Casa Cupula started of this year’s Vallarta Pride with an opening party that doubled as the official launch of the destinations first full-on out gay pride celebration and a fundraiser to benefit the local LGBT community center.
 

Last Friday, May 24, Casa Cupula with the support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS hosted the Vallarta video premiere of two of Broadway Bares’ shows Stripopoly and Happy Endings where a full house managed to raise about $500 dollars for the local HIV/AIDS and gay community center in Puerto Vallarta. This week, these funds were matched by Casa Cupula and BC/EFA at a 50% each bringing the total amount raised to nearly $1,000 USD.  In addition, BC/EFA agreed to add more bringing their total contribution to US$1500.
 

 “For SETAC the opportunity to start the celebration of Puerto Vallarta’s first pride celebration with the support of international organizations such as Broadway Cares and Equity Fights AIDS was important as it gave us the opportunity to educate many on our mission,” said Paco Arjona, Director of SETAC. “The opening reception at Casa Cupula which was also catered by Taste Restaurant shows the great generosity of business owners in Puerto Vallarta as well as the international interest in the destination; all funds raised will help us maintain our doors open for all those who need our help.”
 

On Saturday, Casa Cupula and Taste Restaurant joined the Pride Parade as one of the 20 floats hundreds of people gathered to walk next to or cheer on as spectators along the route which ran right across the city’s Zona Romantica where Puerto Vallarta’s gay village is located and into Lazaro Cardenas Park.

Local celebrities and musicians added color and a beat to the festivities while local restaurants kept the food going until 9:30 PM when attendees moved in doors to continue the party until the early hours of the next morning.