-Courtesy of Aversa PR & Events
Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square, part of AccorHotels, presents a month-long celebration for June as Philadelphia Gay Pride Month. The Sofitel Philadelphia will raise a giant Philadelphia-version of the Gay Pride Flag to hang proudly outside the hotel on 17th Street. Inside, neighbors, guests and visitors are invited to visit the Hall of LGBTQ Flags Exhibition featuring six individual LGBTQ flags flying high above the lobby to celebrate the diversity of the local and hotel LGBTQ community. The flag ceremony is Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 2:15pm. The raising of the flags coincides with a month-long benefit to support the Mazzoni Center. Back and bigger than ever, Sofitel Philadelphia and Brittany Lynn’s Drag Mafia Present Sofitel’s Pride Drag Tea featuring the Sofitel famous tea-service with an entertaining and drag twist. This year look for performances EVERY single weekend, including June 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2023. A portion of proceeds from the Drag Tea will go to support Mazzoni Center.
“Sofitel Philadelphia is passionate about supporting our local community,” said Sofitel Philadelphia General Manager Angela Bauer. “We are prouder than ever to celebrate June as Philly Pride Month and fly a giant Philadelphia Pride rainbow flag outside the hotel to publicly show our commitment to inclusiveness. We are thrilled to bring back our pride line-up better and bigger than ever, with our Pride Drag Tea events, and a month-long benefit for the Mazzoni Center and their life-saving work in our community. We invite you to stop by and join us during Pride Month – our doors are always open to all. We are thrilled to be back again and to welcome and celebrate with the entire community.”
DRAG TEA ADDS TWIST TO TRADITION
Sofitel Philadelphia kicks off Philly Pride Month with the celebrated drag tea expanded to all four weekends of June this year, on Saturdays, June 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2023. Look for a new spin on a time-honored tradition. Sofitel, famous for its classic afternoon tea service, will debut a new Drag Tea featuring Brittany Lynn’s Drag Mafia. Sip tea (or spill it) in the presence of fabulous Drag Queens as you enjoy delicious offerings from Sofitel’s award-winning culinary team. Drag Tea starts each week at 2:00pm and runs through 4:00pm inside Chez Colette Brasserie.
Come ready to be entertained as you enjoy classics, like scones, tea sandwiches Smoked Salmon, Cucumber, Smoked Salmon Caviar, Pumpernickel; Chicken, Charred Onion, Brie, Grapes; Whipped Feta, Mint, Basil, Olive Bread; Crab & Andouille Quinoa cup), pastries (Raspberry Cremeaux and Yuzu Gateau; Orange Pumpkin Mousse Roulade; Flourless Chocolate Caramel Ganache Dome; Macaroon), and Palais Des Thes (selection of nine different teas for you to choose) – plus your choice of a Champagne, Mimosa or Bellini.
Tickets are $75 per person for standard drag tea service, or $85 with bottomless Champagne, Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Five dollars from each purchase will be donated to the Mazzoni Center. Tickets are available at:
https://www.sofitel-philadelphia.com/dining-lounge/drag-tea/
PRIDE FLAG AND LGBTQ HALL OF FLAGS
Sofitel Philadelphia invites the community to celebrate Philadelphia’s Pride rainbow flag on the outside of the building in June. An oversize rainbow flag, with Philly’s addition of the brown and black stripes to honor diversity in the community, greets visitors as they enter to the left of the front doors. Inside look for the lobby to be renamed Philadelphia’s LGBTQ Hall of Flags. Look for Philadelphia’s locally designed and newsmaking rainbow flag to also have a center spot in the lobby, showcasing the diversity of our local community. The Philadelphia rainbow flag will be joined by host of LGBTQ flags flying high inside the lobby to celebrate the different facets of the local gay community, including, Lesbian Pride Flag, Gender Fluid Pride Flag, Binary Pride Flag, Pan Sexual Pride Flag, Transgender Pride Flag and the Bisexual Pride Flag.
The public is welcome to join for the first official event of Philly Gay Pride Month – on Thursday, June 1st at 2:15pm as Sofitel dedicated and unveils this year’s flag. The flag and exhibition will remain up until June 30th.
MAZZONI CENTER
During the entire month of June, and through the rest of 2023, Sofitel Philadelphia will donate one dollar per each banquet menu item designated with the Mazzoni’s logo on the menu. Designated items range from breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets to beverages and snack breaks for groups of 10 or more people hosting a meeting or event at Sofitel Philadelphia.
Sofitel Philadelphia will also donate one dollar from every Liberté cocktail sold in the Liberté Lounge to Mazzoni during Pride Month. The Liberté Cocktail is available in Liberté Lounge and features pear infused Vodka, lemon, St. Germain and Sparkling Wine.
“As part of our commitment to philanthropy, we started this program in 2017 and donated more than $40,000 to Broad Street Ministry and Attic Youth Center before the pandemic,” said Bauer. “We are proud to expand our commitment to the community, which is why we are extended and expanding this program and celebrating our latest charity partner. One dollar from select items on our banquet menu will be donated to the Mazzoni Center- starting in June and through the rest of the year.”
She added, “We are proud to continue working with such valuable community organizations such Mazzoni Center and Broadstreet Ministries,” said Bauer. “These efforts are so important to our city and that is why we at Sofitel are so proud to be known as the Hotel of the Community. We look forward to our partnerships and the growth that we expect to see in the coming year.”
ABOUT MAZZONI CENTER
Mazzoni Center is the premier health and wellness center serving the Philadelphia LGBTQ+ community. Over 40+ years, Mazzoni Center has grown from being a volunteer organization leading the fight against HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia (as we continue to do today) to a 130-staff center serving over 25,000 clients each year with services including primary medical care, testing, gender affirming care, behavioral health services, case management, legal support, housing counseling, a food bank, and community education. For many of our clients, there is no other place they would feel safe going for their care.
ABOUT BANQUETS AT SOFITEL
Blending French elegance with American style Sofitel Philadelphia provides a refined environment for upscale business and leisure meetings, events and celebrations. Sofitel’s gorgeous ballroom and distinctive dining options make it the ideal Center City location for chic, sophisticated gatherings.
Choose from a variety of spectacular venues including the brasserie Chez Colette and urban chic Liberté Lounge. Sofitel has the ability to accommodate small intimate family gatherings up to large corporate parties from 10 to 300 people. The hotel boasts 16,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space over two floors with 16 meeting rooms, including the Paris Ballroom. Executive Chef Edward Hancock and the award-winning culinary team skillfully creates event menus showcasing exquisite French-inspired cuisine featuring the freshest ingredients from the hotel’s rooftop garden and bee hives.
Sofitel is located at 120 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. For information about events at Sofitel Philadelphia, visit Sofitel Philadelphia on Facebook. For booking a stay during Pride Month, call (215) 569-8300 or visit https://www.sofitel-philadelphia.com/.
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