Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: events through Jan. 17
Concerts, parties, exhibits and more through Jan. 17
‘Detritus’ by Diane Wiencke is part of the ‘Art From the Hinterlands’ series. (Image courtesy the Series)
TODAY (Friday)
On Foursquare? Add many of these events to your To-Do list, and connect with the Blade to always be in the know.
The big news this weekend, of course, is Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend which has events tonight and through late Sunday night. All specifics are at leatherweekend.com.
KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING M.A.L. WITH OUR SPECIAL COVERAGE PAGE
The Hong Kong Dance Company and the Guangdong Song and Dance ensemble present “Qingming Riverside” for a special performance tonight at 8 and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater (2700 F St., NW). The show is inspired by the scroll painting “Along the River during the Qingming Festival,” which was painted between AD 1119 and 1125. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.
Whitman-Walker Health offers HIV testing at Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., SE) tonight from 10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. For details, visit whitman-walker.org.
Daryl Wilson hosts his monthly “First Fridays” party at the Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) starting at 10 p.m. DJ Bladerunner is on the upper level while DJ Sedrick is on the main floor on the lower level. Cover is $10. For more information, visit thebachelorsmill.com.
A special edition of CODE, a gear party with a strict dress code for anyone into leather, rubber, jock gear, etc., is tonight and Saturday from 9 p.m.-3 a.m. at the Crucible (16 M Street, NE). CODE is ordinarily the first Saturday of the month. XXX Code resumes Jan. 18 at 10 p.m. also at the Crucible. Visit codedc.com for details.
Gallery B (7700 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda) has its opening reception for a new show tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. The show features Patricia Affens, Ceci Cole McInturff, Alice Kresse, Maya Ormsby and Susan Tibolla Gray. For details, visit bethesda.org.
The Black Cat (1811 14th 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 8th 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 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. (21 and up). There is no cover charge. For details, visit towndc.com.
Saturday, Jan. 12
Blowoff resumes tonight with its first dance party of the new year with gay DJs Bob Mould and Rich Morel. Expect lots of folks from Mid-Atlantic Leather to join the fun again this year. It’s at the 9:30 Club (815 V Street, NW) and starts at 11:30 p.m. Tickets are $12. A portion of the proceeds goes to Brother Help Thyself. Visit blowoff.us for details.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington has two performances of its “Showmen and Showstoppers” cabaret fundraiser today at Camp Rehoboth in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Soloists from the chorus will perform their favorite cabaret numbers, many with show business themes. Tickets are $20. Call 302-227-5620 to order. The performance is in the “big room” at Camp Rehoboth, located at 37 Baltimore Ave. in Rehoboth Beach. Visit camprehoboth.com or gmcw.org for details.
The year-long art series Art from the Hinterlands presents “Fragmented Musings” by Diane Wiencke at Stages Premier Realtors (1515 14th St., NW) this evening from 6-8 p.m. Wiencke’s work challenges the idea that artists need to be living in cities and metropolitan communities to create meaningful work. The series features artists living in remote regions. For details, call 202-449-8657.
Whitman Walker offers HIV testing at D.C. Center (1318 U St. NW) this afternoon 4-7:30 p.m. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.
Burgundy Crescent needs 12-14 volunteers this morning from 9:30 a.m.-noon at the MLK Library for two enormous children’s book projects. For details, visit burgundycrescent.org.
The Black Cat (1811 14th 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, Jan. 13
Defenders Washington, part of Dignity Washington, offers a Roman Catholic Mass today at 6 p.m. for leather, levi and fetish community during Leather Weekend at St. Margaret’s Church (1820 Connecticut Ave., NW). Everyone is welcome. For details, visit dignitywashington.org.
Burgundy Crescent volunteers at D.C. Central Kitchen this morning from 9 a.m.-noon. Volunteers will help cook and prepare food. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Lambda Sci-fi has its monthly meeting at 1425 S St., NW for LGBT science fiction, fantasy and horror fans today at 1:30 p.m. The annual blind book exchange will be at the same time. For details, visit lambdascifi.org.
Monday, Jan. 14
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.
Banana Café (500 8th St., SE) has its karaoke night tonight from 7 p.m. to closing. Admission is free. For more information, visit bananacafedc.com.
Tuesday, Jan. 15
Whitman-Walker (1701 14th 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.
Wednesday, Jan. 16
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.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., SE) at 7:30 p.m. Newcomers are welcome and no reservations are needed. For more information or if you need a partner, visit lambdabridge.com.
Thursday, Jan. 17
Club Heaven (2327 18th St., NW) hosts Indie Adams Morgan, a local indie music series, starting tonight with the band Funk Ark. Cover is $8. For more information, email [email protected].
Special Agent Galactica and her rock steady band play Cobalt (1639 R St., NW) tonight from 8-10 p.m. The show features classic and contemporary rock songs including music from Led Zeppelin, Romantics, Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, the Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane and Elton John. No cover. For more information, visit pinkhairedone.com.
Whitman-Walker Health (1701 14th St., NW) holds its gay men over 50 support group this evening at 6:30 p.m. The group is for gay men entering a new phase of life. Registration is required to attend. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.
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.
Celebrity News
Fashion icon Bob Mackie dead at 87
Designing legend to all the divas, gone but not forgotten
To those still reeling from the loss of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, we have another queer icon to add to the In Memoriam of 2026: Bob Mackie. A designer known for being extra, before that was even a thing, has left us with a legacy of looks and an indelible mark on fashion.
The news broke on his Instagram account Monday, Sept. 14, with the message:
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today. He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a fashion and costume designer, which is all he ever wanted to do. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world.” According to People magazine, he passed away in Palm Springs, Calif., due to pneumonia.
