Connect with us

Arts & Entertainment

Here comes the Pride

Bounty of black, Latino events through Memorial Day and beyond

Published

on

Pride season is here and with it brings events, concerts and festivals for everyone.

The sixth annual Latino Pride starts Sunday and this yearā€™s theme is ā€œHistory, Celebration, Diversity and Identity.ā€ This is the first year Latino Pride is spread over multiple days.

Latino Pride begins with La Corona, the royal coronation and dance party at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. hosted by Jocelyn Carrillo. Thereā€™s a $5 donation for this 21-and-older event.

ā€œLa PlĆ”ticaā€ is May 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Human Rights Campaign (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) and features several components including a panel discussion and networking, a historical exhibition and community resource fair. Panelists include Gustavo Velasquez, director of D.C. Office of Human Rights, and Jack Harrison of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. HIV testing will also be available during this event.

A bilingual ecumenical service, ā€œLa Misa,ā€ with Rev. Joseph Palacios is June 3 at St. Thomasā€™ Parish Dupont Circle (1772 Church St., N.W.) from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

ā€œThis will be the first time we have this,ā€ says David Perez, president of Latino GLBT History Project. ā€œWeā€™re partnering with [St. Thomasā€™ and Palacios] ā€¦ and weā€™re also partnering with the Dignity group ā€¦ focusing on a call to action of how we celebrate pride by giving back to others.ā€

Latino Pride ends with the official Latino Pride dance party ā€œLa Fiestaā€ at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) on June 7 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is a $5 donation for this 18-and-older event.

For more information on Latino Pride, visit latinoglbthistory.org.

Black Pride starts Thursday and runs through May 27.

D.C. Black Pride starts with a wine-and-spirits reception on Thursday at Madame Tussaudā€™s Wax Museum (1001 F St., N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is $10.

The festivities continue on May 25 at the Hyatt Regency (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.) with a hospitality suite open from noon to 9 p.m. and a game room open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. The opening reception is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. including a book signing for ā€œKing Peggy.ā€ RainbowConnects will be running a speed dating event from 7 to 9 p.m.

Also on May 25 is a performance of ā€œSheā€™Baltimoreā€ at The Warehouse Theater (1071 7th St., N.W.) at 8 p.m. Tickets to this performance are $25.

The hospitality suite is also open on May 26 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., but there are other events happening that day as well.

At 11 a.m. there is ā€œWhy Do You Write/Read and How Do You Succeed?ā€ a panel sponsored by Fire & Ink featuring Rashid Darden, LaToya Hankins, J. Renee LaCour, Spectra Speaks, Red Summer and Dwayne Vernon. There are also various workshops running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hyatt.

At 12:30 p.m., Angela Harvey presents ā€œThe Key to the Perfect Orgasmā€ at the Hyatt.

At 2 p.m. is a film festival also at the Hyatt. Admission to the festival is $15. Also at 2 p.m. is a reading of ā€œThe Four of Usā€ at Mead Lab Theater (916 G St., N.W.). Admission to the reading is $20 and includes a small reception.

Buttafly Soul is hosting a poetry slam at the Hyatt from 5 to 8 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. is the Soul Train Dance Party. Admission is $15 to both events.

Black Pride ends May 27 with a faith service organized by Courtney Williams, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Hyatt. At noon, ā€œItā€™s a Family Affair,ā€ the D.C. Black Pride Health and Wellness Expo begins. The expo will be held at Francis-Stevens Educational Campus (23 and O streets) featuring food, community vendors, childrenā€™s play area, DJ and entertainment honoring Etta James, Whitney Houston and Vesta Williams.

For more information on Black Pride, visit dcblackpride.org.

Also starting Thursday is Chocolate City Pride with ā€œThe Genesisā€ at Layla Lounge (501 Morse St., N.E.) on Thursday. Cover is $5 before midnight and $10 after.

On May 25, Omega Entertainment presents ā€œ5000 Men Pride Mega Partyā€ at Fur Nightclub (33 Patterson St., N.E.) featuring R&B singer Ashanti. Doors open at 9 p.m.

May 26 brings the ā€œTropical Heat Rooftop Partyā€ at Ibiza (1222 1st St., N.E.) from 3 to 8 p.m. Admission is $10. That night is the annual Manhunt party at Layla Lounge from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. featuring a surprise celebrity performance.

May 27 starts with the ā€œInsomniac After-Partyā€ at Lace Nightclub (2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E.) from 3:30 to 7:30 a.m. Then thereā€™s the annual ā€œIsland Inferno Pool Partyā€ at Cameron Run Regional Park (4001 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria) from 3 to 8 p.m. Admission is $10 but the first 500 get in free. The day ends with the ā€œKlimax Mega Partyā€ at Love (1350 Okie St., N.E.) from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

The last day of Chocolate City Pride is May 28 and starts with a cookout for all pass holders at Fort Dupont Park (3600 F St., S.E.) from noon until 7 p.m. That night is ā€œThe Apocalypseā€ at Layla Lounge from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is $10.

For more information and to purchase passes, visit omegapartydc.net.

