Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: April 18-24
Exhibits, concerts, support groups and more for the week ahead
Eric Himan is at Bear Happy Hour Friday evening. (Photo by Evan Taylor)
Calendar of LGBT D.C.-area events for the week ahead:
Friday, April 18
Out singer-songwriter Eric Himan performs songs from his latest album “Gracefully” at two upcoming shows. First at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) for Bear Happy tonight. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $5 from 10-11 p.m. and $10 after 11 p.m. for guests 21 and over. Guests 18-20 there is a $10 cover all night. Drinks are $3 from 10-11 p.m. Himan will also be the opening act for Ani DiFranco at Rams Head Live (20 Market Pl., Baltimore) on April 26 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $40. For more details, visit towndc.com and ramsheadlive.com.
The Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance (AGLA) presents “2014 Miss Gay Arlington” at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant (555 23rd St. South, Arlington, Va.) tonight at 8 p.m. Contestants compete in categories including talent and evening gown. Cover is $10. For more details, visit agla.org.
Ziegfelds/Secrets (1824 Half St., S.W.) hosts its Easter celebration “Bears ‘n Bunnies” tonight from 8 p.m.-3 a.m. Doors open with no cover from 8-10 p.m. There will be a free buffet, draft beer specials and shot drink specials. For more information, visit secretsdc.com.
Saturday, April 19
Team D.C. hosts “Casino Night” at Buffalo Billiards (1330 19th St., N.W.) tonight from 8-11:45 p.m. Play poker, blackjack and craps with dealers from local LGBT sports teams. No cover charge. Receive $100 in chips for $10 or $250 in chips for $20. Chips can be redeemed at the end for raffle entries for prizes. Proceeds go to participating LGBT sports teams. For more details, visit teamdc.org.
Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, led by gay choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess, debuts “Dancing the Dream,” an exploration between dance and modern American identity, at the National Portrait Gallery (8th and F Streets N.W.) today at 1 and 2:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more details, visit npg.si.edu.
DJ Hector Fonseca plays at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight. Doors open at 10 p.m. Cover is $8 from 10-11 p.m. and $12 after 11 p.m. Drinks are $3 before 11 p.m. The drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit towndc.com.
Special Agent Galactica brings her cabaret performance with guitarist Peter Fields to Jay’s On Read (225 W Read St., Baltimore) tonight at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free and limited to guests 21 and over. For more details, visit pinkhairedone.com.
Green Lantern (1335 Green Lantern Ct., N.W.) hosts “Bears Can Dance: Bunny Ears Easter Edition” at 9 p.m. tonight. There is no cover charge. Free bunny ears will be given to the first 50 guests to arrive. For more details, visit greenlanterndc.com.
Sunday, April 20
JR.’s Bar (1519 17th St., N.W.) holds an Easter bonnet contest tonight at 7 p.m. Grand prize is $250. There will be $3 Coors Lights and $3 Skyy vodka. For more details.
The Mansion on O Street (2020 O St., N.W.) holds an Easter brunch and tour today from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Brunch includes omelets, waffles, chocolate-covered bacon and more. The brunch includes a self-guided tour of the 100-room mansion. There will also be prizes for best Easter bonnet and decorated egg. Admission is $75 per person. Kids ages 5-11 are half price and kids under 5 are free.
Monday, April 21
The 30th annual Helen Hayes Awards is at the National Building Museum (401 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. The awards honor the best in Washington theater. Tickets start at $150 and include a buffet. For more information, visit theatrewashinton.org.
Tuesday, April 22
Genderqueer D.C. holds a discussion group at The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) at 7 p.m. tonight. The group is for anyone who identifies outside of the gender binary. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Wednesday, April 23
Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No reservations required and new comers welcome. If you need a partner, call 703-407-6540.
GALA Theatre (3333 14th St., N.W.) presents a pre-show performance of “Living Out” at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission, $20 for VIP admission and $50 for three VIP admissions. VIP admissions include a complimentary drink. All proceeds benefit Casa Ruby, a multicultural resource center that provides a drop-in center for LGBT individuals to discuss their sexual identity in a safe space. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Thursday, April 24
Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets hosts its annual “Spring Fling: Silent Auction and Buffet Dinner” at the Washington Hilton Hotel (1919 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight from 6-9 p.m. There will also be a live jazz band. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit dupontcircle.biz.
Taste of Pride holds an oil and vinegar tasting at Sapore Oil and Vinegar (660 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) today from 7-10 p.m. Learn about different oils and vinegars and different pairings for them such as bread and jam. Tickets are $30. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit capitalpride.org/taste.
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
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