FYI Philly celebrates Pride Month in Philly with hosts Adam Joseph, Alicia Vitarelli

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Adam Joseph and Alicia Vitarelli host FYI Philly's Pride show, Saturday, June 4 at 7 on 6abc.

Backward Flag Brewing is an ode to those who served

Torie Fisher opened Backward Flag Brewing in 2015.

As her service in the military began to wind down she started planning her next step.

She used all her retirement money to fund Backward Flag Brewing Company, just outside Long Beach Island.

The space has become a haven for veterans and members of the service industry who have supported Torie and she has repaid the favor.

The walls are decorated with hundreds of patches from visitors who served, representing a range of industries from prosecutors to foreign governments to Torie's own Hooligans patch from her military days.

Her uniform hangs on the wall alongside her wife's uniform, who is currently active in the military. There are tables donated by former Navy and a Backward Flag logo made out of wood created by someone from her unit. Although she didn't create the brewery to be a veteran space it has organically grown because of the special bond military service creates.

The beer menu appeals to all beer lovers, with stouts and IPAs named mostly with military monikers but some just for fun.

The brewery has grown from a two-barrel system when they started to the 10-barrel system they operate today.

The brewery has also given Torie the opportunity to start a non-profit called Arms 2 Artisans.

It is aimed at post-9/11 veterans looking to make the jump from military service to an artisanal trade.

She remembers the struggles she went through making that same leap and hopes her non-profit can make the transition easier.

Backward Flag Brewing Co. | Facebook | Instagram

699 Challenger Way, Forked River, NJ 08731

Arms 2 Artisans | Facebook | Instagram

Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro pouring up a rainbow of wines for Pride
In Midtown Village, classic wine bar Vintage is a great place for customers to expand their palates.

Traditional wines are next to new world offerings, and choices are expansive with more than 30 wines available by the glass or bottle.

General Manager Jillian Encarnation has been in the hospitality industry since helping with her family's restaurant when she was young, then rising through the ranks at award-winning local restaurants.

Her goal is to make wine - and learning about wine - approachable and accessible to all.

In honor of Pride Month, drink specials are being offered, including a 'Rainbow Flight' that features a sampling of wines from different parts of the world.

Also available are cocktails, beers, small plates, and entrees.

Vintage | Facebook | Instagram
129 S. 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-922-3095

Gay Bingo raises funds for Philadelphians living with HIV
AIDS Fund is a local organization that raises money by hosting Gay Bingo nights all in support of those living with HIV in the Philadelphia region.

Their mission is to support the most vulnerable people living with HIV, whose financial situation could turn into a health crisis.

They raise awareness of the impact of HIV in the LGBT community and they're thrilled to be back for their 25th season.

The night always begins with an opening number from the Bingo Verifying Divas and there are performances throughout for extra game night entertainment.

Almost everyone you meet at Gay Bingo is a volunteer with AIDS Fund, including the divas.

AIDS Fund has over 500 volunteers each year helping out with events from Gay Bingo to the annual AIDS Walk.

The 25th Anniversary Gay Bingo Spectacular is on June 18.

AIDS Fund Philly Gay Bingo | Facebook | Instagram
2628 Orthodox Street, Philadelphia, PA 19137
215-731-9255

Papa's Cupcakes is a dream job for father, husband and son baking trio
John Ferrraro spent more than 25 years as a pharmacist.

About 17 years ago, he and his then partner, now-husband, Bryan Berchok adopted a child.

That got Ferrraro in the kitchen baking cupcakes for school events and birthday parties as Shawn grew up.

John's hobby grew into a big business. Now, John, Bryan and their son, a high school junior, operate Papa's Cupcakes in Perkasie.

They serve more than 50 varieties of cupcake flavors, each handmade in the couple's home kitchen from scratch and sold at the Perkasie store.

Every cupcake is filled with flavors ranging from salted caramel to chocolate chip cookie dough and strawberry rhubarb.

Berchok uses the cores to create Daddy's Cakepops, which they also sell at the store.

The names of the shop and the pops come from Shawn, who always called John, Papa, and Bryan, Daddy.

Papa's Cupcakes | Facebook | Instagram

101 North 5th Street, Perkasie, PA 18944

Meet the husbands behind Jersey's thriving Music Mountain Theatre
Louis Palena and Jordan Brennan met in the theater twenty years ago.

Since then, they have started their own theater, had a commitment ceremony, got married, and fostered a daughter.

The new addition to the family is 2-year-old Alana, and her personality blends in well with her foster fathers' careers on the stage, where they opened the Music Mountain Theatre five years ago.

