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Calendar for June 25

Friday, June 25, to Thursday, July 1

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Friday, June 25

Ziegfeld’s Club reopening party is tonight. Shows at 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Dancing before and after each show with DJ Spyke.

Countdown to Free at Apex, 1415 22nd St. From 9 to 10 p.m., drinks are $3. From 10 to 11 p.m., drinks are $2. From 11 p.m. to midnight drinks are free.

“Glee Club” is at Town tonight. Performances, sing-a-longs, karaoke, videos and “Glee” music. Doors open at 10 p.m., show starts at 10:30 p.m. For those 18-20, $10 all night. For those 21 and over, $5 before 11 p.m. and $10 after.

Divas Outdoors at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 4155 Linnean Avenue, N.W. screens “My Little Chickadee,” staring Mae West and W.C. Fields at 8:30 tonight. At 7:45 p.m., judging of best picnic spread begins with winners being announced at 8 p.m. $15 public and members, $10 college students and children and teens 6-18. To order tickets, call 202 686-5807. For more information visit oneinten.org or hillwoodmuseum.org.

Queer Pulp For the Girls and Bois at Black Squirrel, 2427 18th St., N.W., is tonight at 9. No cover charge, 21 and over to enter.

Gay District, a weekly, non-church affiliated discussion and social group for GBTQ men between 18 and 35, meets tonight from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Celebrate Shabbat services, 8:30-10 p.m. at the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. Services are followed by an Oneg social.

Saturday, June 26

Burgundy Crescent Volunteers helps with food preparation and packing groceries for Food & Friends at its new facility near the Fort Totten Metro Station, 219 Riggs Road N.E., at 8 a.m.

DC Front Runners fun walk/run at Rock Creek Park is today from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The walk goes from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and the run goes from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

PETS-DC presents Pride of Pets at Dupont Circle today. $25 unlimited entry or $6 per individual class. Check in begins at 2 p.m., show starts at 3. Rain date for adverse weather is Sunday. PETS-DC is dedicated to improving the health and well being of people living with HIV/AIDS or other disabling conditions and their companion pets. For more information visit petsdc.org.

Etxe Records & Productions and Sasha Lord present Night and the City, Fangs Out and Prom Concussion at Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave. N.W., tonight at 10:30. All ages. Fangs Out is a two-piece band from Toledo comprised of multi-instrumentalists Samantha Wandtke and Mark Peterson. Night and the City is from Washington and comprised of Christin Durham, Christopher Goett, S.L. Noon, and Greg Svitil. They have formerly played in the Antiques, Girl Loves Distortion and Victor Victoria.

Sunday, June 27

HomoWood Karaoke at Cobalt, 1639 R St., N.W. is tonight. Show tunes and movie theme songs will be played and a drink special called $5 martini madness will be offered.

“Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” directed by Keith Baxter, will have two showings today, one at 2 p.m. and another at 7:30 p.m. at Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St., N.W. Originally banned from the stage, “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” scandalized audiences upon its debut. The world of the idealistic Vivie is turned upside down when she learns that her family’s considerable wealth comes from her mother’s management of a chain of brothels.

Monday, June 28

Gay “American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert performs tonight at the 9:30 Club, 815 V St., N.W. Doors open at 7 p.m. Also featuring Orianthi and Allison Iraheta. The concert is sold out but a tie-in event called “After Adam” is at Town. Doors open at 9 p.m. Free with concert ticket, $5 without. 18 and over.

Tuesday, June 29

Join Burgundy Crescent Volunteers to help pack safer sex kits tonight from 7-9 p.m. at EFN Lounge, on 9th Street between O and N streets.

Wednesday, June 30

American College Personnel Association presents “The Three Bs: Binaries, Boxes, Budgets,” a student affairs focused workshop, in the Atrium Room in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union at University of Maryland, College Park. Registration and continental breakfast at 8 a.m. The session will run from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. with a break for lunch. For more information and to register online, visit myacpa.org.

Yappy Hour: Happy Hour for Dogs at Larry’s Lounge, 1836 18th St., N.W., is today from 4 to 8 p.m. featuring drink specials and giveaways.

Thursday, July 1

Atlas Performing Arts Center presents Summer Film Series: Gay 101 showing “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” starring Audrey Hepburn at the Paul Sprenger Theatre, 1333 H St., N.E., at 8 p.m. Buy tickets at atlasarts.org or at the box office one hour prior to the movie.

