Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: Feb. 18

Events, parties, concerts and more through Feb. 24

Published

16 years ago

February 17, 2011

‘Green Bridesmaid Chair’ by John D'Orazio is part of a series of works featuring found or donated chairs wrapped with colored industrial wire. It is part of the exhibit, ‘Listen to Me’ exhibit on display now at Zenith Gallery.

Friday, Feb. 18

Apex (1415 22nd St., N.W.) presents Caliente Grande with DJ Michael Brandon in the main hall. Jamaica and Friends will perform a drag show at midnight. Drink specials include $4 margaritas. Attendees must be 18 to enter and there is a $10 cover. For more information, visit apex-dc.com or calientedc.com.

The D.C. Queer Writers Collective is holding its monthly writing circle tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.).

Trade and Ivan’s Holiday Weekend Party is tonight from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Layla Lounge (501 Mores St., N.E.). There is a $5 cover before midnight at $10 after. All attendees must be 21 or older. For more information, visit trade202.com.

DJ Wesley D will be providing music and videos tonight in Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) new dining room bar starting at 7 p.m.

Enigma, a monthly substance-free, no-alcohol party, is tonight at Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on the second floor with a separate entrance and a security guard working the door to make sure no one with drinks from downstairs comes up. Cover is $5 and all are welcomed.

D.C. Women in Their Thirties will meet tonight at 8 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.).

Saturday, Feb. 19

DJ Chris Cox will be providing the music tonight at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) for its annual Mardi Gras Party. Doors open at 10 p.m. with music and video downstairs by Wess. Drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after. Attendees must be 21 or older.

Ultrabar (911 F St., N.W.) hosts Ladies Night: Glow in the Dark Edition tonight from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Ladies 21 and over can get a free shot at the bar at midnight when the song “Shots” by LMFAO is played. There will also be an open bar on the main floor from 9 to 10 p.m.

Mixtape D.C. is tonight Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m. to 2 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. There is a $7 cover for this all ages event.

Team D.C. is hosting its first casino night tonight from 9 p.m. to midnight at Buffalo Billards (1330 19th St., N.W.). Games will include blackjack, poker, billiards and more. The event will also be co-hosted by D.C. Ice Breakers, Federal Triangles Soccer Club, the D.C. Gay Flag Football League, the Wetskins, the D.C. Strokes, the CARA bowling league and the D.C. Aquatics Club. Prizes, including a two-night stay at Intercontinental Barclay NYC during Pride weekend with theater tickets to “Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” will be awarded.

Sunday, Feb. 20

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) introduces its new “Make Out Room” tonight as part of WTF with music by Ryan Duncan from Pink Sock and Bill Todd from Raw. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $5 and all attendees must be 18 or older.

The D.C. Jazz Jam, a weekly jam free for both musicians and jazz lovers, is tonight from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Dahlak (1771 U St., N.W.).

Studio Theatre (1501 14th St., N.W.) brings “The Brother/Sister” trilogy to a close with “Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet” by Tarell Alvin McCraney in two final performances today at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets range from $46 to $57 for the 2 p.m. performance and $57 to $65 for the 7 p.m. performance. For more information and to purchase tickets, studiotheatre.org.

Monday, Feb. 21

The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) presents National Presidents Day Choral Festival today in the Concert Hall at 2 p.m. The program will feature Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” a series of Aaron Copland’s work and “Memorial,” written by Rene Clausen in remembrance of the 9-11 attacks. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.

Zenith Gallery presents “Listen to Me,” sculpture and paintings by Joel D’Orazio, a former architect. D’Orazio uses found objects and industrial materials to create his art. The show is at The Gallery (1111 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.), which is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The exhibit will be on display through May 13.

Tuesday, Feb. 22

Women over Forty will meet tonight from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.).

The Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance is having its membership meeting tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Charles Sumner School Museum and Archive (1201 17th St., N.W.).

Wednesday, Feb. 23

Secrets (1824 Half St., S.W.) is holdings its 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.

Higher Achievement D.C. Metro presents its sixth annual Literary Love Poetry Performance tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center’s Family Theater (2700 F St., N.W.). This is a free event. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.

The Cultural Competency Action Team will be holding a conference call today with youth speakers Carlos and Antonio sharing their experiences about coming out as youth of color from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. To participate, call 1-800-503-2899 and use I.D. 1599272#.

The D.C. Log Cabin Republicans will hosting its first February general meeting tonight from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Camden Roosevelt (2101 16th St., N.W.) with a viewing of a film on the Log Cabin v. U.S. lawsuit on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” featuring a representative from the law firm representing Log Cabin in the suit. For more information, visit dclogcabin.org.

Thursday, Feb. 24

“The Monster Ball Tour” starring Lady Gaga returns to the Verizon Center (601 F St., N.W.) tonight featuring Semi Precious Weapons. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $52.50 to $178 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.

