Drenched Fur 11 has record turnout

by Gary Snyder


The second weekend of April was the 11th where the Erie community hosted Erie's Exclusive Bear Weekend known as Drenched Fur. This year's theme was ‘Pop Goes the 80s' where the ‘Best Little Run for Fun' had a record turnout for the main event; an exclusive night time private event at Splash Lagoon, our local indoor water park resort. In addition to enjoying the fun wet times there, the weekend this year also included karaoke, daytime tours to local beer, food, and wine locations, as well as a comedy game show version of Jeopardy.


Erie has been hosting Drenched Fur for eleven years and allows men to appreciate themselves and each other in their natural masculinity. This year's installment for 2015 brought together hundreds of men from around the tri-state area and as far away as Belfast, Chicago, Houston, Orlando, and Toronto.


On Friday night, the guys also took over The Zone Dance Club for a TRON: GLOW party bar outing to help support Community Health Net, our local Northwest Pennsylvania medical service provider, by selling cutouts for one dollar each. The Zone will be posting/taking donations for them through the month of April allowing you to help donate for this worthy group as well.


The Drenched Fur 11 Committee did a fantastic job hosting one of the biggest events for Erie's GLBTQA community and thanks all the individuals and businesses that helped make this year a success. To find out more about Drenched Fur and to review our photo gallery from over the years, you can visit our website at www.drenchedfur.com. And don't miss out on next years' installment of DF12 to be held April 7-10, 2016!


About the Author

Gary Snyder Gary Snyder (He/Him), has been involved with Erie Gay News submitting articles since 2005 and coordinating the Annual Pride Picnic kitchen in 2008. He currently serves as an Advisory Board member of the NWPA Pride Alliance [since 2012]. Gary is a graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in HRIM. From 1999 to 2012 he was an active member and then executive officer of the non-profit Burgh Bears social club in Pittsburgh, PA. Currently Gary is employed by the Erie County Department of Health as the HIV Disease Intervention Specialist, serving as a community member of the HIV Planning Group in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Along with advising the NWPAPA Board, he chairs the Erie County HIV Task Force, serves on the Erie Gay News Editorial Board, and is the President of the AFSCME Union Local 2666.