Got Go-Go? City Celebrates Go-Go Dancing This Saturday

West Hollywood gets its Halloween festivities off to an early start on Saturday by celebrating go-go dancing.

The city has proclaimed Saturday as Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day in honor of the dance form that began here 47 years ago.

Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day is designed to create an event for locals who feel the city’s Halloween Carnaval, which attracts a reported half-million people, has gotten too big.

“It’s a chance for locals to play before the crowds come to town on Halloween,” said Councilman John D’Amico, who spearheaded the event. “We hope this will attract a few thousand people. It will never turn into an event that has 500,000 people.”

It’s also about helping boost business during a sluggish economy. “In recent years, people don’t seem to think of West Hollywood as a place to go,” said D’Amico. “I’m working to make West Hollywood a destination once again.”

Although Halloween and go-go dancing are not automatically associated, D’Amico says he chose to tie it to the spooky holiday, because go-go dancing is about wearing a costume and performing.

“Conceptually, [Halloween and go-go dancing] don’t belong together, but I love that two things that don’t always belong together end up coming together,” said D’Amico. “It’s meant to be tongue in cheek, but it fits better with Halloween than Easter or the Fourth of July.” 

Street Party

Larrabee Street at Santa Monica Boulevard will be shut down as stages are set up for Go-Go Fest Street Party, which runs 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

There, amateurs and professionals can both vie in a half-dozen different go-go dancing contests, including Hottest Jock, Best Bootie, Twink, Best Package, Muscle Stud and Amateur Go-Go Boy. Winners in those categories will then compete for the title of Mr. West Hollywood Go-Go and a $1,000 prize.

“This is a great opportunity for the gay community to get together and have a street party, especially before Halloween,” said Mary Anne, general manager of Micky’s, one of four businesses sponsoring the street party. “It’s a new event, which should bring people to town.”

Meanwhile, in the old A Different Light bookstore location, Block Party clothing store will be giving away underwear to anyone who will dance in their window for 15 minutes.

“Go-Go Day is an opportunity for us to highlight our great selection of sexy underwear,” said Block Party owner Larry Block. “This is more than just an appreciation of dancers in bars. It’s a celebration of our culture and an integral part of the gay nightlife.”

Two dozen other Boystown businesses have signed up to join in the celebration. Eleven nightclub will have a choreographed show, “Evolution of Go-Go.” AIDS Healthcare Foundation will have its testing van there for Go-Go Get Tested.

“Clearly, the way the community has jumped on board has shown this will be a success,” said D’Amico, who denies rumors that he will be one of the people dancing in the contest. “The city is partnering with businesses in a new way and that’s exciting.”

Whiskey A Go-Go

While Boystown businesses are embracing Go-Go Dancer Appreciation Day, the Sunset Strip businesses do not seem to have jumped on the bandwagon so enthusiastically.

The only Sunset Strip venue that Weho Patch could find observing the day is the Whisky-A Go-Go, which is where go-go dancing had its birth in 1964. The Whisky will have go-go girls performing on Saturday night, as they do every weekend.

“Anyone who says ‘Go-Go Appreciation Day’ will get half off of their entry into the Whisky on Saturday,” reports Celina Denkins, the Whisky’s booking agent. “The Whisky A Go-Go girls will also dance in between sets, plus there will be a professional go-go girl troupe called Dirty Little Secrets performing at midnight.”

Snickers among residents

While many are excited about the day, others are snickering at the idea.

“This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” said resident Jason Burke. “The city is spending all this money on go-go dancers. Why don’t they put that money toward helping the homeless?” 

D’Amico isn’t surprised by the snickers. “This is government light. Of course they’re snickering,” he said. “It’s a way in which the city can have a sense of humor about itself and who we are as a city.”

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