 

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Music & Concerts

Lana Del Rey, Katy Perry plan fall releases

A Fleetwood Mac live album, more Joni archives among vintage options

Published

on

Dolly Partonā€™s ā€˜Smoky Mountain DNAā€™ is slated for a Nov. 15 release. (Image courtesy Owepar Entertainment)

Paris Hilton released her ā€œInfinite Iconā€ album on Sept. 6. Itā€™s just the second effort following a massive hiatus ā€” her debut album ā€œParisā€ was released way back in 2006. Sia produces. This summerā€™s ā€œIā€™m Freeā€ was the first single. A tour is planned. Hilton promised a ā€œheavily gay-leaning release.ā€

Miranda Lambertā€™s ā€œPostcards from Texasā€ is slated to drop today. Lambertā€™s 10th studio album was preceded by the May release of single ā€œWranglers,ā€ which stalled in the lower 30s on country radio. Lambert calls the album a musical ode to her home state. She co-produces with Jon Randall and either wrote or co-wrote 10 of the projectā€™s 14 cuts. 

Katy Perryā€™s ā€œ143ā€ is set for a Sept. 20 release. It will be her seventh studio album. Its title refers to what she says is her symbolic angel number. Perry is aiming for a dance party feel working with producers Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Stargate, Vaughn Oliver and Rocco Did It Again! The proceedings are not off to a strong start. First single ā€œWomanā€™s Worldā€ stalled at No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up ā€œLifetimesā€ failed to crack the Hot 100 at all. 

Fleetwood Mac releases ā€œMirage Tour ā€™82ā€ on Sept. 20. It includes six tracks previously unreleased including ā€œDonā€™t Stop,ā€ ā€œDreams,ā€ ā€œNever Going Back Again,ā€ ā€œSaraā€ and more. Available on double CD, triple vinyl and digitally.  

Volume four of Joni Mitchellā€™s ā€œArchivesā€ series dubbed ā€œThe Asylum Years: 1976-1980ā€ releases Oct. 4. Itā€™s being offered in six-CD or four-LP (highlights) configurations. It will feature unreleased studio sessions, alternate versions, live recordings, rarities and a 36-page book with new photos and an extensive conversation between Mitchell and filmmaker/uberfan Cameron Crowe. 

Sophie B. Hawkins releases her ā€œWhaler Re-Emergingā€ album (a re-recording of her landmark 1994 album) on Oct. 15. Order through her site and the first 250 copies will be signed. Hawkins (who identifies as omnisexual) says it surpasses the original. 

Joe Jonasā€™s ā€œMusic for People Who Believe in Loveā€ and Shawn Mendesā€™s ā€œShawnā€ are both set for Oct. 18 releases. Jonasā€™s album (his first solo effort since 2011ā€™s ā€œFastlifeā€) will feature songwriting he says is of a more personal nature. Billboard called it ā€œunvarnishedā€ but with a shimmery pop sound aglow with garage rock and alt-pop influences. First single ā€œWork It Outā€ was released over the summer and failed to chart. 

ā€œShawnā€ will be Mendesā€™s first album since 2020ā€™s ā€œWonder,ā€ the tour of which he cancelled citing mental health. Two singles ā€” ā€œWhy Why Whyā€ and ā€œIsnā€™t That Enoughā€ ā€” have been released. The former stalled at no. 84 on the Hot 100. He has called the album his ā€œmost musically intimate and lyrically honest work to date.ā€ 

Lana Del Reyā€™s ā€œLassoā€ is expected for a possible fall release, although some sources say itā€™s been bumped to early 2025. No date had been announced as of yet. Sheā€™s apparently going the Beyonce route and releasing a straight-up country album. 

Dolly Parton plans a Nov. 15 release for ā€œSmoky Mountain DNA ā€” Family, Faith & Fables.ā€ Parton recruited family to help her on the 37 (!)-track collection, which will also encompass a four-part docuseries tracing Partonā€™s familial roots. One song (ā€œA Rose Wonā€™t Fix Itā€) is an outtake from the feverish writing sessions that led to her solid (but underrated) 1998 album ā€œHungry Again.ā€ An extremely limited-edition triple vinyl release is also planned. 

Release dates shift and many more releases will be announced later. Pitchfork keeps a great running tab at pitchfork.com/news/new-album-releases. Also check your local record store for Black Friday special editions available on Friday, Nov. 29. Release info was scant as of this writing. Ā 

(Joey DiGuglielmo was variously the Bladeā€™s news and features editor from 2006-2020.)

Continue Reading

Out & About

Free house expo set for Oct. 26

Capitol Hill Restoration Society hosts event at Eastern Market

Published

on

The Capitol Hill Restoration Society will host a free House Expo on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 9 a.m. in the North Hall of Eastern Market. 

If you have questions about your home, you can get answers at the Expo. There will be more than 30 home contractors, service experts and city agencies with historic house experience. There will also be free guided tours of Eastern Market. 

For more information, visit chrs.org.

Continue Reading

Out & About

Come see a drag show with a purpose

Charity event to be held at Freddie’s on Sunday

Published

on

An Imperial Court event, 'Ode to the Glitter Ball,' held at Freddie's Beach Bar in 2023. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Go Gay DC will host ā€œDrag Show for Charityā€ on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. at Freddieā€™s Beach Bar and Restaurant. 

Tips to the drag performers will benefit worthy charities that have been vetted by the Imperial Court of Washington, D.C. The mission of the Imperial Court is to raise funds for organizations, including but not limited to those supporting LGBTQ community, HIV/AIDS services organizations, social service organizations and youth enrichment programs. It seeks to provide a safe, social environment for people with the same interests as those of the membership and to create and promote positive community awareness.

This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.Ā 

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Advertisement

Sign Up for Weekly E-Blast

Follow Us @washblade

Advertisement

Popular