Connect with us

Arts & Entertainment

Night life newbies

Trade, Woof Den and Uproar target gay clientele

Published

on

Trade, gay news, Washington Blade
Trade, gay news, Washington Blade

Trade (Washington Blade photo by Damien Salas)

The start of the new year has brought an unusual flurry of activity with three new gay bars — and a fourth slated to open soon — on the scene to spice up District nightlife.

Trade (1410 14th St., N.W) is one of the fresher faces on the block having opened in December. The bar holds typical nightlife hours open Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Owned by business trio Ed Bailey, John Guggenmos and Jim Boyle, the same owners as Town and Number Nine, their concept for the bar was something different. Its website bills it as a “dive bar.”

“We just tried to make something that’s a little bit different from what exists currently so that it can be appreciated in a new way hopefully,” Bailey says. “We tried to program it a little differently with not the same stuff that you can just hear at any old bar, not predictable music.”

Predicability is something Bailey thinks has become a problem on the gay bar scene and he hopes Trade will change that.

“We wanted to do something that we thought would resonate for those maybe who have found the current bars to not be as intriguing as they might want and try to give them something that seems different,” Bailey says.

Standing out is also something Steven Champagne, co-operating manager of Woof Den Sports Bar (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.), also aims for.

Champagne, who is gay, says he has noticed the gay bar scene can have unfriendly vibes. He says Woof Den will be more accepting.

“It’s that non-attitude, non-pretentious, non-clique feeling,” he says. “When you go to my place, everyone is welcome. Nobody should feel like they’re not welcome. I feel like what that’s what gay bars have lost these days.”

Woof Den, located downstairs from the Salty Dog Tavern, has only been open for two weeks but Champagne, who manages the bar with co-operator Hicham Moutawakil, says they have big plans for the spot. Bear happy hours on Sundays, a cop/military night on Wednesdays and a pool league night are all in the works. Its hours of operation are seven days a week, open at 4 p.m. every day.

Other bars settling in amongst the gay bar scene are Uproar Lounge & Restaurant (639 Florida Ave., N.W.) and the soon-to-open Dirty Goose (913 U St., N.W.). Uproar, a bear bar, boasts a full food menu along with frequent happy hours including with local bear group Bear Nonsense. The bar has been tapped to host events for Human Rights Campaign such as Her HRC events. The bar also includes an open rooftop deck with seating available.

The Dirty Goose, which is marketing itself as a more upscale gay bar, will be located next to Nellies’s Sports Bar. The new bar’s website says its grand opening will be in spring of this year.

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Music & Concerts

Cyndi Lauper ready to have fun in Virginia

Superstar to bring final leg of farewell tour to Jiffy Lube Live

Published

on

Pop icon Cyndi Lauper brings her farewell tour to Jiffy Lube Live on July 24. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Superstar Cyndi Lauper will bring the final leg of her farewell tour “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” to Bristow, Va., on Thursday, July 24 at Jiffy Lube Live. 

Lauper’s international Farewell Tour – her first major headlining run in a decade – kicked off in North America last October, and included her first time ever headlining (and selling out) Madison Square Garden. Lauper’s performances have earned raves from the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and many more, and surprise guests have included Chaka Khan, Sam Smith, and Hayley Williams. The tour just visited the U.K. and Europe, and will head to Australia and Japan in April.  

Tickets are available on Live Nation’s website

Continue Reading

Out & About

Rehoboth Pride set for this weekend

Delaware beach town hosts festival, events

Published

on

(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Rehoboth Beach Pride is back for a day of summer celebration on Saturday. 

The Delaware beach town will host its Pride festival at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on July 19 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., followed by an after-party at Freddie’s Beach Bar and a ticketed event in the evening with a film screening, comedian, and musician. 

“It will be a day of community engagement, fun, celebration and learning, all sorts of things rolled into one,” David Mariner, executive director of Sussex Pride, told the Blade. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us to be together, to support each other.”

Pride is organized by Sussex Pride and Gay Women of Rehoboth. The festival will include a free, family-friendly event with vendors offering information and resources, health screenings, and other activities. For more information visit sussexpride.org.

Continue Reading

Calendar

Calendar: July 18-24

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

on

Friday, July 18

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 6 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, July 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 12 p.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.

LGBT People of Color Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more details, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc

Miss Capital Pride will host “DC Drag brunch on Rooftop – Penthouse” at 12 p.m. at MXDC Cocina Mexicana. Guests will experience a Mexican brunch infused with Baby Shank’s signature dishes, complemented by margaritas and mimosas. There will also be performances by drag queens and celebrity impersonators, featuring Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Whitney Houston, Cher, and many more. Tickets are $30.65 and available on Eventbrite

Monday, July 21

“Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook

Tuesday, July 22

Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-facilitated discussion group and a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook page. 

Wednesday, July 23

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. 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.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will meet at 7 p.m. virtually and in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected]

Thursday, July 24

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. 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. 

Lit Lovers: Book Club for Seniors will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. The book selection for July is “Rubyfruit Jungle” by Rita Mae Brown. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

Poly Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an inclusive, welcoming, virtual safer space to talk about all things polyamorous — the rapturous, the confused, the pure YIKES, we want to hear them all. For more details, email [email protected]

Continue Reading

Popular