Arts & Entertainment
Writing and ruminating
Center gives queer authors forum with Outwrite Book Fair
Outwrite LGBT Book Fair
Friday and Saturday
Various times
D.C. Center
1318 U St., N.W.
Readings and discussions are scheduled throughout the event
Visit thedccenter.org/outwritedc for times
Lesbian writer and performance artist Kimberly Dark is one of the performers at this weekend’s OutWrite LGBT Book Fair. (Photo by Roni Galgano; courtesy Dark)
Even in a culture-rich town like Washington, there are always a few pockets of time — usually in the dead of winter after the holidays or right about now when the novelty of summer has worn off but nobody’s ready for fall yet either — when there’s almost nothing going on.
Organizers at the D.C. Center think the “dog days” are a perfect time for the OutWrite Book Fair, which is back this weekend for a second installment. Organizers guess between 200-300 attended last year’s maiden event and say it’s important, even with book sales having migrated mostly online, for queer authors and readers to have a place to gather.
“Literature is one of the many ways in which we express ourselves and find echoes of our own lives,” says Lin Wang, a Center intern who helped organize the event. “Hosting an LGBT book fair is one way to affirm queer identities and give them an empowering environment where they can keep creating and celebrating their art.”
Several readings, performances, discussions and spoken word events are planned throughout today and Saturday. Many new and used LGBT-themed books will be available.
Among the highlights:
• Gay author and former stripper Rick McGranahan will read from his memoir “The Ghost of Puppyboy,” which tells of his years in the ‘90s working at the former D.C. gay strip club WET, where he found what he calls “microcelebrity” status, good money but also drugs and alcohol. His reading will be Saturday at 11 a.m.
“I kept journals during all of my dancing years,” he says. “The relationships, people, places and endless nights. I would revisit the journals and read them over and over and end up with insomniac attacks from the memories.”
• Lesbian poet and mother Brittany Fonte of Annapolis, Md., will read from her book “Buddha in My Belly,” a prose poetry collection, Saturday at 5 p.m. She says having two kids, now 2 and 6, made novel writing too time consuming. She found the shorter windows of time she had available more conducive to writing poetry. Her book just came out two weeks ago.
“I think when I was a kid, I didn’t see any gay or lesbian authors,” she says. “We heard about Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes in school but we didn’t know anything about them being gay. … Teens coming out now have so much more experience with being able to find role models and people to talk to … there’s less suppression and bullying.”
• Gay poet and novelist Rashid Darden, a life-long Washingtonian, will be part of a poetry reading with several other poets dubbed “head/heart/soul” Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
He says with Lambda Rising no longer in business in D.C. and precious few mainstream bookstores remaining anywhere, it’s important for writers to have a place to gather.
“There’s a chance to do some of that at Pride events, but that’s not the kind of thing where you can have much of a niche market either,” he says. “I think it’s really important for the Center to provide an alternative to the existing constructs, as a sort of replacement for the bookstores that no longer exist.”
• Saturday night at 8:15, performance artist Kimberly Dark will close the festival. The San Diego-and-Hawaii-based lesbian has been performing for LGBT audiences in arenas of all sorts since the mid-‘90s. She says issues of sexual orientation and gender, which largely inform her work, provide almost endless fodder for observation and discussion.
“Everyone’s lives matter and even today, we still have a really narrow image of who’s who in the world,” she says. “It’s very hard for many people to see their own lives reflected on stage or TV.”
Friday, July 24
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center hosts Trans Discussion Group from 7-9 p.m. via Zoom. The Trans Discussion Group is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Saturday, July 25
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host Black Lesbian Support Group at 11 a,.m. Join the DC Center and the Beta Kappa Chapter of the Beta Phi Omega Sorority for a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Sunday, July 26
“Nellie’s DC Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar. Come get served like a queen by a queen. Join Sapphire Blue, Deja Diamond and their team of amazing drag performers for the most fun you’ll have all weekend. Tickets are $58.51 and are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, July 27
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host Queer Book Club at 6:30 p.m. This month’s selection is “Uncomfortable Labels” by Laura Kate Dale. The meeting will be held via Zoom.Email [email protected] for details.
Tuesday, July 28
Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as bi individuals in a private setting. Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, July 29
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, July 30
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
Summer in D.C. brings sports, Restaurant Week, festivals, and more
Summer in D.C. just hits different. Congress is out, school is out, the sun is out, thighs are out. With the skies clearing from Canadian smoke, here are a few ways to stay entertained.
Dining
Summer restaurant week: The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is once again hosting Summer Restaurant Week, Aug. 18-24. This weeklong dining experience showcases the dynamic dining scene of the DMV, including 2026 RAMMY Award-winning favorites (the annual D.C. food awards show that took place June 29). Participating restaurants will offer three-course brunch and lunch selections for $25 or $35 per person, and three-course dinners for $40, $55 and $65 per person.
New Restaurants: A handful of new spots have opened, so the summer is a great time to check them out:
- Oribu: A new Mediterranean-Japanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, which just underwent a remodeling effort. The sleek restaurant brings upscale charm, with dishes like Wagyu beef tartare with potato pavé and caviar.
- The Oak Room: A snazzy old-school American grill has just opened in Georgetown, alongside its sister upstairs supper club (Bernadette’s) restaurant, in the old El Centro space.
- Uchi: This showy Japanese sushi-forward chain has landed in Dupont with a chef’s tasting menu of favorites like fatty tuna.
