Live from Cologne - Canadians at opening ceremony

As the participants begun returning home, we're catching up with some of our reports and photos from Gay Games Cologne. Here are some fun photos of the Canadians from Opening Ceremony, courtesy of Shane Butner of Team Toronto.

Live from Cologne: the start to Gay Games VIII

Choir & Symphony

World Performers

Team San Diego Banner



Taylor Dayne

Gay Games Torch

Drum Corp

Live from Cologne: Gay Games opening ceremony

Live from Cologne report by Shane Butner, Toronto

Live from Cologne: thank you Cologne!

Live from Cologne report by Todd Linke and George Biagi, San Diego

Live from Cologne: out and proud

Live from Cologne reported by Sonya Lewis, Colorado

WOW !! WELCOMING THE WORLD !! COLOGNE GAY GAMES 2010 OPENING CEREMONIES

I have been to several Opening Ceremonies including a World Series and Stanley Cup Finals, but Cologne did us Queers right tonight.Ten thousand athletes from all over this planet gathered on a huge field and a feeling of everything is right with the world tonight abound.

The volunteers and organization was right on. You felt secure yet free to be anything and who you are. In the heart of a vibrant city yet all of us on the field joined by our love of sport ready to march into a huge stadium that by size could inspire any competitor to want to give their best.Intermittent spritzing rain did not deter any spirits and there was apel time for intercontinental reunions and lots of kisses and hugs. Many an athlete has attended these competitions dating back to 1982 and it showed by the squeals of glee and joy.

Based on an Olympic tradition, I thoroughly enjoy the sport of trading pins. Many a smile was caught as fellow “Pin Whores” met and a new City or Country team pin was acquired. My Team Colorado pins seemed to be in demand as I had gone through more than 25 in an hour. And at the risk of offending someone..I still am partial to the Team London pins..I have many from past games and always hunt them out.

And then the moment came that we all gathered in front of our Team Colorado Banner and I could not be more proud. Each of us..some borrowing money from friends and families, some saving for months even years, some deciding at the last minute all collected ourselves on this green field in the middle o Germany to say..We are OUT and PROUD and will represent Colorado and our Country, our Team and Ourselves in a spirit of fair and fierce and friendly competition.

So much more to say about the Opening Ceremonies so bear with me while I get some sleep and dream about a night to remember.

Love All….

Live from Cologne - Team Chicago marches into opening ceremony

Here's just a few seconds of Team Chicago, part of Team USA, entering the stadium at last night's Opening Ceremony. I'm told you could see us on the live broadcast. Look below in this blog for repeat times for the webstream.

Live from Cologne - Team Cologne enters Gay Games opening oeremonyi

All 900 members of Team Cologne enter the stadium to the cheers of the enthusiastic home crowd, and all of the other athletes and artists, of course.

Live from Cologne - Gay Games Opening Ceremony Finale with Taylor Dayne & Fireworks

Taylor Dayne performs the new Gay Games anthem, Facing a Miracle, surrounded by fire dancers and fireworks. The song - written by Norwegian and Dutch composers who won a Eurovision-style contest - is great and Taylor Dayne performs it well. She finished to much cheers, had to wipe some tears from her eyes, and the Gay Games Opening Ceremony was finished.

Live from Cologne - Lighting of the flame

The lighting of the flame at the Gay Games involved groups of Cologne volunteers running the flame around the stadium before handing it off to a fire breather who lit the cauldron. This was right before the performances. You can tell by the cheers from the crowd that everyone was having a great time.

Live from Cologne: Agnes Carlsson, Taylor Dayne, Matthew Mitcham introduced to press

From Games-Cologne.com

"The anticipation for the opening ceremony of the Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010 is immense.

"Not only for the organizational team, also for the artists, who will perform Saturday, July 31 at the two and a half hour long show in the RheinEnergieStadium on stage. “I am happy to perform for people who want to convince through athletic performance and stand up for equal rights for homosexual people” says Taylor Dayne. The American singer will sing the official hymn of the Gay Games, “Facing a miracle” at the opening ceremony.

"Also for the Swedish pop singer Agnes Carlsson the appearance at the Gay Games Cologne is something special. “Many gays and lesbians supported my career from the beginning. It´s a great honor for me to perform at the opening ceremony”, says Agnes. She will sing her top hit “Release me”.

Photo above Agnes Carlsson. Below Annette Wachter (Games Cologne), Agnes Carlsson, Taylor Dayne, Michael Lohaus (Games Cologne).

Below Michelle Ferris (Olympic Cyclist, Australia), Matthew Mitcham (Olympic Diver, Australia), Leigh-Ann Naidoo (Olympic Beach Volleyball Player, South Africa), John Amaechi (Professional Basketball Player, UK).

Read full article with photos HERE.

Live from Cologne: Team Band practicing for Opening Ceremony

LGBT bands have been part of the Gay Games from the very beginning. Participants arrive in Cologne having had a chance to practice the musical program for the Opening Ceremony and for performances during the week of the Gay Games, but not together as a group.

