be announced March 6.

For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1095.

The community is invited to roll into 2009 with a special performance and dance party at La Jolla Playhouse on New Year’s Eve.

The theater will host XanaDU Year’s Eve! a special New Year’s Eve event to celebrate the run of its musical comedy Xanadu and the beginning of a new year on Dec. 31.

The performance and dance party will run from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Mandell Weiss Theatre and the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre at La Jolla Playhouse.

Xanadu is a 90 minute party on–stage,” said artistic director Christopher Ashley. “We’ll be extending the party until the ball drops and beyond. What a perfect way to celebrate New Year’s Eve and close Xanadu’s run here in San Diego.”

Attendees will see Broadway’s surprise hit musical, Xanadu, then step inside Xanadu’s world of glitter and glam at the extraordinary party. La Jolla Playhouse brings out the disco balls, pulls out all the stops and rocks and rolls into the wee hours of 2009 in a fun 1980s evening featuring members of the Xanadu cast singing dance hits of the ‘80s era just prior to the New Year countdown.

Xanadu officially opened at La Jolla Playhouse Sunday, November 23, 2008. Xanadu is a Tony Award–nominated, tongue–in–cheek, magical roller–skating escapade with a joyful classic score of hits like “Magic,” “Xanadu,” “All Over the World,” and “I’m Alive.” Based on the 1980s cult film starring Olivia Newton–John, Xanadu follows muse Kira and artist Sonny in their quest for artistic achievement, in pursuit of his dreams to establish…a roller disco!

XanaDU Year’s Eve, sponsored by Wolfgang Puck and Palm Beer, is a fundraising event and proceeds will directly benefit La Jolla Playhouse New Play Development and Educational & Outreach Programs.

The nationally acclaimed, Tony Award–winning La Jolla Playhouse is known for its tradition of creating the most exciting and adventurous new work in regional theatre. The Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, and is considered one of the most well respected not–for–profit theatres in the country. Numerous Playhouse productions have moved to Broadway, including The Farnsworth Invention, Big River, The Who’s Tommy, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, A Walk in the Woods, Dracula, Billy Crystal’s 700 Sundays, the Pulitzer–Prize winning I Am My Own Wife, and the currently running Jersey Boys.

Ticket prices are $200, $300 and $400. Gold Circle tickets include premiere seating, valet parking and an exclusive Xanadu souvenir gift. An exclusive pre–performance dinner with the artistic director is also offered. For more information, visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com/links/1095.