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Calendar: events through Dec. 23

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Friday, Dec. 17

The Gay Men’s Chorus production “Men in Tights: A Pink Nutcracker” opens tonight at 8 p.m. at Lisner Auditorium at George Washington University. See page 27 for ticket prices and times.

The Roches will be performing at the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria tonight at 7:30 p.m. Lucy Wainwright Roche will be opening. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at birchmere.com.

Brightest Young Gays will have a happy hour at the U St. Music Hall (1115 U St., N.W.) tonight from 5 to 10 p.m. DJs Shea Van Horn, vAnniety Kills and Bradley will be providing music. For more information, visit brightestyoungthings.com.

Lianna Carrera will be performing a stand up comedy routine at Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) tonight from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Carrera is the gay daughter of a Southern Baptist minister and deaf mother. Cover is $5. For more information visit phase1dc.com or liannacarrera.com.

Apex presents “A Very Merry Caliente Grande” with DJ Michael Brandon in the main hall and special performances by Jamaica Rouge and friends.  Attendees can get their photo taken with a shirtless Santa. Drink specials include $4 margaritas. There’s a $10 cover charge.

Liz Phair will be performing at 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) tonight. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at 930.com.

Team D.C. and 28 other gay sports groups will be hosting the third annual Holiday Extravaganza for D.C. Gay Sports tonight at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) from 6:30 to 9 p.m. There will be free holiday appetizers, drink specials, raffle prizes and surprises.

Saturday, Dec. 18

MIXTAPE D.C. is tonight at the old Rock & Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) from 10 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. MIXTAPE is a dance party for queer music lovers 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 danceable. $5 cover for 21 and over.

The D.C. DemonCats will take on Scare Force One in a “Happy Brawlidays Bout” today at 4 p.m. at the D.C. Armory (2001 E. Capitol St., N.E.). Tickets are $12 for ages 12 and up, $10 with a valid military I.D., $6 for children 6 to 11 and free for kids 5 and under. Doors open at 3 p.m.

Dan Noel will be celebrating his 5oth birthday and has chosen Mautner Project as a beneficiary for his birthday benefit at Cloud 9 (234 Rehoboth Ave.) in Rehoboth tonight at 9 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $10 and the proceeds will go to Mautner Project and AIDS Delaware.

The Fez and Moustache Party returns to DC9 (1940 9th St., N.W.) tonight from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. featuring Romani rock, Klezmer, Slavic soul and Balkan beats. For more information, visit dcnine.com.

DJ Smudge presents Rock and Rule dance party featuring DJ vAnniety Kills tonight at the Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) from 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. The night will feature rock jams, guilty pleasures, indie, hiphop, R&B, disco, house and dance hits. This is a free event. Attendees must be 21 or older.

Ziegfeld’s presents its annual Christmas show hosted by Ella Fitzgerald tonight at 11:15 p.m.

Apex (1415 22nd St., N.W.) presents “The Showdown: House vs. Hip Hop” with DJ Melissa spinning the house musch and DJ Gigi spinning the hip hop beats. Kristina Kelly and her Girls of Glamour will perform at 11 p.m. DJ Michael Brandon will be spinning Latin sounds in the east wing dance lounge.

The Ladies of LURe present Bare featuring DJ Rosie tonight at 10 p.m. at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.). Cover is $5 before midnight and $8 after.

Have the Grindr app? Show the box office and get into Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) for free for the Grindr party tonight at 10 p.m. featuring DJ Billy Carroll from New York as part of his farewell tour. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after.

Sunday, Dec. 19

Eatonville Restaurant (2121 14th St., N.W.) will be holding another installation of its monthly series, Food and Folklore, which intertwines storytelling and food, tonight at 6:30 p.m. This month is Gullah with Charlotte Jenkins, author of “Gullah Cuisine.” To purchase tickets, visit eatonvillerestaurant.com

Lambda Divers will be having its monthly happy hour at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. $1 from every Nellie beer sold goes to Lambda Divers.

The Community Triangle LGBTQ Book Club will meet today at 3 p.m. at Cage Izmir (44 Frederick Rd.) in Funkstown. The book will be “The Story of Edgar Sawfelle” by David Wroblewski and will be available instore for members for $15.99.

Monday, Dec. 20

The American City Diner (5532 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) will be showing the film “The Bridge Over the River Kwai” tonight. The movie starts at 8 p.m. The full menu will be available. Admission is free. For more information, visit americancitydiner.com.

Tuesday, Dec. 21

The Choral Arts Society of Washington presents “Christmas Music: the Treasured Holiday Tradition” at the Kennedy Center concert hall (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $65 and can be purchased at kennedy-center.org.

River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation (6301 River Rd.) in Bethesda, will hold a Multigenerational Winter Solstice Celebration beginning at 7 p.m. All ages are invited.

The D.C. Metro Area Gay Male Witches Coven will hold a yule ritual and social tonight at 7 p.m. For more information call 240-314-9020 or visit the group’s Facebook page.

Wednesday, Dec. 22

Secrets (1824 Half St., S.W.) is holdings it monthly amateur dance contest tonight beginning at 11 p.m. Contests must sign up at the main bar between 10 and 10:45 p.m.

The Lincoln Center Theater presents Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific today at the Kennedy Center opera house (2700 F St., N.W.) with two showings at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $150 and can be purchased at kennedy-center.org.

Thursday, Dec. 23

The Washington Chorus presents “A Candlelight Christmas” at the Kennedy Center concert hall (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $15 to $65 and can be purchased at kennedy-center.org.

The American City Diner (5532 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) will be showing the film “It’s a Wonderful Life” tonight. The movie starts at 8 p.m. The full menu will be available. Admission is free. For more information, visit americancitydiner.com.