In this picture members of the band are warming up for tonight's Opening Ceremony. Waving in the middle is Doug Litwin, FGG Board member and part of Lesbian & Gay Bands of America. Welcome to Cologne, Doug, and best of luck to the band tonight.

Photo by Kevin Boyer.

Watch the live broadcast of Gay Games Opening Ceremony online from Cologne

On July, 31 the Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010 will start with a spectacular opening ceremony – and center.tv will broadcast it live. At 6:30 pm (Cologne Time) the Center.TV presentation duo of Uwe Lautenschläger and Stefan Sartorius will begin the pre-coverage from their glass-walled studio in the northern tower of RheinEnergie Stadium in Cologne. Guests will include sports men and women who will be participating in the Gay Games through August 7.

At 7:30 pm sharp the live broadcasting of the whole opening ceremony starts with the traditional entry of the 70 national teams, led by Team San Francisco, the birthplace of the Gay Games. Almost 10,000 participants will march into the stadium organized by country, state and province. Following this rousing start there will be a drummer’s show full of energy. At that point Center.TV's Uwe Lautenschläger will move to the main TV studio in the stadium where he will comment on the evening with Center.TV's Tina Stotz.

The highest ranking politician in the 30-year-long history of the Gay Games, openly gay Dr. Guido Westerwelle, vice chancellor and secretary of state of Germany and patron of the Gay Games, will declare the Games formally open. Then Australian Olympic gold medal diver Matthew Mitcham will deliver the oath to the participants. Matthew Mitcham was one of the few openly gay sportsmen at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Then the flame of the Gay Games and the International Memorial Rainbow Flag will reach the Stadium before the artistic part of the big event starts. Hundreds of musicians, performers, dancers and fire artists will deliver n impressive choreographed "Welcome to the Nations." Then the musical portion of the evening will start with performances by Swedish pop star “Agnes” with her hit “Release me…” and American diva Taylor Dayne, who will present the official anthem of Gay Games VIII Cologne 2010 “Facing a Miracle.”

Coverage will feature views from up to 9 cameras in stationery and mobile positions throughout the stadium. The complete broadcasting of the international opening ceremony can be followed via live stream at http://koeln.center.tv. For those in Germany, check your local Center.TV listings for TV broadcast and check www.games-cologne.com for any updates or additional websites.

Live broadcasting

Saturday, July, 31, 6:30 (LIVE) (Cologne Time)
US Eastern Time 12:30 pm
US Pacific time 9:30 am

Repetitions (all Cologne Time - 6 hours ahead of US Eastern Time)

Sunday, Aug, 1 12:00 pm
Sunday, Aug, 1 7:30 pm
Monday, Aug, 2 12:30 pm

Photo: Team San Francisco enters Chicago's Soldier Field during Gay Games Chicago 2006. Photo by Dmitriy Margoiln

Gay Games issues downloadable highlights flyer

Games Cologne has created a downloadable "Highlight Flyer" that lists all cultural events, tours, cruises, parties, gay villages, ceremonies and some of the ticket sporting events (like Pink Flamingo and Bodybuilding).

The flyer is in German, but as they say "When in Koln!"

Click here to download the flyer (PDF)
Photo by Allice Cooperman from Chicago 2006.

Facing a Miracle - from Chicago to Cologne

As we get closer to the 2010 Gay Games, the most recent hosts of the Gay Games, the team from Chicago Games Inc., are feeling the excitement from across the Atlantic. Kevin Boyer from CGI reacts to this new video from Games Cologne, featuring video from the Opening Ceremony from Gay Games VII Chicago 2006 set to the music of Facing a Miracle, the new Gay Games anthem performed by Taylor Dayne. 

"I was part of the hustle and bustle in the days and weeks before the 2006 Opening Ceremony, getting everything ready as Chicago welcomed the world. When the Opening Ceremony actually happened, it did feel a little bit like a miracle to everyone in Chicago.
 
"Best of luck to everyone working so hard to get things ready for Cologne's turn on the world stage. Hopefully everyone is taking the time to enjoy the moment. See you all in Cologne in just one week!"

German Foreign Minister official patron of Gay Games VIII

From The Local:Westerwelle to kick off Gay Games in Cologne this summer

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has agreed to be the official patron of the eighth annual Gay Games in Cologne this summer, the organisation reported on Thursday.

Westerwelle’s participation was a “clear signal for more tolerance and acceptance of homosexual people in our society,” Gay Games Cologne 2010 director Annette Wachter said, adding that organisers hope this will enhance how the athletes are received in their daily lives.

More than 12,000 athletes from around the world are expected at the games, which run from July 31 to August 7 in the city.

The first Gay Games event took place in 1982 in the California city of San Francisco with the aim of fighting discrimination against lesbians, gays and bisexuals.

Its 35 competitions include football, track and field, swimming, body building, bowling and golf.