Girls in Wonderland, the biggest LGBTQ festivals in Florida, is returning to Orlando for its 23rd anniversary. The iconic event will take place at a brand-new location, TownePlace Suites Orlando/ SpringHill Suites by Marriott, May 30 through June 3rd, 2024.
This year marks the 23rd Anniversary of the coveted event – a weekend long live music, performance and comedy experience celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and creating a safe space for all to enjoy and connect.
Girls in Wonderland was founded in 2000 by the trio Amy Alonso, Alison Burgos and Yesenia Leon, the women behind Pandora Events. This powerhouse lesbian event production company from South Beach have created and produced some of the hottest LGBTQ+ soirées and music festival in the US including Girls in Wonderland (Orlando, FL), Shedonism (Las Vegas, NV), Aqua Girl (Miami, FL) among others.
In a little over two decades, the iconic GIW has become a force on its own with over 10,000 attendees coming from near and far – representing all colors of the rainbow – taking over a 700-room resort.
The event brings together some of the most influential LGBTQ+ artists, celebrities, athletes, influencers, and change-makers from around the country including Leisha Hailey, Kate Moennig, Fortune Feimster and Chante Wayans, to name a few.
This year will be no different with an entertainment roster featuring internationally acclaimed artists, DJs and local gems such as Snow Tha Product, Chloe Star, Gabby B, Rose Garcia, Citizen Jane, and DJ Tatiana, among others.
More than just a party, it is a party with a purpose and a mission – a platform for community engagement and support. This year the focus is on the non-profit organization Our Rainbow Nest Inc, which is an informational resource committed to helping gay, lesbian, and transgender start their families. The organization strives to provide the best resources available to those interested in taking the next step, and works with LGBTQ+ friendly reproductive doctors, sperm banks, surrogate and egg donor agencies, adoption agencies, and foster organizations.
“Every year Girls In Wonderland has been this really fun, huge women’s festival but we have been more than that, we always have a charity partner and we are speaking to our attendees about our community and what’s important to them from LGBTQ+ equality, to women’s health to guiding them on their journey to creating their own families to women’s mental health, it’s all part of our conversation and our commitment to our community,” comments Alison Burgos.
Florida has certainly been at the center of the ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights these past few years. A boatload of new bills signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has covered Florida in controversy, igniting protests, lawsuits, and travel bans. A little reprieve fortunately came earlier this past month with Equality Florida celebrating a landmark achievement with the historic settlement in the challenge against the “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” law in the Sunshine State.
Why is it important for the trio to keep producing the event in Florida despite it all?
“This is an important question that we had to answer for ourselves last year. We are born and raised Florida girls and we started this journey 23 years ago fighting for LGBTQ+ equality, we created Aqua Girl and the Aqua Foundation, the first LGBTQ+ women’s non-profit in Florida, we volunteered, fund raised and sat on boards and committees for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality Florida and Save. We were on the frontlines for the past twenty-three years and when our governor decided to use our community as a political punching bag we were not going to run away or back down, we are going to stand up and fight the same way we have for 23 years. It really makes what we do even more important,” says Alison Burgos. “For the past year we have been in constant conversations with Visit Orlando, the Mayor’s Office, the Orange County Sheriff, Come Out with Pride, and other community leaders across Orlando to make sure our festival was and will continue to be a safe place for our audience. We will not run away, and we will be here well after those political bullies are gone!”
Girls In Wonderland has been celebrating women and the LGBTQ+ community in Florida for more than 20 years. No matter what event you attend, the energy is always “come as you are”.
A MUST-ATTEND event for anyone looking to connect with others in a safe and inclusive place and celebrate their identity.
For more information and tickets go to: https://www.girlsinwonderland.com/