Arts & Entertainment
D.C. arts briefs: July 27
Best of Gay D.C. voting up now, ‘Lay of the Land’ and ‘Thomas is Titanic’ at the Fringe
Ba’Naka with her trophies at last year’s Best of Gay D.C. awards. (Blade photo by Pete Exis)
Nominate your faves for Best of Gay D.C.
The opportunity to nominate local businesses, restaurants or people in the Blade’s 11th annual Best of Gay D.C. awards ends Wednesday.
The Blade has added a new step this year to the Best of Gay D.C. Awards by allowing readers to nominate their favorites before official voting starts Aug. 10. Readers can nominate businesses, venues and people in categories such as best new restaurant, best wine bar, best dance club, hottest stripper, best place of worship, best yoga studio, best realtor, best drag queen, best amateur athlete and many more.
The purpose of the awards is to bring reader’s attentions to establishments that they may not have known about prior to the contest.
To nominate a business or a person, or to see where to vote starting Aug. 10, go to bestofgaydc.com.
Running in Rehoboth
CAMP Rehoboth and Seashore Striders are planning the third annual “Sundance 5K: Run, Walk or Sashay!” event for Aug. 26 at 7:30 a.m. The race starts in front of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center on Baltimore Avenue.
The 5K serves as the kick-off to “Sundance Week,” an annual benefit for Rehoboth’s gay community center. There’s also a one-mile “Fun Walk” and participants are encouraged to come in costume.
Prizes will be awarded to top finishers. Pre-registration runs through Aug. 14 and costs $25 (T-shirt guaranteed); register online by Aug. 24 for $30 or in person on race weekend also for $30 (T-shirts while supplies last). Visit seashorestriders.com to register. The Blade is an official media sponsor.
One man depicts the epic sinking of Titanic
Thomas Choinacky performs “Thomas is Titanic” with the Capital Fringe Festival tonight at 10:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2:45 p.m. at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church (7th St. Mt. Vernon Square).
Choinacky is a gay performer whose obsession with Kate Winslet led him to play all the parts of the movie, including the iceberg.
General admission is $17. For more information, visit capitalfringe.org.
Laughs and controversy in the Capitol
Award-winning and controversial actor Tim Miller performs his piece “Lay of the Land” as part of the Association for Theater in Higher Education Conference on Aug. 3 at 10 p.m. The conference will take at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill (400 New Jersey Ave., NW).
Miller’s pieces have always explored his identity as a gay man and the civil rights of those in the LGBT community. Several of his pieces have caused controversies. Miller was one of the NEA 4, which were four artists who had their National Endowment of the Arts vetoed based on the content of their work.
“Lay of the Land” is no different, as it takes place during a “No on Prop. 8” protest in downtown L.A. In an interview with gay author William Mann, Miller said, “’Lay of the Land’ is a ‘lay’ in all kinds of ways: a sex-assignation, a queer citizenship map, and of course a narrative ballad with a recurrent refrain.”
Attendees don’t have to be registered for the conference in order to attend the performance. Individual registration costs range from $215-$435, but tickets for Miller’s performance are available for $10 at the door of the Hyatt ballroom just prior to the performance. For more information, visit athe.org or timmillerperformer.com.
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
Friday, June 12
Bet Mishpachah will host “Pride Shabbat Happy Hour” at 6 p.m. at Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center. This is an in-person happy hour with an open wine and beer bar, great company, and joyful conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will meet at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, visit Facebook.
Saturday, June 13
Out N Bad will host “SWEET WHINE: DC Pride Queer Caribbean Slow Whine Function” at 9 p.m. at Decades DC. This is a late-night escape into slow and steamy Dancehall & Kompa only. No splits. No headtops. No pressure. Tickets are $22.14 and are available on Eventbrite.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host a screening of “10s Across the Borders,” a bold pan-Asian queer film that confronts homophobia, transphobia, and racism while celebrating Southeast Asia’s underground ballroom scene. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Sunday, June 14
Beth A Wolfe Yoga will host “Pride Baby Goat Yoga” at 1 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington, Va. The goats will be decked out in their finest Pride apparel, and human participants are welcome to do the same. Proceeds from this event will go to the Trevor Project. Tickets cost $44.52 and are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, June 15
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Tuesday, June 16
“Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” will be at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a full-time Martial Arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website.
Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, June 17
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, June 18
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
D.C. Council approves expanded grant funding for Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Baltimore Pride is here
Calendar: June 12-18
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