User:Taurusguyva/Dulles triangles

The Dulles Triangles is a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered social group based in the Northern Virginia/Metropolitan DC region.

A Short History of the Dulles Triangles.

In the fall of 1991, several gay men living in the Herndon/Reston Virginia area had an idea that there might be an opportunity to form a group that would bring Gays and Lesbians in the Northern Virginia area together. In December of that same year, a Christmas Party was put together to test the interest in a suburban group. Over 80 people showed up, marking the beginning of a group know as the "Surbanites United". Four months later, after another successful party, a steering committee was formed and the "Dulles Triangles" was created. The first official party of the group was celebrating "Pride 92".

The first newsletter made its debut with the October 1992 issue. Articles included the success of our first "Naked Wine Tasting Party" and marked the start of a feature in the in the newsletter entitled "The Petulant Porker", which reviewed a restaurant by the name of a "Little Place Called Siam" in Herndon. By the end of 1992, the group had grown to include over 65 names and ended with a Christmas Party to which over 70 people showed up. Other activities that fall included rollerblading, Thanksgiving dinner and a Burgerfest at Fuddruckers which over 50 people attended.

We started our 1993 membership drive with 130 names on our mailing list and held two happy hours a month alternating with the popular Burgerfests at Fuddruckers in Herndon. In fact, we sometimes had over 150 members showing up at Fuddruckers. Although primarily begun as a group for Gay Men, more and more ladies were visiting. In April, the Dulles Triangles made history by sponsoring a Riverboat Dandy Cruise coinciding with the March on Washington. Brunches were also added on the first and third Sundays of the month. Later that year we evolved into our weekly happy hours at the Reston Sheraton.

By 1994, the monthly newsletter was running to as many as eight pages and included many member-sponsored activities such as a SwimFest, potlucks, game nights, movie nights, a film festival, a wine Road Rally Tour, brunches, club nights, a Holocaust Film and Lecture, DC Pride, Trips to tour Falling Water, Atlantic City, Luray Caverns, and the James River Plantations; bowling, a Bar-B-Q, and the Annapolis Seafood Fest.

Fall of 1996, brought the first of the legendary Dulles Triangles Parties – "The Wizard of Ooze" complete with an entrance under a "rainbow" of balloons; the yellow brick road winding though a forest of silk plants; the remains of the wicked witch; the Wizard’s throne; and the Emerald City ballroom in which the walls were covered with a "skyline" of the city and revelers danced under hundreds of tiny lights. Over 85 members and guests showed up in the spirit of the evening. There were several Dorothys, cowardly lions, wicked witches and a scarecrow or two. This was followed six weeks later with an elaborate holiday party with seven decorated Christmas trees and dancing amidst giant presents. Over the next several years, DT has typically had 3 major indoor parties a year and 3 – 4 outdoor parties. Since then, party themes have included Gender Bender/Valentines/ Marti Gras Party; Leathers and Feathers, Nick at Night, Hawaiian Wedding reception, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, The Dark Side of Mardi Gras, Millennium Party, and, of course, 2001’s "Fairy Tales".

Over the years, a large number of people have "volunteered" to be elected to the board. These men and women give countless hours to the club producing the newsletter & directory; keeping our fiscal house in order; planning and executing great parties and events, coordinating member activities and making the Dulles Triangles the most successful (and longest surviving) group in Northern Virginia.

Over fifteen years since that small start, the Dulles Triangles has grown to over 300 members. In addition to our weekly Happy Hours at the Reston Sheraton, we have seven official parties (Spring party, two Summer Picnics, 2 pool parties, Halloween, Winter Holiday (and some smaller parties as well). There are also a host of other member-sponsored events including game nights, brunches, tours, dinners, movies, club nights, and a lot of others. But all of the dedication, planning, parties and happy hours would be worthless without the participation of you, the members of the Dulles Triangles!