Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Aug. 3
Parties, concerts, exhibits and more through Aug. 9
The Academy of Washington performs Sunday afternoon at Black Fox. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)
TODAY (Friday)
MiniSolos@Touchstone, an exhibition featuring the work of 38 artists, has its opening reception from 6-8:30 p.m. tonight at Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.). For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com or email HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected].
Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts “8:BIT 1980s Dance Party” tonight from 7:30 p.m.-3 a.m. DJ Jay Von Teese spins ‘80s jams all night and a $3 drink special will be served. Admission is $5 and limited to guests 21 and over. For more details, visit phase1dc.com.
The HIV Working Group does outreach tonight at Town (2009 U St., N.W.) from 7-10 p.m. during Bear Happy Hour. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts a reading and reception for the book “Collective Brightness: LGBTIQ Poets on Faith, Religion and Spirituality” from 7-8:30 p.m. tonight with contributing authors Joseph Ross and Regie Cabico. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, a gay volunteer organization, help out at the Gondoliers operetta hosted by the GLBT Arts Consortium and CHAW tonight at 6:30 p.m. If interested, contact HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected] and visit burgundycrescent.org for more information.
Saturday, Aug. 4
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts head/heart/soul: Black LGBT Poets Reading from 6:30-8 p.m. with poets Rashid Darden, Monica A. Hand, BuddahDesmond and Red Summer. The reading is part of the OutWrite LGBT Book Fair. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its monthly Rumba Latina party tonight with special performances and go-go dancers. Doors open at 10 p.m. and admission is free. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
The Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) hosts Hellmouth Happy Hour tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. One episode of the gay cult classic series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” screens and a drink special will be served. Admission is free. For details, visit blackcatdc.com.
Electric violinist David Schulman performs tonight with Eddie Jimenez on the congas at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 6-9 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, a gay community service organization, volunteer today at the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) from 11:45 a.m.-3 p.m. Dog handlers are needed for an adoption event. For more details, visit burgundycescent.org and contact HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected] if interested.
Sunday, Aug. 5
The Academy of Washington, a philanthropic drag troupe, perform today at Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Admission is free. For details, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) hosts “The Birthday Party” tonight. Showtime is at 8 p.m. and admission is $6 before then. For more information, visit remingtonswdc.com.
Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St., N.W.) hosts A.C.T.O.R. (A Continuing Talk on Race) from 5-7 p.m. tonight. The discussion series provides community members the opportunity to speak openly and honestly about issues of race. For more information, visit busboysandpoets.com.
San Francisco-based rapper Aesop Rock performs tonight at the 9:30 Club (815 V St., N.W.) with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. Tickets are $20 and doors open at 7 p.m. For more details, visit 930.com.
Monday, Aug. 6
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts Martini Monday tonight for guests 21 and over. Admission is free and $5 martinis will be served. Doors open at 10 p.m. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Jazz musician David Lighton performs tonight at the Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 8:30-11:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit blackfoxlounge.com.
Bingolicious, hosted by Maxine Blue and Tina Tuna, is at Remington’s Nightclub (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. The drag show starts at 8 p.m. and guests can win prizes, enjoy free food and purchase drink specials. For details, visit remingtonswdc.com.
Tuesday, Aug. 7
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Flashback” retro dance party tonight with DJ Jason Royce. Hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s and early ‘90s play all night. Doors open at 10 p.m. and there is no cover charge. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.
Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St., N.W.) hosts an open mic poetry reading tonight from 9-11 p.m. The event features a diverse array of performers including spoken word poets, musicians and more. For details, visit busboysandpoets.com.
Indie-folk trio Good Old War performs tonight at the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) with Chris Kasper. Tickets are $15 and doors open at 8 p.m. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.
Wednesday, Aug. 8
The Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at 115 F St., N.W. “Sweet Like Sugar,” a novel by Wayne Hoffman, will be discussed. For more details, visit biggaybookgroup.com or email HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected].
Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts Jell-o wrestling tonight. $3 Miller Lights and Bourbon Gingers and $4 hornitos shots will be served. Doors open at 9 p.m. If interested in wrestling, bring a towel and change of clothes. For more details, visit phase1dc.com.
Thursday, Aug. 9
Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) hosts karaoke tonight from 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. For details, visit phase1dc.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts its weekly best package contest at midnight tonight with hosts Lena Lett and Ba’Naka. Admission is $3 and limited to guests 21 and over. $2 rail drinks will be served from 9-11 p.m. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers, a gay community service organization, volunteers today for Food and Friends (219 Riggs Rd., N.E.). Help with food preparation and chopping vegetables is needed. If interested, contact HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected] and visit burgundycescent.org for more information.
The 13th annual Frederick Pride Festival was held at Carroll Creek Park in Frederick, Md. on Saturday, June 27.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Photos
PHOTOS: Fredericksburg Pride March and Festival
LGBTQ celebration held in historic Virginia town
The sixth annual Fredericksburg Pride March was held in downtown Fredericksburg, Va. on Saturday, June 27. Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chair Deuntay Diggs led the march alongside Fredericksburg City Council Member Jannan W. Holmes. The Fredericksburg Pride Festival took place at Riverfront Park after the march. Bree Fram was the featured speaker.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Iran and Egypt on Friday faced off during the World Cup’s “Pride Match” in Seattle.
Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death. Discrimination and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity is commonplace in Egypt.
Friday’s match coincided with Pride weekend in Seattle. The Egyptian Football Association and the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran both objected to playing in the “Pride Match.”
Egypt and Iran tied 1-1.
FIFA, for its part, allowed Pride flags inside the stadium during the match.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 is an inclusive event that welcomes people from all backgrounds,” a FIFA spokesperson told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Fans of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome at matches and events. General statements of human rights, including rainbow flags and other flags representing sexual orientation and gender identity, are permitted under the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Stadium Code of Conduct and may be displayed inside stadiums provided they are used in a manner consistent with the code.”
Human Rights Watch welcomed FIFA’s decision to allow Pride flags inside the stadium. Outright International, a global LGBTQ and intersex rights group, distributed Pride flags in Seattle on Friday, which was Pride Match Day.
“Visibility matters,” said Outright International Executive Director Maria Sjödin. “Pride is now being celebrated in more than 100 countries, including this weekend in Seattle. For many LGBTIQ people, seeing a Pride flag in public is a reminder that they are not alone, and that their rights and dignity are recognized.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino earlier this year told Die Weltwoche, a Swiss magazine, that “there will be no ‘Pride Match’ at the (FIFA) World Cup.”
“There will be a FIFA World Cup match in Seattle, and on the same day, events organized by external organizations will be taking place in the city,” said Infantino. “But that has nothing to do with the match itself.”
Peter Tatchell, a long-time LGBTQ activist from the U.K. who is director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, was among those who traveled to Seattle for Friday’s match. Tatchell accused FIFA of not vetting World Cup teams — specifically Iran, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Senegal, Qatar, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Algeria — over whether they would allow gay players.
“FIFA is protecting LGBT+ visibility in the stands while failing to protect LGBT+ players on the pitch,” said Tatchell.
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