My now ex (yes, I am single & ready to mingle) introduced me to Girls in Wonderland a couple months after we started dating in 2019. Before meeting Olga in Miami, I had spent time living across Asia, India, and Bali and thought lesbians were rare species that could only be found by chance or with the hidden agenda of a horny boyfriend.
Turns out they all stay in hiding until this epic event. Just kidding, but it was my first time encountering other people like me by the number. I never thought being around a network of queer women mattered to me until I realized it was within reach. Until I felt the power of unencumbered femme queerness.
Since embarking on my journey into the wild, wild lesbian community, I have found that these events are so much more than queer nightlife; they’re a gateway to lesbian utopia – if only until it’s time for the next. And the biggest party yet is this week – Girls in Wonderland.
My friends Lana and Sienna Mims (pictured above) are a living breathing example of this. Last year they performed a number in their queer friendly Woxer (boxers for women) and told the story of how Girls in Wonderland is to thank for their blooming marriage. Sienna showed up to the event with a soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend in 2017 but she left with the person who would later become her wife.
After Lana’s ACL surgery, I came by with curry and got to hear this story. Girls in Wonderland lives up to its name and I cannot thank the creators, Allison, Amy, and Yesi enough for putting on this event. Since 1998, the lesbian-owned event company known as Pandora Events, has been producing events for queer womxn across Florida.
Are you ready to head down the rabbit hole and see what’s down under?
Florida’s LGBTQ+ community is under attack by Ron Desantis, but that won’t stop these ladies from putting on the biggest lesbian festival that Florida has ever seen.
Girls in Wonderland has been coming to Orlando for years, and this is said to be the biggest year yet! They have upgraded the venue to an even larger hotel to accommodate the huge turnout. From one party to another party, the festivities start Thursday, June 1st and won’t stop until Sunday, June 5th.
The event will be hosted by Wyndham Orlando Resort, although all the rooms are booked you can still grab tickets to the parties or a pass to all the events as well as book your stay at the overflow hotel next door, Fairfield Inn & Suites.
Here’s a shot of my bestie barbie (on the left) and I for the brief moment that we were together before the madness had us all over the place. The agenda is wild, Thursday starts with a happy hour followed by their signature ‘Traffic Jam’ where everyone gets to find out who’s taken and who’s not. You might find the crew that will carry you through the weekend! Only time can tell, but get ready you will be needing plenty of outfits.
Then, the first pool party is on Friday and is followed by a Masquerade ball that ends at 2 am. For the late night partygoers, there’s an after party back at the hotel! Saturday kicks off with a pool party. The extraordinary Les Vixen dancers of Orlando make all the girls sweat more than the beaming summer sun and you’ll catch them at different parties throughout the weekend. Bring your dollars because these girls always put in work and a phenomenal show.
All the Djs will be repping the L in LGBTQ+. But be careful, you don’t want to be partied out because Saturday night there is the lesbian prom of our dreams. Electrolytes and nourishing food will be quintessential for your survival.
Celebrity guests from the L Word, Leisha Hailey (Alice) and Kate Moenning (Shane), who also launched a podcast called Pants will be available for a meet & greet at prom, so be sure everyone will be dressed to impress. You may also run into some of the cast of Tampa Baes, as they have been frequenting the events since the debut of the reality tv show.
Lastly, so no one wakes up distraught that the party is ending- there’s one last pool party on Sunday to wrap up the extravaganza. Get ready ladies, this is going to be an event you do not want to miss!
The LGBTQ+ community has overcome so many hurdles and obstacles and we are so grateful to have a space where we can feel safe to express ourselves and spread all the love this community has to offer. We are making history and having an extraordinary time while doing so, and not even Ron Desantis can stop us.
