Mr. Gay World Pageant Returns to South Africa
This year's competition marks the first in-person events held since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago.
The Mr. Gay World contest will take place in person in Cape Town, South Africa, following a three-year COVID-induced hiatus.
The coveted crown of Mr. Gay World is back up for grabs with this year’s pageant right around the corner. From October 9 to 16, all eyes will be on the competition, which determines who “best represents the next spokesperson for the gay community,” according to the organization’s website.
This is the seventh time in the pageant’s 14 years that South Africa will serve as host country, including the past two years’ pageants, which were held virtually due to restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are so glad to be back doing the competition in person again, and there’s no better place to do it than my second home, South Africa,” Eric Butter, the founder and president of Mr. Gay World, said in a press release.
“Cape Town not only boasts its world-famous scenic and natural wonders but is also a city that embraces freedom in all spheres,” Jacques du Toit, the newly appointed Mr. Gay World Director for Africa, said.
The organization also released a new logo for the annual competition following the announcement, including a nod to the host country. The logo includes the Blue Crane, South Africa’s national bird, with rainbow-colored plumage.
“We look forward to welcoming delegates from around the world and giving them a platform in Cape Town to showcase their diversity, compassion, and their philanthropy,” du Toit added. “I know that this contest will be an experience that will shape their lives in many ways for years to come.”
The competition is hoping to rebound after a recent dispute between pageant organizers and the original 2021 winner Louw Breytenbach, a former Mr. Gay South Africa, made international headlines. Breytenbach was hit with a gag order from pageant organizers following a contract dispute that led him to give up his title.
The Mr. Gay World Pageant will be held from Oct. 9-16, with the grand finale taking place on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Artscape Opera House, D.F. Malan St, Foreshore, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. Tickets can be purchased online via Computicket.com. For more information, visit www.mrgayworld.com.
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