Putting Our Community at the Forefront

PlayNice Productions gives back to the community and creates events for everyone

We're all in search of community. It's safe to say that every queer woman has Google searched "lesbian/bi/queer/trans* events," "lesbian clubs," "lesbian bars," "LGBT meetups." When we begin to become more confident in our sexuality, we begin to explore. It's rare to live in a homonormative, matriarchal environment. It's even more rare to live in a safe space that's inclusive to the entire queer spectrum. When we begin to embrace our sexuality, we want to feel embraced and accepted by others. We want to be part of a strong, safe and welcoming queer community.

If you're from the Bay Area, you have San Francisco, you have Castro street, you have San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and countless other Prides, you have the Frameline Film Festival, you have numerous LGBT bars, clubs and events, but admist all of this, it can feel daunting and overwhelming to explore the queer scene alone and to put yourself out there. If you've been to San Francisco Pride, then you know what I'm talking about. It's an incredible experience. Watching the parade for the first time, you'll likely cry from seeing thousands of people from a variety of backgrounds coming together, celebrating and showcasing their Pride, but while walking around the booths and the 20-plus stages among 500,000 to a million people, it can be overwhelming.

We're fortunate to have a new event company represent the Bay Area, PlayNice Productions, and we're proud to be their official sponsor. PlayNice's number one focus is community; it's creating safe, inclusive events for the entire queer community. An unfortunate side of the queer community are the cliques, the divisions among subcultures and the cultures within subcultures and the bigotry, bullying and labeling that we commit against each other. PlayNice's mission is to bring us together, so that we can all enjoy ourselves and play nice together.

PlayNice doesn't only host events, but they get involved in the community. PlayNice is launching a nonprofit, The P.L.A.Y.C.E. South Bay Pride Community Foundation. P.L.A.Y.C.E., an acronym for People Living As Your Community Examples will focus on helping homeless youth, creating education and career opportunities, supplying family services and helping with rehabiltation. The community oriented focus of PlayNice is a reflection of the founder, Shay Franco-Clausen, and her wife, also the CEO, Yolanda Franco-Clausen. For years they have been giving back to their community: coaching their kids' basketball team, getting involved in neighborhood clean ups, mentoring youth and volunteering in various ways.

Shay & Yolanda Franco-Clausen from PlayNice Productions. From left to right from the bottom images, Yolanda (CEO) and Shay (Founder).

The proceeds from their first event, the first annual PlayNice Sexy Pool Party, are going to their nonprofit so that they can continue to give back to the community. The PlayNice Sexy Pool Party is this upcoming Saturday, September 7 from noon to 6:00 p.m. at Great America's Boomerang Bay Water Park. Great America is opened from 10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and your ticket includes access to the entire theme park. Great America will be shut down so PlayNice can host the largest LGBTA pool party in the South Bay; only ticket holders for this event and Great America season pass holders will have access to the park. Tickets for this event cost $45, which is a $17.99 discount from the normal at the gate ticket price for Great America. If you're a Great America season pass holder, tickets for the event cost $20.

Great America PlayNice Sexy Pool Party

With PlayNice's community focus, the PlayNice Sexy Pool Party will foster a more relaxed environment for mingling than your club environment, but they're still adding a lot of flair. Aside from the perks of being hosted at Boomerang Bay Water Park (poolside cabanas, a huge wave pool, a lounging sitting pool, a lazy river and all of the water rides) and the perks of all the rides from Great America, PlayNice will also have seven DJs spinning their tunes, two performances, an MC, GoGoDancers, alcohol and a "Bras, Drahs & All swimsuit contest. 

St. John from 99.7 Now will be MCing the event, as well as DJing, along with DJ Young 1 from America's Got Talent, DJ Val G., DJ Thatgirl, DJ Cris Campos, DJ Kidd Sysko and DJ Spark. Jess Godwin will be performing two songs off her album Greater > Than and Toni V. will be singing his upcoming single "Twerq." 

PlayNice Sexy Pool Party

Get your tickets to the event here, and remember that all of the proceeds are going to PlayNice's nonprofit to help our LGBTQ community, www.cagreatamerica.com/playnicepoolparty. Join the PlayNice event on Facebook, invite your friends and browse through who else is going. Like PlayNice Productions on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to get updates on their future events and community involvement. 

PlayNice is creating the largest LGBTA pool party in the South Bay, and we'll be there doing live social media coverage, handing out issues of Curve Magazine and selling subscriptions at PlayNice's 30 percent discount for print subscriptions ($27.95) and 60% discount for online subscriptions ($8). Find us at our Curve cabana to get your picture taken to be featured on Curve Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and join us as we explore the PlayNice Sexy Pool Party and Great America to be featured in our live social media coverage. To everyone who purchases a Curve subscription at the event, we'll feature you in a 15 second video interview to be published to Curve Instagram & Twitter. 

We're excited to see you at the event! Find Curve's Social Media Manager, Emelina Minero, and Daniel Young and Tumua Faasua from our Curve live coverage team to be featured in our live coverage, to get your picture taken and to purchase your Curve subscription. (playniceproductions.com)

Emelina Minero, Daniel Young, Tumua Faasua Curve Magazine PlayNice Productions

Curve's Bay Area Social Media Team, from left to right, Emelina Minero, Daniel Young & Tumua Faasua. Find us at the event to be included in our live social media coverage!

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