Antioco Carrillo of AFAN: Black & White Party at Aria celebrates 30 years
Editor’s Note: Robin Leach is working from the cooler climes of La Jolla near San Diego for the remainder of this hot August month in advance of our newly designed website launching shortly. We’ll continue with our guest columnists until his return for Labor Day Weekend.
Today, one of our guest columns is by Antioco Carrillo, who previews Saturday’s 30th Anniversary Black & White Party for Aid for AIDS of Nevada. The other is by Joe Munoz, director of operations at Maverick Helicopters, from his pilot’s view from the top of Las Vegas. Here’s Antioco, who looks back at 30 years of Black & White:
By Antioco Carrillo
Once a small gathering in the backyard of a Green Valley apartment, Aid for AIDS of Nevada’s Black & White Party has transformed into a highly anticipated, over-the-top fantasy. From balloon dresses, body paint and tuxes to the occasional pasties and G-string combination, the Black & White Party has been the place to see it all for 30 years. We plan to raise the stakes even further at this year’s party Saturday at a luxurious new home at Aria.
Thanks to the continued support from our community partners, we are excited to elevate this year’s Black & White Party with a voyeuristic approach, allowing guests to not only interact with one another, but also with the setting around them as Aria’s ballrooms are transformed with eye-catching, avant-garde decor.
The $50 ticket includes food from some of Aria’s finest restaurants such as Bardot Brasserie, Carbone, Jean Georges Steakhouse, Herringbone, Sage, Five50, Serrano, Blossom, Lemongrass, and Burger Bar. One of our biggest partners, Back Bar, returns this year to help liven the night with its signature top-shelf cocktails.
Although the party may change throughout the years, our goal has remained consistent year after year: to help continue to provide services and education for those who have been impacted with HIV/AIDS. Regardless of race, gender and sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS is everyone’s public health issue. On June 5, 1981, the first official case of AIDS in America was documented, and it’s bewildering to think that, 35 years later, we still don’t have a vaccine.
However, we are proud of the strides we have made, and will continue to make, to help raise community awareness and put an end to stigmas associated with HIV and AIDS. This year, our office started free HIV testing so that people can take control of their health. Free and confidential, people can get results in less than 20 minutes.
Every other year, we honor individuals who share a relentless commitment to our shared mission of making Nevada AIDS free with the “right to wear red” at the party. The following will have the distinction of wearing red in a monochromatic sea: Todd Morgan, Tim Haughinberry, Richard Hudock, Jim McCoy, Melody Sweets, Matthew Frazier, Mark Shunock, Marek Bute, Lia Rispoli, Joe Henderson, Creecy Underwood, Charles Larson, William Oldfield and Darryl Thomas.
We welcome businesses to get involved at this year’s Black & White party and learn more about becoming a community partner. For more information, please email garrett@afanlv.org. For the latest on the Black & White Party, and other events we host throughout the year, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @afanlv.
Tickets are now on sale at AFANLV.org. We hope to see you there with as much black as white — or as little as you can get away with.
Be sure to check out our other guest column today from Joe Munoz, director of operations at Maverick Helicopters, for his pilot’s view of Las Vegas from high in the sky. On Tuesday, Patrick Bristow, MC and co-creator of PUPPET UP! UNCENSORED, talks about changes made since opening at The Venetian.