Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Oct. 14
Concerts, parties, support groups and more through Oct. 20


The Martin Luther King Memorial dedication has been rescheduled for this weekend after being derailed by Hurricane Irene. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
TODAY (Friday)
The Latino GLBT History Project is hosting the sixth annual LGBT Heritage Reception tonight at the Human Rights Campaign Equality Forum (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception, to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and LGBT History Month, will feature a bilingual historical exhibition on Latino LGBT activism in D.C. over the last 30 years. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton speak. There is a suggested donation of $5.
NSO Pops present “Some Enchanted Evening: The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein” tonight at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). The program includes songs like “Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “Shall We Dance?” and more. Tickets range from $20 to $85 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has two exhibits, “Recent Paintings: Scapes,” featuring expressionistic paintings by Steve Alderton and “Clouded Leopard Labyrinth” which is a mixed media installation by Leslie Johnston, that will be on display through Oct. 30. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Lodge (21614 National Pike) in Boonsboro presents “Booytlicious” a drag king show featuring Butch Kelly, Papa Woody, Busta Hymein, Ben N. Cider and Seymour Snatch. Lady DJ Beloved will be spinning. There is a $3 cover before 11 p.m. and $5 after.
Lesbian singer/songwriter Jeanne Mackey will be performing “Drop the Knight: A Memoir-in-Song” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Takoma Park Community Center (7500 Maple Ave.). There is a suggested donation of $10 to $15.
Saturday, Oct. 15
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers will be working with the Neighborhood Farm Initiative today from 9 to 11 a.m. Volunteers will be weeding, planting and digging at a site near the Fort Totten Metro. Directions to the lot and more information can be found online at burgundycrescent.org.
Busboys & Poets is having its monthly youth open mic tonight at 5 p.m. in the Cullen room at its 5th and K streets location (1025 5th St., N.W.). The event will be co-hosted by Jonathan Tucket, a D.C. Youth Slam Team coach and Nichita Mason, a high school senior from Washington Math Science Technology High School. All people under 20 are encouraged to share their work. For more informaiton, e-mail [email protected].
Mixtape D.C. is tonight the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m. to 2:15 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 $10 cover for this all ages event.
Green Lantern is hosting a black-and-white underwear party tonight from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring WET lube wrestling and a best booty contest. DJ Ace D.C. will be providing music.
Comedian Paula Poundstone will be performing at the Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave.) in Alexandria, tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $39.50 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.
Sunday, Oct. 16
Zoom Urban Lesbian Excursions is taking a trip to the 31st annual Pumpkin Festival at Butler’s Orchard (22200 Davis Mill Rd.) in Germantown today at 1 p.m. Entrance to the festival is $10 and includes various attractions. RSVP online at phatgirlchic.com/zoom as the fee will be collected at the festival.
The D.C. Ice Breakers, Burgundy Crescent Volunteers and The Gay District are having their first ever “Men’s Singles Party with Board Games” night at 4141 N. Henderson Rd., in Arlington from 6 to 9 p.m. This is a BYO party and no RSVP is required.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial dedication has been rescheduled for today starting at 8 a.m. The ceremonial dedication will happen at 11 a.m. and President Barack Obama will deliver the dedication address. Some of the other program participants include D.C. mayor, Vincent Gray, Jennifer Holliday and Aretha Franklin.
Monday, Oct. 17
The Youth Working Group, a gathering of people who are committed to impacting the lives of D.C. area youth, will be meeting tonight at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) at 6 p.m. Capital Area AIDS Prevention Effort is also having its monthly meeting at the Center from 7 to 9 p.m.
WEAVE, a support group for LGBT survivors of intimate partner violence/abuse will be meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Lighthouse Center for Healing (5321 First Place, N.E.). For more information and to register, call 202-280-6391.
Gayyim D.C., a social group for Jewish GBT men, is organizing a group to see the film, “Mary Lou” at the Israeli Embassy tonight at 7:30 p.m. To RSVP, contact [email protected].
Tuesday, Oct.18
The Leukemia and Lymphona Society’s Team in Training is having a fundraiser at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight 5 p.m. Team in Training is a program that trains people to complete endurance events while raising money to fund blood cancer research and provide patient services for those battling the disease.
Cameron Mackintosh presents a new 25th anniversary production of “Les Miserables” at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $155 and can be purchased online at kennedy-center.org.
Wednesday, Oct. 19
The D.C. Ice Breakers will be having its monthly skate and social tonight. The group will be skating at Kettler Capitals Iceplex (627 N. Glebe Rd.) in Arlington from 8:15 to 9:15 p.m. then they’ll hit a local bar for a social hour. Skating is $8 and skate rentals are $3.
Busboys & Poets presents “Who does Kalup Linzy this he is?,” at its 14th and V streets location (2021 14th St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Linzy is a gender-bending performance artist whose low-fi productions feature self-styled heroines with references to soap operas, pop-music and tragic fame. This performance is in conjunction with the exhibit, “30 Americans” at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
The D.C. Log Cabin Republicans have their October general meeting tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Camden Roosevelt (2101 16th St., N.W.). This month will feature special guest, Don Blanchon, Executive Director of Whitman-Walker Health as he discusses the state of Whitman-Walker Health and the latest information about the AIDS Walk. For more information, visit dclogcabin.org.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets at 7:30 p.m, at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) across from Marine Barracks, for social bridge. No partner is needed. For more informaiton, visit lambdabridge.com and click on “Social Bridge in Washington.”
Thursday, Oct. 20
The D.C. Lambda Squares are having their club night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.). This week will be plus with class-level mainstream. For more information, visit dclambdasquares.org.
Country music star LeAnn Rimes will be giving a special acoustic show at Riot Act Comedy Theater (801 E St., N.W.) at 8 p.m. to benefit her charity, “StandUp for Kids” which helps homeless and underprivileged youth. Tickets range from $20 to $50 and can be purchased online at riotactcomedy.com.
Books
A boy-meets-boy, family-mess story with heat
New book offers a stunning, satisfying love story

‘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.

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)

















Music & Concerts
Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’
Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.

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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