Convergence (ABC convention)
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| Convergence | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Chub (gay culture) |
| Location(s) | North America |
| Inaugurated | 1986 |
| Most recent | 2016 |
| Organized by | Big Gay Mens Organization (BGMO) |
| Website | http://biggaymen.org |
Convergence is an annual North American social gathering of gay men of size (chubs) and their admirers (chasers). The event is considered the longest running social gathering of its kind in North America and serves a particular community, also known as the Chubs and Chasers community; a vibrant sub-culture of the gay community at large. Convergence is held during the USA Labor Day holiday weekend. The event has a history that goes back to 1986, when the first Convergence was held in Seattle, Washington. Since then, the event has been hosted annually in different cities across North America.
Location
Convergence is a "floating" event. The location for each year voted on by the Big Gay Mens Organization BGMO (formerly known as Affiliated Big Men's Clubs, or ABC) committee in response to proposals by member Girth and Mirth clubs.
Past Convergences have been held in:
- 1986 Seattle[1] Mayflower Park Hotel
- 1987 Washington D.C. at the Vista
- 1988 New York City at the Mackelow
- 1989 Los Angeles Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
- 1990 Chicago at the Sheridan
- 1991 Boston at the Swiss Hotel
- 1992 San Francisco Cathedral Hill Hotel
- 1993 Washington D.C. Embassy Suites
- 1994 New York City at the Millennium
- 1995 Seattle at the Westin
- 1996 San Diego Radisson Hotel Circle
- 1997 Philadelphia at the Holiday Inn
- 1998 Reno at the Sands
- 1999 Denver at the Adam’s Mark Hotel
- 2000 Montreal at the Holiday Inn
- 2001 Dallas at the Sheraton
- 2002 Minneapolis at the Millennium
- 2003 Washington D.C. at the Grand Hyatt
- 2004 White Plains at the Crown Plaza
- 2005 New Orleans - Cancelled due to Hurricane Katrina
- 2006 Houston at the Marriott Medical Center
- 2007 Minneapolis at the Hyatt Nicollet Mall
- 2008 Washington D.C. at the Marriott
- 2009 Las Vegas a.k.a. "BiggerVegas" at the Tuscany Suites and Casino
- 2010 Orlando at the Doubletree (formerly International Plaza)
- 2011 Boston at the CoCo Key Resort and Waterpark (North shore)
- 2012 Chicago at the Renaissance Chicago, Northbrook
- 2013 New Orleans at the InterContential
- 2014 Scottsdale at the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Paradise Valley-Scottsdale
- 2015 Seattle at the DoubleTree Hilton Sea-Tac September 2–7, 2015 http://emeraldcityconvergence.com/#!/?page_id=13
- 2016 Orlando at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive August 30 – September 5, 2016 http://www.orlandoconvergence.com/
See also
References
- ^ Suresha, Ron Jackson (2002). Bears On Bears: Interviews & Discussions. Alyson Publications. ISBN 1-55583-578-3