The Duke Ellington School of the Arts presents Earth, Wind & Fire in a gala benefit concert celebrating the school’s 40th anniversary at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets range from $50 to $175 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.

Photos

Center for Black Equity honors leaders, activists at BE. Gala

Miyake-Mugler, Oakes co-host annual awards ceremony

Published

6 hours ago

October 11, 2026

Michael Key

Center for Black Equity President and CEO Kenya Hutton speaks at the 2026 BE. Gala on Saturday. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Center for Black Equity held its annual BE. Gala at Conrad Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Oct. 5. Lolita Leopard Miyake-Mugler and Anthony Oakes co-hosted the awards ceremony.

Honorees included journalist and producer Justin Stewart; nonprofit leader Nikki Alexander; HIV advocate Marlene McNeese; the nonprofit organization FreeLux Project; actress Monroe Alise; public health advocate Tori Cooper; Manassas Park Vice Mayor Darryl G. Moore; Rev. Dr. Carmarion D. Anderson; Bishop Steven Sawyer; government relations professional Courtney Snowden; Senior Deputy Director of HAHSTA at D.C. Health, Clover Barnes; and Texas state Rep. Venton C. Jones.

The event was sponsored by Gilead.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Books

In ‘The Lost Brontë,’ a complicated lie can lead to danger

New book features sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist

Published

11 hours ago

October 11, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of Bywater Books)

‘The Lost Brontë’
By Catherine Friend
c.2026, Bywater Books
$22.95/335 pages

Mom always said to tell the truth.

One lie leads to another and another and you have to remember them all until pretty soon, you’re caught. Fibs are hard, mistruths are messy, even little white social lies can destroy trust. Worst of all, as in the new novel, “The Lost Brontë” by Catherine Friend, a complicated lie can lead to danger.

Though Lilianne Loxley was very young when she lost her parents, she understood that her uncle didn’t really want her. As time passed, though, Lily made herself useful to Uncle, writing and signing letters for him and she became a good companion, helping him with his collection of Brontë memorabilia. Uncle was a keen enthusiast.

She had no idea that his obsession was out of control and he was deeply in arrears. The day Lily learned of his debt was the day she learned that he’d agreed to send her to his debtor’s home to work off the money owed.

It was so sudden. One minute, Lily was at Loxley House, happy and loved by Uncle’s staff … and five hours later, she was at Crag Thorn Manor, home of Lord Bexton, who informed her that she’d be working on his ledgers – work that seemed routine, but Lily tackled it.

Uncle always did say she was headstrong.

But would headstrong be enough to survive, when she was restricted from most of the Manor, when she was forced to dine with Brexton and his slimy friend, or – the worst! – when Brexton told Lily that her next task was to forge a letter from Emily Brontë? And then an entire manuscript?

Lily struggled to do what was right. She had to get Uncle out of debt but this last order horrified her. Did she dare refuse Brexton’s orders and commit a crime? It was unthinkable!

The only brightness in the whole situation was Wren, the ladies’ maid assigned to Lily’s room. Wren was adorable with freckles and the sweetest smile. But with everything else happening at Crag Thorn Manner, could Lily act upon her feelings?

This time of year, you may come to crave dark, spooky stories, and “The Last Brontë” fits those needs perfectly with its Gothic deliciousness. Think: Daphne du Maurier-type, stormy-night squirms with a dangerously chaste, sweetly romantic girl-meets-girl twist for fun.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve read a Gothic novel, you’re in for a nice reminder of why you love them here. You can almost tick off the must-haves: a novel like this is nothing without a foreboding stone manor with damp walls; stone steps to a dank basement; a mysterious portrait; and a nearby bog, and author Catherine Friend gives readers every one of them. You’d be disappointed if there was no ghost, wouldn’t you? Ha. You can practically feel the cold blow through the attic, right? Yeah, it’s that kind of book.

If you’re a fan of the Brontës, you’ll like this novel. If you love Gothic mysteries or Victorian romances, ditto. “The Lost Brontë” is good, no lie.

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

Out & About

CAMP Rehoboth Block Party returns Oct. 18

Expect performances, vendors and more at annual celebration

Published

11 hours ago

October 11, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

CAMP Rehoboth’s annual Block Party returns next weekend. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

CAMP Rehoboth will host its annual Block Party celebration on Sunday, Oct.18 at 11 a.m. on the second block of Baltimore Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach.

CAMP Rehoboth invites all community members to join in the festivities and to expect magnificent performances and dozens of vendors, including artists, craftspeople, non-profits, businesses, and more.

The event started in 2015 in celebration of CAMP Rehoboth’s 25th anniversary. This year, attendees can expect to shop sea glass art, pottery, jewelry, Pride merch, body care, clothing, and learn more about local non-profit causes and businesses.

Attendance is free. For more details, visit CAMP Rehoboth’s website.