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Calendar for Sept. 17

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Friday, Sept. 17

Servicemembers United present “Beyond Repeal,” a rooftop gala and fundraiser tonight at the Servicemembers United office, 1725 I St., N.W., from 6:30 to 9 p.m. There will be an open bar and light hors d’oeuvres. Standard admission tickets are $50 and can be purchased at servicemembersunited.org. There are other packages available as well.

Wolf Trap presents “ABBA – The Music” tonight at the Filene Center, 1551 Trap Rd., in Vienna, at 8 p.m. Waterloo, an ABBA cover band, keep’s the group’s music alive with their “uncanny” resemblance and quality performances. Tickets are $25 for the lawn and $38 in-house and can be purchased at wloftrap.org.

Caliente Grande is tonight at Apex, 1415 22nd St., N.W., starting at 9 p.m. DJ Michael Brandon will be spinning the latin dance party in the main hall. There is a $10 cover charge. Attendees must be 18 to enter, 21 to drink.

The D.C. Cowboys host Brodeo tonight at Remingtons, 639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E., from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. The party will feature country/western and disco/club music, live performances, giveaways, jello shots and an auction.

Saturday, Sept. 18

CBS Radio of Washington presents its signature event, HFSTIVAL, “We’re Taking You Back” today at Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pky., in Columbia. This year’s lineup includes Billy Idol, Everclear, Third Eye Blind, Marcy Playground and more, including 18 local bands. Festival gates open at 10 a.m. and the concert goes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets range from $35 to $50 and can be purchased at whfs.radio.com.

Burgundy Crescent Volunteers is holding a photo scavenger hunt today starting at the Taras Shevchenko monument at 22nd and P streets, N.W., at 10 a.m. BCV Social Committee members will be greeting participants as they arrive. Come with a group or alone. Everyone will end up in a group of three to six members with at least one camera. Each group will have two hours to take as many digital photographs from the supplied list of subjects as they can. The hunt will be done at noon and photos will be shared over lunch. Visit burgundycrescent.org for more information.

Merrifield Garden Center presents its latest weekly gardening seminar today. At the Merrifield location, 8104 Lee Highway, Renatta Holt will be talking about gardening in small spaces using container gardens and more. At the Fair Oaks location, 12101 Lee Highway, Peg Bier will be talking about creating gorgeous combinations of bulbs and perennials for long-lasting displays. At the Gainesville location, 6895 Wellington Rd., David Yost will be talking about building the lawn of your dreams. All seminars being at 10 a.m.

MIXTAPE D.C.’s two year anniversary party is tonight at the Rock & Roll Hotel, 1353 H St., N.W., from 8 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. MIXTAPE is a dance party for queer guys and gals and their pals that features DJs Shea Van Horn and Matt Bailer playing an eclectic mix of electro, alt-pop, indie rock, house, disco, new wave and anything else you can dance to. $5 cover for 21 and over.

Allie Wilson and Jacob Pring present Cotton Candy, Green Lantern’s first 18 and older party. DJs David Merrill and Bryan Yamasaki will be providing the music. Green Lantern is located at 1335 Green Court, N.W. and the party will be held upstairs. There is a $10 cover fee.

Town is hosting its biggest theme party of the year tonight with its Red Party. The party will feature music by Tracy Young with music and video downstairs by Wess. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to wear red. Doors open at 10 p.m. with $3 rail drinks until 11. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after. Must be 21 and over to enter.

Sunday, Sept. 19

Pocket Gays present Pocket Rocket Sunday School: Summer Send-Off is tonight on the rooftop of Local 16, 1602 U St., N.W., from 3 to 9 p.m. Music will be by DJ Majr (SHIFT, Siren). There will be $5 Smirnoff drink specials, prizes and games. There’s no cover.

Monday, Sept. 20

Celebrity photographer, Adam Bouska, will bring the national NOH8 photo shoot to D.C., tonight at Cobalt, 1639 R St., N.W., from 4 to 7 p.m.

Bears do Yoga will meet at Green Lantern, 1335 Green Court, N.W., at 6:30 p.m. and last for an hour. This class serves as an introduction to yoga for people of all body types and physical abilities. To RSVP for the class, email [email protected].

Tuesday, Sept. 21

Drag Bingo will be at Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W., tonight hosted by Shi-Queeta Lee, starting at 8 p.m. It’s free to play and there will be prizes.

Wednesday, Sept. 22

Mautner Project presents its speakers’ series Financial and Medical Planning with Michele Zavos and Mark Scurti at Mautner Project office, 1875 Connecticut Ave., N.W., at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 23

CAGLCC presents Thursday Morning MasterMind GROUP Meetings facilitated by Jay Vilar from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Intelligent Office, 1425 K St., N.W., Ste. 350. The agenda belongs to the group and each person’s participation is key. Peers give you feedback, help you brainstorm and set up accountability structures to keep you focused and on track.

Mautner Project presents its speakers’ series Financial and Medical Planning with Michele Zavos and Mark Scurti at Equality Maryland, 1201 Sharp St., in Baltimore at 6:30 p.m.

Phasefest 2010 kicks off tonight at Phase 1, 525 8th St., S.E., with Wicked Jezebel, Melissa Li, Kit Yan, Jenny Grind, Nikki Smith and Alex Voegele. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at phasefestdc.com. This event continues through Saturday.

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Sports

Jason Collins dies at 47

First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer

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Jason Collins (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.

The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.

Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.

Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.

Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.

The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar.  We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”  

“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”

“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”

“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”

The Washington Blade will update this article with additional reaction when it becomes available.

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Photos

PHOTOS: ‘Studio 69’

Glitterati Productions hold party at Bunker

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'Studio 69' was held at Bunker on Friday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Arts & Entertainment

Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week

Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.

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The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.

Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.

“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”

Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip

Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.

Event Details:

📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026 

⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP

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