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PHOTOS: Fairfax City Pride

LGBTQ celebration held at Sherwood Center

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A scene from Fairfax City Pride on June 6. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Fairfax City Pride was held at the Sherwood Center (3740 Blenheim Blvd., Fairfax, Va.) on Saturday, June 6.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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D.C. prepares to party as Pride celebrations kick off Saturday

Bars, clubs have busy lineups; Pride on the Pier returns

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The Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Capital Pride’s date change isn’t slowing down the festivities. Back in December, the Capital Pride Alliance shifted the calendar for Pride celebrations in the nation’s capital from the second weekend of June to two weeks later to the weekend of June 20-21 to not conflict with President Trump’s birthday and 250th anniversary of America celebrations, with the aim that “our community can gather safely and without unnecessary barriers… We are protecting our space and preserving Pride as a powerful act of visibility, solidarity, and resistance.” 

On the heels of WorldPride last year, the city shows no sign of slowing down. Instead, restaurants, bars, clubs, and neighborhoods are taking the opportunity to be even more visible. The Blade has put together a (non-comprehensive) list of parties, activations, and activities across town:

Pride on the Pier returns on Saturday, June 13 to the Wharf on the Southwest waterfront. The event, sponsored and hosted by the Washington Blade, is free and runs from 4-9 p.m. There will be vendors, DJs, and drag performances all day. VIP tickets are $25 and come with air conditioned party room, private bathrooms, and free cocktail. More details at prideonthepierdc.com.

Capital Pride Official Opening Party: RIOT! is the official opening dance party of Capital Pride, taking place Friday June 19, 9 PM-3AM. The 2026 edition headlining performer is Myki Meeks, a finalist of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 18; Bob The Drag Queen will perform a special set. DMV-area DJs and performers include: Bambi, Baphomette, Bumper, Cake Pop!, Connor, DJ Ed Bailey, DJ Diyanna Monet, Evry Pleasure, Jakknife Complex, Mari Con Carne, Pussy Noir, WessTheDJ. Trade owner Ed Bailey is producing the event.

Kinetic Presents brings the heat across the entirety of Pride weekend as well. It again is partnering with Capital Pride Alliance to produce four events over four days this Pride, including the Official Main Event on Saturday (the Friday official event is at Echostage). Kinetic’s parties are splayed across various D.C. venues, with special performances, massive productions, shirtless dancers, play zones, dance-forward audio and visuals, and international DJ talent. Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM at District Eagle is Lust, with music by Dan Slater and TOMI. Friday, June 19 at 10 PM is UNCUT XXL Heavy Load, at A.i. Warehouse in Union Market District, with music by Alex Acosta, Felipe Lira & Mitch Ferrino; the party is a “high-octane night of muscular house and tribal rhythms.” Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM brings that official main event, Kinetic Toy Land, at Echostage, with music by GSP & Matt Suave. Alaska Thunderfuck headlines. Sunday evening June 21 at 10 PM closes with discoVERS at SAX. A portion of tickets supports the DC LGBTQ+ community through Capital Pride Alliance.

9:30 Club always comes in clutch for the LGBTQ community. Already in June, it produced Kitty Kat Ball on June 7, and Kiesza performed on June 8. On June 20 at 10 PM, the famed Mixtape party hits the stage, care of gay DJs Shea van Horn and Matt Bailer, who have spun together for coming up on two decades. Mixtape has been held at several venues across the city over those years, and now settled on 9:30 Club for Pride. On June 25 at 7 PM, Big Freedia – the bounce artist from New Orleans – hits the 9:30 Club scene for the eighth time, as part of the Big Freedom Tour.

Crush: New this year from the 14th Street bar is the Pride Pop-Up, sitting pretty in the parking lot at 1820 14th St., N.W., at the corner of Swann Street by the start of the Pride Parade route. Hours are Friday from 2-10 PM and Saturday from 12-10 PM. Friday evening features Grizzly Bear Happy Hour, a DJ will set up shop on Saturday, and for those needing another layer, there’s a Crush merch store. Co-owner Mark Rutstein “has always wanted to throw a party in that parking lot, so he did,” said co-owner Stephen Rutgers. Note that Crush (the bar) will have a cover on Friday and Saturday.

