WHEREAS, Over the past 30 years, GayBINGO! has raised an estimated $4 million for HIV-related care and prevention services, all while creating a uniquely Philadelphia blend of irreverence, joy, camp performance, and community solidarity. During its early years, the event became an instant sensation. Tickets routinely sold out within minutes, with more than 600 seats disappearing in under 10 minutes for the first six years, thanks in large part to the magnetic hosting of Carlota Ttendant and Mark “Chumley” Singer; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1996 by the HIV Fund during the height of the HIV epidemic, GayBINGO! became much more than an entertainment event, evolving into a gathering place for Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ community and allies, a platform for activism and awareness, and a critical source of financial support for HIV services throughout the region; and
WHEREAS, During the 1980s and early 1990s, HIV devastated LGBTQ+ and other impacted communities across the United States, including Philadelphia. Thousands of people became ill and died while many faced discrimination, social stigma, inadequate healthcare access, and political neglect; and
WHEREAS, GayBINGO! represented Philadelphia’s distinctive LGBTQ+ culture; politically engaged, community-oriented, humorous, resilient, and unapologetically theatrical. For many attendees, GayBINGO! became an intergenerational space where longtime HIV activists, LGBTQ+ youth, allies, healthcare workers, and community members could gather together; and
WHEREAS, The 30th anniversary of GayBINGO! is celebrating not only its longevity, but also generations of volunteers, performers, organizers, donors, audience members, healthcare workers, and activists who sustained it over three decades, while newer audiences are discovering GayBINGO! for the first time; and
WHEREAS,
In late 2024, the HIV Fund announced that it would conclude operations after decades of service, passing the baton to Action Wellness to ensure its legacy endures. GayBINGO! continues to be far more than a fundraising event; its story reflects the broader story of HIV activism in both Philadelphia and the United States. Like many community-led responses to the epidemic, it was born from grief, urgency, creativity, and mutual aid, embodying joy, humor, resilience, and celebration in the face of profound loss; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors and celebrates GayBINGO!, an iconic Philadelphia cultural institution and one of its most recognizable LGBTQ+ traditions and HIV fundraisers, on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution shall be presented to GayBINGO! as evidence of the sincere respect, gratitude, and admiration of this legislative body.
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