Converge Orlando Inc., the LGBT Convention and Visitors Bureau for Central Florida, just announced the launch of its very first annual “Event for the Modern Family”: Family Outfest.
The event is set to take place from July 1st to July 7th and will include Disney, Macy’s, Passport Magazine, Connextions Travel Magazine and Curve Magazine as major presenting sponsors. The first of its kind, it is designed to bring LGBT and straight allies’ families together to experience the city beautiful, theme parks and other family friendly activities found in Central Florida. At Converge Orlando, we call this an event for the modern family, where ALL families of all backgrounds and all walks of life are welcome.
“Our organization has been working hard at not only promoting Orlando as an LGBT friendly destination but also at making sure we creates events that bring opportunities for the community, its businesses and its members. Family Outfest is one of the many we have in the pipeline and extremely excited to be bringing this inaugural one to Walt Disney World®” said Mikael Frank Audebert, Executive Director of Converge Orlando.
The Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort will be the host hotel while two additional properties (the Hilton Lake Buena Vista and the Nickelodeon Suites Resort) will serve as official hotels to welcome hundreds of families from around the world.
Official events will bring local communities and travelers together. These will include a welcome reception, a parents’ night out, kids after dark, a pool party, daily theme park activities and an Independence Day picnic at Gaston Edwards Park on July 5, closing with a fireworks show over Lake Ivanhoe.
Converge Orlando was created three years ago to solely concentrate on enhancing the LGBT-friendly perception of Orlando and Central Florida and improve the visibility of the destination to gay and lesbian visitors. Orlando is fortunate to be one of the top 10 most popular travel destinations for LGBT travelers. There are many opportunities to put us on at least parity to other competitor US destinations in the outreach to this market. The short-term goal of Converge is to increase LGBT expenditures here by at least 25 percent.
Converge Orlando has also announced plans to create Pan American Diversity Games and to grow Come Out With Pride as a destination-wide event. In addition, it is working with local cultural groups and theme parks to create and market travel packages targeting an LGBT drive market. Converge Orlando is a non-profit membership organization that receives no tourist tax or public funds.
More information about Family Outfest can be found at familyoutfest.com or orlandogaytravel.com.
