‘Redneck Riviera’ home to gay Memorial Day gathering

? Souvenir shops lining this sugary white Panhandle beach display Confederate flag beach towels, window decals and T-shirts. Hooters and other bars fly POW-MIA, Marine and Navy flags and cater to the sailors and Marines from the nearby base.

Vacationing Southern families usually fill the hotels and condominiums in this slice of paradise long nicknamed “The Redneck Riviera.” But every Memorial Day they mostly stay away as this town becomes more like trendy Miami Beach – 700 miles and a world away.

Starting in the mid-1980s, gay men from New Orleans and other nearby cities began gathering here for a three-day party that has grown into one of the South’s largest gay gatherings, attracting more than 60,000 people in 2004 before hurricanes Ivan and Dennis destroyed many beach roads and buildings.

Following two years of rebuilding, organizers anticipate 50,000 this weekend.

While no one can recall any violent incidents targeting the gay tourists, the raucous weekend of entertainment including concerts, Cirque de Soleil-like dance troupes and female impersonator RuPaul hasn’t always sat well with everyone – although that may be subsiding.

“We used to have groups that picketed but for the most part even that has gone away – there are just some religious groups that have a problem with it now,” said Jim Goldman, an organizer of the charity Art Against AIDS, which receives a portion of the proceeds of the events.

Gordon Godfrey, pastor of the 2,000-member Marcus Pointe Baptist Church, said many in his congregation are offended by the activities. Instead of flying rainbow flags to symbolize gay pride, people should fly American flags on Memorial Day, Godfrey said.

“I think what goes on out there on the beach on Memorial Day is surprising to a lot of people who move into our community,” he said. “I personally feel like it’s just inappropriate behavior from a biblical standpoint.”

“Everybody knows that’s gay pride weekend, and we don’t even come out this way because of the crowds,” said Trish Jablonski. She added her surprise that the event had flourished in the conservative area. “I’d say this is a pretty homophobic place.”

Kirk Newkirk, who rents kayaks, WaveRunners and pontoon boats on the beach, thinks the attitude among many locals about the weekend has evolved.

“Everybody has gotten much more liberal around here. Now the attitude is lot more ‘Just take it as it goes,”‘ he said.