Asia's biggest

Asia's biggest gay party starts

SINGAPORE: A three-day gay and lesbian festival that organizers have claimed is the largest in Asia got off to a rousing start in Singapore -- where homosexual acts are still illegal.

At least 6,000 partygoers from across the region danced from Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday at the opening event of Nation.04, organizer and regional gay website Fridae.com said.

The second leg of the festival, to take place on the eve of Singapore's 39th independence day, takes place on Sunday night on Sentosa island, with revelers urged to dress up in Singapore's national colors of red and white.

Half of the revelers at the opening party in the Suntec City Convention Center were mainly from neighboring countries like Thailand, Taiwan and Japan, the website said.

"It was a very good night," Stuart Koe, chief executive of Fridae.com, told AFP on Sunday. "Based on what people are saying, they can't wait for tonight so I think this is a very good sign." -- AFP