The New Hope/Lambertville area continues to be home, to both their business and the family roots they have laid down.

With Alana having joined the family just recently, this will be Louis and Jordan's first Father's Day as dads.

Music Mountain Theatre | Facebook | Instagram
1483 Route NJ-179, Lambertville, New Jersey 08530
609-397-3337

Celebrate PRIDE Month, Father's Day at these 2 Philly spots
Shucking oysters, fresh tacos, and margaritas on tap; it's a great way to celebrate Father's Day and PRIDE Month.

The Oyster House and Mission Taqueria are both LGBTQ+-owned and operated by the same family.

Oyster House is celebrating 13 years in business. Owner Sam Mink says the restaurant is Philadelphia's largest oyster bar. They source all their oysters from local growers.

The menu has everything from fish dishes to crab cakes, lobster rolls, grilled lobster, tartars, raw seafood and a great cocktail and beverage list.

Seafood is in the blood for Mink. His father opened the restaurant in 1976.

Directly above is Mission Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant Sam opened six years ago.

It features a variety of fun tacos and salsa. Handmade tortillas are created on the spot for dishes like the shrimp and chicken tacos. Mission also has a cocktail, margarita and mezcal program.

It's where Sam's husband Anthony Padillo works as a bookkeeper. The couple also has a 7-year-old son named Asher.

Sam is a board member of the Attic Youth Center, where he serves meals and resources to support at-risk LGBTQ+ youths in Philadelphia.

Both Mission Taqueria and the Oyster House take off Sundays, including Father's Day, but you can order fun at-home kits like the clam bake kit, where you can bring home a whole steaming bucket.

Happy hour at both Mission and the Oyster House is every Tuesday-Friday, 4-6 pm. There are $2 Oysters at the Oyster House, plus other drink and food specials.

Oyster House | Instagram | Facebook
1516 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102

Mission Taqueria | Instagram
Above Oyster House, 1516 Sansom Street 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102

Optimal Sport takes pride in zero judgment gym culture
Optimal Sport is a gay-owned gym that has been creating a vibrant and inclusive space for the last two decades and takes pride in zero-judgment gym culture.

The family-friendly community gym is nestled in the heart of the Gayborhood.

Personal trainer and Lead Group Fitness Instructor Dani Iannone says they offer a very wide range of classes. With everything from spin, yoga, HIIT, heavy lifters and sports athletes to Silver Sneakers for older people.

Co-founders and married couple Jeff Shablin and Yule Giraldo started out as personal trainers and have grown the business together for the last 20 years.

They also own a second location in Newtown, garnering not only a great sweat but a sense of belonging!

Aside from the classes and standard machines, guests can explore alternative workout techniques. And lots of on-hand help, including a nutritionist.

You can find them at Dilworth Park in Center City every Monday and Tuesday night at 6 p.m. for free Zumba and Cardio boxing classes.

The outdoor workout classes run from the summer into the fall. Also feel free to bring your kids and take a run through the fountains to cool off afterward.

Optimal Sport 1315
1315 Walnut St #4719, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107

Optimal Sport Newtown
828B Newtown-Yardley Road, Newtown, Pennsylvania 18940

William Way's 'going home' ceremony remembers lives lost to HIV/AIDS
The William Way LGBT Center is celebrating PRIDE with a 'memorial experience,' honoring those who've lost their lives to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Philadelphia.

The commemoration is titled 'The Remembrance Memorial: An Alternative Memorial Experience to Philadelphians Lost to HIV/AIDS.'

The center commissioned award-winning playwright, Ain Gordon to turn the stories of those impacted by HIV/AIDS into a play called 'These Don't Easily Scatter.'

There's also an exhibition opening on June 21 called 'Gone and Forever' designed and directed by artist and entrepreneur Alex Stadler.

Coming two years into the COVID pandemic, the 'Going home' ceremony promises to be particularly poignant.

After PRIDE month, the entire Remembrance project will live on through a digital archive that will launch on Dec. 1, World AIDS Day.

William Way LGBT Community Center | Facebook | Instagram
1315 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107

'Remembrance: An Alternative Memorial Experience to Philadelphians Lost to HIV/AIDS':

'Gone and Forever' exhibit: June 21-25 at William Way LGBT Community Center

"Going home" memorialization ceremony, followed by public procession: June 25 at 3 p.m., William Way LGBT Community Center to The Church of St. Luke & the Epiphany

Remembrance Digital Archive: Expected launch: Dec. 1, 2022 (World AIDS Day/Day Without Art)