Christmas services — looking ahead

Christmas Eve

Foundry United Methodist Church (16th and P streets, N.W.) has a family-oriented service at 6:30 p.m. tonight and a Christmas concert at 8 as a prelude to the “lessons and carols” candle-light service at 8:30.

Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St., N.W.) will be holding Christmas Eve worship tonight at 8. MCC-D.C. is the region’s largest mostly LGBT church.

Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) will have its Christmas Eve Festival Holy Eucharist at 6 and 10 p.m.

Covenant Baptist Church (3845 S. Capitol St.) will be holding its Christmas Eve Service at 7 p.m. tonight.

National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.) will be holding its Christmas Eve service today at 7 p.m., starting with a festive prelude followed by a candlelight communion.

The Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) will be holding a Christmas Pageant and Holy Eucharist at 5:30 p.m. It will also have a choral prelude at 10 p.m., the Holy Eucharist at 10:30 followed by coffee hour.

Saint John’s Episcopal Church (3240 O St., N.W.) will be holding its Holy Eucharist along with a Christmas Pageant at 4 p.m. A Feast of Carols and Noels will begin at 8:30, followed by the Festival Holy Eucharist at 9 p.m.

Seekers Church (276 Carroll St., N.W.) will be holding its Christmas Eve worship tonight at 7.

First Trinity Lutheran Church (309 E St., N.W.) will have its Christmas Eve service at 7:30 p.m. following a pre-service of Christmas music that starts at 7 p.m.

Church of the Pilgrims (2201 P St., N.W.) will have its Christmas Eve service tonight at 7 p.m.

Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle (1725 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) will be holding a vigil at 4:30 p.m. following a prelude at 4, Vigilia at 6:30 p.m. following a concerto at 6, and the main service at 10 p.m. with Cardinal Wuerl presiding.

Christmas Day

Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) will have its Christmas Day Festival Holy Eucharist at 9 a.m. today. Its Christmas Day Holy Eucharist, Rite II will start at noon. There will also be a Christmas Day organ recital at 5:15 p.m.

Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) will be holding its Holy Eucharist today at 10 a.m.

Saint John’s Episcopal Church (3240 O St., N.W.) will be holding its Holy Eucharist with traditional carols today at 10 a.m.

Dignity Washington will hold its Christmas Mass tonight at 6 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Church (1820 Connecticut Ave., N.W.)

Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle (1725 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) will have multiple services today starting at 8:30 a.m. The other services are at 10 and 11:30 a.m. and a service in Spanish at 1 p.m.

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Books

A boy-meets-boy, family-mess story with heat

New book offers a stunning, satisfying love story

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(Book cover image courtesy of Random House)

‘When the Harvest Comes’
By Denne Michele Norris
c.2025, Random House
$28/304 pages

Happy is the bride the sun shines on.

Of all the clichés that exist about weddings, that’s the one that seems to make you smile the most. Just invoking good weather and bright sunshine feels like a cosmic blessing on the newlyweds and their future. It’s a happy omen for bride and groom or, as in the new book “When the Harvest Comes” by Denne Michele Norris, for groom and groom.

Davis Freeman never thought he could love or be loved like this.

He was wildly, wholeheartedly, mind-and-soul smitten with Everett Caldwell, and life was everything that Davis ever wanted. He was a successful symphony musician in New York. They had an apartment they enjoyed and friends they cherished. Now it was their wedding day, a day Davis had planned with the man he adored, the details almost down to the stitches in their attire. He’d even purchased a gorgeous wedding gown that he’d never risk wearing.

He knew that Everett’s family loved him a lot, but Davis didn’t dare tickle the fates with a white dress on their big day. Everett’s dad, just like Davis’s own father, had considerable reservations about his son marrying another man – although Everett’s father seemed to have come to terms with his son’s bisexuality. Davis’s father, whom Davis called the Reverend, never would. Years ago, father and son had a falling-out that destroyed any chance of peace between Davis and his dad; in fact, the door slammed shut to any reconciliation.

But Davis tried not to think about that. Not on his wedding day. Not, unbeknownst to him, as the Reverend was rushing toward the wedding venue, uninvited but not unrepentant. Not when there was an accident and the Reverend was killed, miles away and during the nuptials.

Davis didn’t know that, of course, as he was marrying the love of his life. Neither did Everett, who had familial problems of his own, including homophobic family members who tried (but failed) to pretend otherwise.

Happy is the groom the sun shines on. But when the storm comes, it can be impossible to remain sunny.

What can be said about “When the Harvest Comes?” It’s a romance with a bit of ghost-pepper-like heat that’s not there for the mere sake of titillation. It’s filled with drama, intrigue, hate, characters you want to just slap, and some in bad need of a hug.

In short, this book is quite stunning.

Author Denne Michele Norris offers a love story that’s everything you want in this genre, including partners you genuinely want to get to know, in situations that are real. This is done by putting readers inside the characters’ minds, letting Davis and Everett themselves explain why they acted as they did, mistakes and all. Don’t be surprised if you have to read the last few pages twice to best enjoy how things end. You won’t be sorry.

If you want a complicated, boy-meets-boy, family-mess kind of book with occasional heat, “When the Harvest Comes” is your book. Truly, this novel shines.

The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.

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Photos

PHOTOS: Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch

LGBTQ politicians gather for annual event

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Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) speaks at the 2025 Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Victory Fund held its National Champagne Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, April 27. Speakers included Tim Gunn, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Music & Concerts

Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’

Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.

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Singer Tom Goss is back. (Photo by Dusti Cunningham)

Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co. 

Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.

For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.

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