At 87, Mackie is the definitive designer for divas. Mackie has literally dressed them all, including Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters, and even RuPaul. He’s dressed film and television icons like Raquel Welch, Lynda Carter, Goldie Hawn, and Jennifer Lopez. It’s not just female divas; he’s also done many of Elton John’s famous costumes as well as David Bowie’s.
His first major mark was drawing the first design of Marilyn Monroe’s famous “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress. Next, he was an assistant to costume designer Ray Aghayan on “The Judy Garland Show.” The two would carry on a professional and romantic partnership for 50 years until Aghayan’s passing in 2011.
Mackie then went on to do all of the costumes for “The Carol Burnett Show,” creating an estimated 17,000 costumes for her show’s 11-year run. This gave him much critical acclaim and notoriety, making him a permanent fixture in the variety show market.
He became a frequent collaborator of Cher, having made her famous midriff-revealing Oscar gown, her “If I Could Turn Back Time” costume, and being her designer for her various television shows, including “The Sonny and Cher Show.” He even designed costumes for her Farewell Tour. The two are synonymous with him having lent his artistic sensibilities to give her a distinct look. Cher even said in 2024, “He helped me create a different me.”
Mackie has left his mark on fashion with a distinct style of glamorous, over-the-top looks. He received the monikers the “Sultan of Sequins,” the “Rajah of Rhinestones,” and the “Guru of Glitter” for challenging the line between costume and fashion with lots of fringe, flash, and over-the-top eye-catching elements. He’s managed to retain a presence not just in entertainment but in the fashion industry for decades. Most recently, one of his outfits was a major plot point for the final season of “Hacks.”
Mackie has received his share of awards and acknowledgments. In addition to dressing many people for the Oscars, he received three nominations, including dressing Diana Ross for “Lady Sings the Blues.” He won a Tony Award for “The Cher Show.” He won nine Emmy Awards and received 30 nominations for his prolific television work.
Luckily, Mackie’s life was celebrated before his passing, receiving various Lifetime achievement awards including the Geoffrey Beene CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award, being honored by the Television Hall of Fame, and receiving “RuPaul’s Drag Race”‘s Giving Us Life-time Achievement Award. He was the first guest judge on the popular series.
It’s clear that not only was Mackie talented, he was magical. He gave a bit of stardust to countless celebrities, luminaries, and public figures with looks that not only defied expectations but managed to be truly spectacular. He’s part of the glitz we think of when we think of Hollywood, and while often elaborate costumes, the shrewd fashion sense and elegance cannot be denied. Mackie will be missed, but his work lives on in the countless pieces still in circulation and forever captured on film and in media.
The 29th annual SMYAL Fall Brunch was held at the Marriott Marquis on Sunday, Sept. 13.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Books
Dolly Parton biography puts her hardships into context
‘Ain’t Nobody’s Fool’ a highly researched tome not to be missed
‘Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton’
By Martha Ackmann
c.2026, St. Martin’s Press
$30/304 pages
Not too bright.
That’s what people once thought about you. Your language didn’t conform, you had your own sense of style, and you were ignorant about modern things and places and foods. But you were no dummy. You were different, and you had a secret: as in the new biography, “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton” by Martha Ackmann, you knew exactly where you were going.
When Avie Lee Owens and Lee Parton first married, they had the very basics: “two knives, two forks, two spoons, a skillet, a butcher knife, and an old iron kettle.” He was 17; she was 15. Babies came quick. The fourth one was named Dolly, after two great-aunts.
Almost from the time she could walk, Dolly sang. Before she was old enough to attend school, she wrote poetry, and she’d begun to notice rhythms and beats she could make with her fingers. As a schoolchild, she created her own musical instruments out of scraps, and she was eager to perform whenever anyone asked her – and they asked often, because Dolly Parton was a nice girl, and her sense of humor conveyed a warmth that drew people in.
Growing up in the Tennessee mountains, Parton was independent, shunning marriage and child-raising, instead focusing on a dream of being a star. By the time she was in high school, she’d had a regular gig on local television but she recognized that there were few opportunities for fame in the mountains, so she left for Nashville the day after high school graduation, with the snickers of naysayers ringing in her ears.
She stayed with an aunt and uncle there, and she beat the streets, dined on grocery store samples to get by, and missed her family and friends. And they worried about her, but they knew nothing would derail her plans. They knew Dolly would be fine.
As a friend said, “’She had her head on pretty good.’”
Chances are that if you’ve listened to music any time in the last 60 years, you’ve heard Dolly Parton through her words or her music or both. Now you need to learn more about her, and “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool” is where to do it.
Here’s a biography that grabs you on the first page with the tiniest bit of family tree, but not so much that you get bored with it. Author Martha Ackmann writes about Dolly Parton’s early life, putting hardships and experiences in context, both personally and historically. There are name-drops, but not overly so, as Ackmann takes you through Parton’s career, her heartbreaks, her marriage, and her years with Porter Wagoner, in detail but not dramatically embellished or outrageously told. It’s a biography that’s just right, sourced well and written with a fresh take that, like its subject, tells a good story.
Fans, of course, will want this highly researched book but music lovers of any age or type will eat it up. That means you, so use up that Christmas gift certificate. “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool” just shines.
The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.
New Hungarian government to scrap anti-LGBTQ adoption law
Fashion icon Bob Mackie dead at 87
Transgender woman killed in Barclay community mourned by friends, advocates
Dozens detained after Turkish authorities raid LGBTQ groups, businesses
PHOTOS: SMYAL Fall Brunch
How Dolly became a folk saint for Appalachian queers
Remembering the LGBTQ heroes of 9/11 terrorist attacks
Report: 90 percent of LGBTQ groups around the world have lost funding since 2025
Historiography with heart
