Is it business or pleasure? InterNext has always been a little bit of both. The atmosphere for the summer show couldn’t be more different than that of its winter counterpart. The relaxing ocean setting of South Florida versus the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas.Is it business or pleasure? InterNext has always been a little bit of both. The atmosphere for the summer show couldn’t be more different than that of its winter counterpart. The relaxing ocean setting of South Florida versus the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas. A hot summer breeze versus the chirping of slot machines. This industry is full of opinions about which setting is best. But next week the online adult entertainment community will forget about Las Vegas and travel to Hollywood, Florida for the annual summer InterNext Expo. For those of you who are attending the Hollywood show for the first time, you’re in for a special treat.

InterNext is put on twice each year by the good folks over at AVN. An industry leader, AVN purchased the rights to the show several years back when it was still called IA2000. The show has evolved tremendously since AVN took over as captain. Of course the industry has changed too; InterNext has slowly migrated from wild industry party to professional business convention. It evolved due to a combination of factors: AVN’s professional guidance, the maturation of the industry at large, and an increase in scrutiny on the part of hotels and local law enforcement officials.

That doesn’t mean, however, that one can’t have a little bit of fun at InterNext. Parties will again be one of the prime attractions at this year’s show, and they also will serve as important marketing opportunities for the companies that pay the tab. This year’s lineup of parties, I think you will admit, is nothing short of impressive.

On Thursday night, the big event will be the much-anticipated GFY Warm-Up Party. Now an InterNext tradition, the GFY Warm-Up Party will move this year to the Grand Ballroom of the Diplomat Hotel. Previous GFY parties have taken place on a boat that could be found just across from the Diplomat Hotel, but demand has necessitated a larger venue.

On Friday, the party schedule intensifies. Kicking it off will be the Silvercash Bikini Invitational, where top Floridian models will compete for the grand prize of $2,500. Next, and for those lucky enough to be on the list, the NoCreditCard.com VIP Scotch and Cigar Party returns. Sightings of YNOTBob are expected. And then comes Cirque de Noir. Check out this wild description from the InterNext Web site:

“Imagine stepping into an environment where all reality no longer exists. The hungry darkness envelops your senses; where the world around you becomes surreal. Welcome to Cirque de Noir, the circus of the night. Our fire breathers and cling wrapped models will greet you curbside. Human ponies attached to gilded chariots, stilt walkers and “twisted” clowns are just a few of the visuals. Cirque de Noir will be a visually stunning circus of the senses tailored for the adult industry. Scantily clad trapeze artists, bound models, risque shows, along with amazing music, transform a 10,000 sq. ft historical Hollywood club. 3 rooms will transport you into the ultimate show on earth. A realm the Webmaster only fantasizes about in his wildest unimaginable dreams.”

And if that’s not good enough, the Ultimate Kegger Bash Experience will provide an alternative to Cirque de Noir on Friday night. Featuring a “booty contest” and a whole lot of beer, this party will take place in a couple of the hospitality suites at the Diplomat Hotel.

How about Saturday night? Well, it all starts off with the battle of the happy hours! The Silvercash Happy Hour goes head-to-head with the Xbiz Get Happy Hour. Either way, a lot of alcohol will end its time on earth that night. But at this point the night is quite young, so Webmasters with an invite will swing over to the Martini Mayhem, where a third happy hour will, ahem, go down. But where are the girls?

Not to worry, the Bottle Model Search for 2005 will treat invites to a party at a private mansion with an army of “Bottle Models” to keep them company. Alternatively, the Boardwalk Bash: The Gay Webmasters Nightclub Party will happen around the same time, with live male strippers and an open bar. The PureCash Belly Flop Contest happens around 7:30 that night out by the Diplomat’s pool, and then comes EroticaFest 2004.

Hosted by Ron Jeremy, EroticaFest 2004 will feature performances by Alien Ant Farm, Carmen Electra’s Naked Women’s Wrestling League, and DJ Poet from Black Eyed Peas. Where will this whopper party take place? The InterNext Web site cryptically promises only a 40,000 square foot “mansion-esque venue” for our decadent pleasure. The show is also promising a parade of MTV-worthy rock stars, so expectations should be sky-high for this one.

By the time Sunday rolls around, we’re hoping that everyone will still be alive. But will the parties stop? Well, they certainly will slow down a little bit. Die-hards will again start off by milking the Silvercash Happy Hour, this time without any competing happy hour events. Women in Adult will meet for a cocktail party in the early evenings. And then The Farewell Party will close the show at the Diplomat Hotel.

It’s just unfathomable to think about all that alcohol that will be consumed over those three days. Hopefully everyone who goes into this event will come out unscarred and feeling a lot better about the industry in which they have chosen to work. Times have been tough for a lot of adult industry companies over the past few years, but AVN hasn’t let that affect the quality of InterNext – in fact, it has only gotten better.

If you’re skipping this year’s show to save a few bucks, now you know what you’re missing. Shame on you! And we haven’t even talked yet about the business opportunities that can be found at this year’s show. InterNext is a vital asset for the online adult entertainment industry, and we all owe a pile of thanks to AVN for consistently putting on this top quality event, twice each year, where Webmasters and industry professionals can grow their businesses while having a whole hell of a lot of fun in the process.

Connor Young is Editor-in-Chief of YNOT News. He has been involved with the online adult entertainment business since 1997, and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Internet Freedom Association (i-freedom.org); He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of The ADULTWEBMASTER Magazine.