Softball players from the West Coast, East Coast and everywhere in between will finish their summers in the City of Brotherly Love, which will play host to a women’s championship tournament later this month.
Philadelphia will welcome about 1,500 softball players and fans for the world series of the lesbian softball club Amateur Sports Alliance of North America, Aug. 23-27.
The city won the bid to host the ASANA event in February 2010, and Cathy Harris, commissioner of the women’s division of the City of Brotherly Love Softball League, said planning for the “Bring the Love” series began immediately.
The event garnered support from Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, community leaders Gloria Casarez and Franny Price and sponsors Sisters and Stephen Carlino, owner of Tavern on Camac and Uncles.
“A lot of people are getting excited about this,” Harris said. “Many people may remember the 1993 gay world series that we hosted, but that was for both men and women. What we have planned is probably about twice as big as ’93.”
At least 55 teams are expected to play, hailing from California, Oregon, Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Texas and Florida.
Getting ready for the onslaught of visitors hasn’t been an easy task, Harris said.
“I can’t believe it’s only a few weeks away now because we’ve been working on this for so long. Our ‘Bring the Love’ host committee has been having meetings once or twice a week, we’ve been working on vendors and sponsorships and field layouts, just every detail you can imagine.”
Games will be played throughout the week and activities are scheduled for each night of the series, starting with the kickoff Ladies 2000 party Aug. 21.
While in Philly, guests can partake in a pool party, street festival on East Passyunk Avenue, Gayborhood bar crawl or Gay Day at the Phillies game Aug. 26.
The championship game will be held Aug. 27 at West Deptford Park in West Deptford, N.J.
After the winning team is crowned, players and supporters are invited to Carniball — an outdoor block party in the Gayborhood.
Harris noted that the events will give visitors the chance to see the LGBT-welcoming persona of the city depicted in advertisements — as well as through tools like the Gayborhood’s rainbow street signs.
“When we were first doing the bid process, people asked how diverse the city is and if it’s OK to walk down the street holding your girlfriend’s hand, and we were like, of course. Maybe for someone from a Midwestern town, they wouldn’t be used to that, but in Philadelphia maybe we take it for granted that we have so much freedom. But that’s something we’re looking forward to sharing.”
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].