Kiki: Over at Kiki, there’s a full slate of Pride-themed programming all week. Tuesday, June 16 at 9 PM brings karaoke; Wednesday, June 17 at 7:30 PM is trivia; Thursday June 18 at 9PM is “Night of 1000 Tatianna’s Drag Show”, and Friday June 19 at 9 PM brings the Juneteenth Serve Drag Show. Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM, post-parade, is a Pride Dance Party with DJ Lemz. Sunday daytime at 5 PM is the Father Figures Daddy Issues Special Drag Show; and after the festival at 8 PM, DJ Tezrah hits the tapes.

Jane Jane: Right along the parade route, gay-owned Jane Jane has transformed its space into a “No Kings, Yas Queens” activation in a direct response to the America 250th commemorations happening downtown, from the colorful window installation, to merch (including a custom bandana and tank) to disco wig installations. Events include industry night on Mondays, donations to LGBTQ charities, and  to-go cocktails during the Pride Parade.

Shaws Tavern: Gay-owned Shaw’s Tavern on Florida Avenue celebrates Pride week with a full lineup of themed events, entertainment, and specials, including Pride trivia on Monday, June 15 at 7:30 PM, bingo on Tuesday, June 16 at 8 PM, a cabaret on Thursday, June 18 at 9 PM, Juneteenth Drag Brunch on Friday, June 19 at 12:30 PM, and both a pre-parade brunch (10 AM-4 PM) and post-parade party (5-9 PM) on Saturday, June 20. Sunday, June 21 at 7 PM brings Mama’s Sunday Supper & Drag Pride Show in the evening for anyone who is still awake.

Trade: This classic has a weekend of events, starting on Thursday, with Tiburon Pride Edition, a Latin Dance party in the Shark Tank. On Friday, the bar opens early (at 2 PM), with all-day happy hour and the Jx&Evry Show. On Saturday, the bar opens at noon, offering a prime parade viewing spot from its windows. There will be the CLASH drag show hosted by Tatianna and Crimsyn, and Sweet Spot party that night. On Sunday, the bar opens for normal hours at 2 PM, with DJs Adam K, Alex Love, and WESSTHEDJ.

Pitchers: The multi-level bar in Adams Morgan is hosting a Pride-themed show on Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM, with drawstring bag giveaways – the only kind of bag that will be allowed into the bar during Pride weekend. The show features drag queen Kyle Sonique Love. 

Barrel House Cafe and Bar: Also by the parade route on 14th Street, Barrel House Cafe takes advantage of its large patio to have a slate of events during Pride week, including Schism, a drag and burlesque show on June 18 at 10 PM, as well as an all-day Pride party coinciding on parade day.

Bunker: Bunker again plays host to a series of afters. Friday night (Saturday 3:30 AM) is Unhinged, and Saturday night (Sunday 3:30AM) is Unholy. The regular Saturday night party (10 PM) brings in Venetian and Tiara Missou. All parties have cover charges.

District Eagle: Beyond the Kinetic party on Friday, June 19 brings Gear Night at 10 PM; Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM is LOBO presents PRISM, and Sunday, June 21 is Sundaze wit Papi at 6 PM. 

African Art Museum: On Thursday, June 18 at 5 PM, this Smithsonian museum is hosting a free event with artists and curators celebrating its exhibit, “Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art,” “based on years of close collaboration and dialogue with African visual art practitioners who claim belonging in the LGBTQ+ community, however they define those terms,” according to the museum.

KNEAD Hospitality & Design: The gay-owned KNEAD restaurant group (including spots like Gatsby, Mi Vida, Succotash The Grill) is featuring the GLITTERATI cocktail, made with Tito’s, St-Germain Elderflower, Butterfly Flower, ginger, and yes, glitter. A portion of proceeds from every Glitterati cocktail sold will benefit The Trevor Project. The cocktail will be sold throughout June.

The Fountain Inn is partnering with Rhodium spirits (Rhode Island’s first LGBTQ+ owned distillery) all month, making cocktails like gimlets and espresso martinis featuring Rhodium’s liquors. Proceeds benefit SMYAL, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQ+ youth. 

Hard Rock Cafe: Hard Rock DC is taking part in the chain’s annual “LOVE OUT LOUD” campaign, with Pride merch, specials on June 20, and a donation to The Trevor Project.

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PHOTOS: Pride Run

D.C. Front Runners hold annual 5K at Congressional Cemetery

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The Pride Run 5K was held at Congressional Cemetery on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The D.C. Front Runners held the 14th annual 5K Pride Run at Congressional Cemetery on Saturday, June 6.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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