Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: events through Dec. 20

Parties, concerts, support groups and more for the coming week

Published

13 years ago

December 13, 2012

Descendants, Jude Nagel, Gallery B, gay news, Washington Blade, art

‘Descendants,’ a work by the late Jude Nagel, is on display at Gallery B in Bethesda, one of the galleries participating in the Bethesda Art Walk. (Photo courtesy of Valerie Hillman)

TODAY (Friday)

Whitman-Walker Health offers HIV testing at Anacostia Metro Station today from 1-4 p.m. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Special Agent Galactica returns with her Happy Hour Show full of jazz, blues, cabaret, standards and comedy tonight at 6 at the Black Fox Lounge (1732 Connecticut Ave., NW). This week Galactica is excited to welcome New York singer, actor and writer Michael Vitaly Sazonov as a special guest. Admission is free. For more information, visit pinkhairedone.com.

The Bethesda Art Walk takes place in several downtown Bethesda art galleries starting this evening at 6 p.m. Galleries including Artworks (7740 Old Georgetown Rd.), Consider It Done (7806 Old Georgetown Rd.) and Gallery B (7700 Wisconsin Ave.) invite participates to view their diverse exhibitions. For more information, visit bethesda.org.

The Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) hosts “Dr. Who Happy Hour” tonight at 7. There will be one episode of “Dr. Who” and drink specials. Admission is free. For details, visit blackcatdc.com.

Phase 1 (528 8^th St. SE) has its weekly dance party with DJ Jay Von Teese tonight starting at 7:30. Cover is $10. For more information, visit phase1dc.com.

Town (2009 8^th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. This event is for people 21 and older. There is no cover charge. For details, visit towndc.com.

The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) is having its happy hour tonight starting at 5 p.m. All drinks are half off until 7:30 p.m. After 9 p.m., admission is $10. The dance floor opens at 11 with DJ Tim-Nice and DJ Cameron. For details, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

Saturday, Dec. 15

Chantry chorus performs “Palestrina Christmas” along with other selections tonight at 8 at St. Bernadette’s (70 University Blvd. East, Silver Spring). Tickets are $30. For more information, visit chantrydc.com.

Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation at Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) starting at 11:45 a.m. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.

The MLK Library of the D.C. Public Library (901 G St., NW) is in need of volunteers to help shelve and reorganize books from 9:30 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.

Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8^th St., S.E.) opens at 5:30 this evening with a pool, video gaming systems and card tournaments. The dance floors open at 11 p.m. Admission is free until 9 p.m. and it is $10 after. For more information, visit thebachelorsmill.com.

The Black Cat (1811 14^th St., N.W.) hosts “Hellmouth Happy Hour” where attendees watch one episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” with drink specials. Cover is free and doors open at 7 p.m. For more information, visit blackcatdc.com.

Sunday, Dec. 16

The Holy Advent, an integration of seasonal vocal and instrumental music, performs several holiday selections this afternoon at 3:30 at the Church of the Holy City (1611 16^th St., NW). This event is free with a reception right afterward. For more information, visit churchoftheholycitydc.org.

Monday, Dec. 17

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14th St., NW) holds its HIV+ Newly Diagnosed Support Group tonight at 7. It is a confidential support group for anyone recently diagnosed with HIV and the group welcomes all genders and sexual orientations. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

Tuesday, Dec. 18

Whitman-Walker (1701 14^th St., NW) holds its group Starting Over for Women tonight at 7. The group is for women whose long-term relationship with another woman. Registration is required. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) hosts its Safer Sex Kit-packing program tonight from 7-10:30. The packing program is looking for more volunteers to help produce the kits because they say they are barely keeping up with demand. Admission is free and volunteers can just show up. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) presents its Flashback dance night with DJ Jason Royce starting at 10 p.m. There is no cover charge. For more details, visit cobaltdc.com.

The D.C. Center (1318 U St., NW) holds its “Freedom from Smoking Class” for members of the community who are trying to quit smoking this evening starting 6:30. The class is an adaptation of the American Lung Association’s group clinic that has helped thousands of smokers, however it has been modified to be more relevant to the LGBT community and people living with HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

Banana Café (500 8^th St., SE) has its open mic night from 7 p.m. to closing. Admission is free and there are $3 mojitos after 7:30 pm. For more information, visit bananacafedc.com.

Wednesday, Dec. 19

Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 at the Dignity Center (721 8^th St., SE) for social bridge. A partner is not needed. Visit lambdabridge.com for more information.

Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay-literature group, meets tonight at 7:30 to discuss selections from “50 Gay & Lesbian Books Everyone Must Read” at the American Foreign Service Association (2101 E St. NW). For more information, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.

Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14^th St., NW) holds its HIV+ Newly Diagnosed Support Group tonight at 7. It is a confidential support group for anyone recently diagnosed with HIV and the group welcomes all genders and sexual orientations. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.

Thursday, Dec. 20

A “Holy Spirits Pan-Christian LGBT Christmas Party” hosted by Dignity Washington Young Adults is tonight from 7-10 p.m. at Nellie’s (900 U Street, NW). All LGBT Christians (any denomination) in their 20s and 30s are invited. Find the Young Adults group on Facebook. The page for this event is here.

Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) is hosting its weekly Best Package Contest tonight at 9 p.m. There is a $3 cover and there are $2 vodka drinks. Participants in the contest can win $200 in cash prizes. The event is hosted by Lena Lett and music by DJ Chord, DJ Madscience, and DJ Sean Morris. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

Photos

PHOTOS: Baltimore Pride Parade

Thousands attend city’s 50th annual LGBTQ celebration

Published

3 days ago

June 16, 2025

Michael Key

Baltimore Pride Parade (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 14.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

Published

5 days ago

June 14, 2025

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Published

7 days ago

June 12, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.