by Kaizaad Kotwal

Columbus--A last-minute move to the Wall Street night club saved the Outie Awards after the original location cancelled.

The Vern Riffe Center withdrew for reasons not stated, leaving the annual awards ceremony homeless and on the verge of being cancelled.

The October 1 event was sponsored by Out in Columbus as a fundraiser for Stonewall Columbus, and had a Broadway theme.

Entertainers, including Nina West, Petunia Bloom, Showeena DuMore, the Royal Renegades, Capital Pride Band, Sunday Night Live, and Flaggots Ohio, based their performances on Broadway musicals.

The event was hosted by drag queen Mary Ann Brandt and WCMH Channel 4 weatherman and weekend anchor Marshall McPeek.

Twenty-three awards were presented:

Best Event: AIDS Walk

Best Community Organization: Kaleidoscope

Best Community Leader: Lynne Bowman of Equality Ohio

Best Male Bar: Havana

Best Female Bar: Wall Street

Best Male Bartender: Jimmy �Taffy� Cooper of Havana

Best Female Bartender: Laurie Boldman of Wall Street

Best DJ: Michelle Cheney of Wall Street

Best Restaurant/Caf�: North Star Caf�

Best New Business: Columbus Leather

Best Retail Establishment: Market Blooms

Best Community Volunteer: Jack Miner of Kaleidoscope

Most Philanthropic: Rajesh Lahoti and Ray Brown

Most Philanthropic Corporation: Huntington Bank

Best Art Gallery: A Muse Gallery

Best Media Personality: Kate Burdett of WBNS 97.1 FM

Best Print Journalist: Melissa Starker of Alive

Best Performance Group: Flaggots Ohio

Best Drag Queen: Nina West

Best Drag King: Royal Renegades

Most Eligible Bachelor: Shane Carpenter

Most Eligible Bachelorette: Suzie Simpson

The Chairmen�s Award went to Rick Gallagher, a philanthropist and financial backer of Stonewall Columbus� activities.