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The Gay and Lesbian Travel Center |
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The Hawaiian Night Before Christmas Children's Book
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Camp Willowswish
Camp Willowswish is a unique and fun-filled camping experience for about 350 gay men between the ages of 17-85, held at the Lake Murray State Park, which is located in Southern Oklahoma, halfway between Oklahoma City and Dallas. Camp officially kicks off on the Saturday before Labor Day and continues through the week until the following Sunday. Although a dedicated few will arrive early in the week, most will arrive on Thursday and Friday when the principle activities begin. The earlier you get there however the more likely you are to get a good campsite as they are, of course, first come, first serve.
Visit the website at http://www.campwillowswish.com
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At
Willowswish you will come to expect the unexpected. You will find dogs, assorted
faghags and a few lesbians. Some campers choose to erect elaborate campsites
that cost hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars while some opt to come on a
wing and a prayer. Willowswish will have full scale discos, complete with big
screens, dancers and thousands of lights that would rival the biggest of dance
clubs.
Camp
Willowswish began around or about 1969 when a group of friends, part of whom
lived in Oklahoma City and Dallas, and met to party at the lake. It was
relatively quiet in the 70's, grew in the 80's and exploded in the 90's with the
popularity of the internet. Much like an experience at The Habana Inn, in
Oklahoma City, Camp Willowswish will be what you choose it to be. It is your
option to hang out with new and old friends, drinking and carrying on. Or you
can frolic into the woods with fellow campers doing whom you want, when you
want. Many campers bring their watercraft, from dollar store floats, Seadoos, to
house boats, and hang out in our cove in the afternoons. Again, the choice is
yours. Willowswish is unique in that there simply isn’t a class system as you’ll
often find at your local gay clubs and bars. As you can understand there just
isn’t a lot of room for snobbery or pretentiousness in a primitive camp setting.
No one person is necessarily in charge as it just happens. We are all equals
there to celebrate and have a gay old time!
As
mentioned, the principle activities at Willowswish begin on Thursday and
continue on through Sunday although, depending on who is in attendance, parties
can happen nightly beginning early in the week. Thursday night often plays host
to the Hottest Buns contest in addition to whatever else may arise. On Friday
night things really get going as a fun and rowdy group of Texas boys throw a big
theme party on the far edge of, what is traditionally, the Texas side. (Be sure
to check out the home page for this year’s theme!) They always provide free
booze, dancing and one hell of a party. A disco will usually be held after that,
around midnight or so, at the Rainbow Village located on, what is traditionally,
the Oklahoma side. On Saturday, we have our annual Miss Willowswish America
Pageant which is the funniest and most twisted drag pageant you will ever see!
To give you an idea of what you may encounter; we have had mermaids on a Seadoos
eating live goldfish, a queen give birth in the mud, and full fireworks displays
that would rival most small towns. The Miss Willowswish Pageant is hosted by
self-proclaimed Mayor of Willowswish, Mr. Floyd Martin who brings a unique sense
of humor and wit to an already out of control show! The Pageant features crowd
favorites and former Miss Willowswish winners Iona Trailer, Gina Tae and Stubby
Nubbs. You truly have to see and experience Camp Willowswish to believe it!