- Kathmandu: Recalling the capital of Nepal, this warm, buzzy subterranean restaurant right in the heart of U Street brings spice, flair, and rare ingredients to its dishes (see: buffalo burgers) and drinks.
Sports
- Washington Spirit Pride Night OUT: On Sunday, Aug. 23, head to Audi Field for a massive, high-energy game following the exciting month of World Cup. The designated Pride Night OUT game promises boisterous crowds plus pre- and post-game community engagements.
- Washington Tennis Open – Now called the Mubadala DC Open, this annual tournament is only combined mens’ and womens’ 500-level tennis tournament in the world. The open is one of D.C.’s longest-standing sports traditions, and will take place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center July 25-Aug. 2. Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and others are expected to play.
Festivals
- Afro Plus Fest: This huge, three-day Afro-Caribbean Hip-Hop Festival brings together headliners Davido, Alkaline, and Wizkid, plus Tems and Ayra Starr. The event moves from RFK to the Northwest Stadium Complex for three days, Sept. 4-6.
- Capital Fringe Festival: Running from July 11-21, this massive celebration features dozens of live theater, comedy, dance, and boundary-pushing nighttime performances across multiple DC neighborhoods.
- The National Book Festival returns, with headliners like Cynthia Erivo, and Martin Scorsese. The one-day festival, Saturday, Aug. 22, brings together bookworms and word nerds under the theme “America 250: It’s Your Story.” There are talks, workshops, musical sessions and more.
- All Things Go: A three-day festival Sept. 25-27 at Merriweather Post Pavilion featuring Mitski, Hayley Williams, Brandi Carlile, MUNA, Zara Larsson, Ethel Cain, and many, many more artists. There are single-day and three-day tickets. Featuring and highlighting female artists, the festival has turned into a must-see for many LGBTQ audience members.
- Fuchsia Fest: The inaugural Fuchsia Fest is a new multi-day celebration created to celebrate LGBTQ community and expression, bringing together a mix of community gatherings, entertainment, and nightlife. The event takes place Sept. 18-20 and is hosted by Capital Pride.
Art and Music
- United We Dance: A high-energy rave with house, techno, bass, and festival music, on Aug. 1 at the 9:30 Club.
- The Fray. On Aug. 14, this American rock band famous for How To Save A Life is at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
- Kesha: Kesha’s high-energy The Freedom Tour comes to the D.C. area on Aug. 14 at Jiffy Lube Live.
- ALOK: On Sept. 3 at Lincoln Theater, ALOK (they/them) performs. The poet, comedian, and actor is putting on a new comedy show.
- 2charm, the emerging Australian electronic club-pop duo popular with the queer community, which blends hyperpop and dance music, comes to the Atlantis.
- Sapphic Dance Party: a vibrant, inclusive nightlife and social event designed specifically for queer women, lesbians, bisexuals, trans individuals, and nonbinary folks, at Atlantis on Aug. 21.
- Jazz in the Garden: The most quintessential of D.C. activities returns Friday evenings through Aug. 14. This season’s theme, “American Sounds,” is a nod to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Tunes themes range from Appalachian and Americana to Creole jazz, Hill Country blues, contemporary jazz, and more. Tickets are available through a lottery system a week before each event.
a&e features
Tickets on sale for chef Patrick O’Connell’s book launch event
Sept. 18 kickoff to feature José Andrés, Tom Sietsema
Acclaimed chef Patrick O’Connell is preparing to publish his new memoir, “Main, Middle & Gay” in September and he’s launching the book with an event on Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. at Lisner Auditorium featuring Chef José Andrés and former Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema.
Tickets for the event go on sale Tuesday, July 21 at Ticketmaster; prices start at $55.
O’Connell, who’s gay, is the pioneering Michelin-starred chef and longtime proprietor of the Inn at Little Washington. He spoke with the Blade about the September event and the launch of his first memoir.
“I’ve known [Andrés and Sietsema] for more than 25 years and I have great respect for them,” O’Connell said. “I felt that it would allow us to add a different dimension rather than just have an interviewer. The chemistry will be fun and lively and unpredictable and exciting. I think we’re all different personalities and we’ll compliment each other.”
O’Connell has published cookbooks but this is his first memoir. The event will feature a short film that will highlight his work and the Inn.
“What I hope to do with the event is bring the book to life visually,” he said. “So we’re producing a short film that will be part of it. Most of the audience will not have read the book so it’ll give them a visual flavor of the book. It parallels the evolution of American cuisine over 50 years. It’s a rare perspective to be in the trenches for that long.”
The book’s title refers to the location of the garage on the corner of Main, Middle, and Gay streets in Washington, Va., where he launched his restaurant that became an international culinary destination.
The Blade will publish the rest of its wide-ranging interview with O’Connell in September in conjunction with the book’s release.
Winsome Earle-Sears launches campaign against Va. marriage equality amendment
Calendar: July 24-30
Pentagon says hormones make trans troops unfit but gives them to men
At Alliance Defending Freedom’s summit, church and state are one
2026 International AIDS Conference to take place in Rio
DOJ seeks to dismiss some claims in gay FBI employee’s bias lawsuit
PHOTOS: Vitamin C at JR.’s
LGBTQ community center opens in Leesburg, Va.
Sci-fi has long been at vanguard of LGBTQ representation
