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FALL ARTS 2016: Events

D.C. gay scene crammed with fall events

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events, gay news, Washington Blade

The D.C. gay scene is crammed with fall events. (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Pete Exis)

Some events don’t fit in our other fall arts categories. Here are a few to note.

AGLA, a Northern Virginia-based nonprofit LGBT group, has brunch at Freddie’s Beach Bar (555 S. 23rd St., Arlington, Va.) on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The group also has a picnic planned immediately following at Virginia Highlands Park (1600 S. Hayes St., Arlington, Va.). Bring something to grill. Details atagla.org.

The Team D.C. Night of Champions Awards Dinner is Saturday, Nov. 5 at Washington Hilton Hotel (1919 Connecticut Ave., N.W.). It starts with a cocktail reception and silent auction at 6 p.m. and the awards dinner at 7:30 p.m. Dress is business casual. Tickets are $100. Details at teamdc.org.

events, gay news, Washington Blade

Team D.C. Night of Champions (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Team D.C. has its fall casino night on Saturday, Sept. 24. Details coming soon at teamdc.org.

events, gay news, Washington Blade

Team D.C. Casino Night (Washington Blade file photo by Pete Exis)

Pride Day at King’s Dominion is Saturday, Sept. 24 sponsored by Brother Help Thyself. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Details at brotherhelpthyself.net.

events, gay news, Washington Blade

Pride Day at King’s Dominion (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Up for a weekend getaway? The Miss’d America Pageant, a drag contest, is Sept. 24 at the Borgata Atlantic City hosted by Caron Kressley. Details at missdamerica.org.

events, gay news, Washington Blade

Miss’d America pageant (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Bisexual Pride Day is Friday, Sept. 23. No local events have been announced related to this.

National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is Tuesday, Sept. 27. Details at cdc.gov or aids.gov/awareness-days.

Remington’s Reunion Show” will be held on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. at the Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.). The event will be hosted by Tony Nelson and Maxine Blue. Details at bachelorsmill.com.

Rayceen’s Reading Room will be held on Monday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (901 G St., N.W.) as a kickoff event for the library’s Banned Book Week. The event will include poetry, drama, book readings, author interviews and more. “The Ask Rayceen Show” continues its monthly installments on the first Wednesday of each month at the library in auditorium A5. Search for the show on Facebook for details.

Celebrating the Soul of Justice” will be held on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ (3845 S. Capitol St., S.W.). It’s an annual worship service affirming black LGBT people of faith. Rev. Christine Wiley will preach. Details at manyvoices.org.

Northern Virginia Pride Festival is Saturday, Oct. 1 from noon-8 p.m. at the Bull Run Special Events Center in Centreville, Va. Details at novapride.org.

National Coming Out Day is Tuesday, Oct. 11. No local events have been announced.

CRACK presents “WERRRRRRK!” at Town Danceboutique (2009 8th St., N.W.) on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. Details at towndc.com.

Baltimore Black Pride will have its “Unsung Legends of Baltimore” event on Thursday, Oct. 6 from 8 p.m.-midnight at the Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center (847 N. Howard St., Baltimore). Call Lonnie Walker at 443-522-8553 to purchase tickets ($50 in advance; $60 at the door). Baltimore Black Pride runsOct. 13-16. Details at centerforblackequity.org/baltimore.

The fifth annual Human Rights Campaign Chefs for Equality event will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton, West End (1150 22nd St., N.W.). Tickets are $200. Details at chefsforequality.org.

events, gay news, Washington Blade

Chefs for Equality (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

No information yet, but the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club will likely hold its 40th annual Leadership Awards in mid-to-late October. Check soon atsteindemocrats.org for more information.

The Blade will hold its 15th annual Best of Gay D.C. Awards on Thursday, Oct. 20 at Town Danceboutique (2009 8th St., N.W.). Details pending.

Best of Gay D.C., gay news, Washington Blade

(Washington Blade file photo by Damien Salas)

The Walk & 5k to End HIV, the 30th anniversary of AIDS Walk Washington, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12. Details at aidswalkwashington.org.

2014 photography, gay news, Washington Blade

The Walk to End HIV (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 30th annual High Heel Race will be Tuesday, Oct. 25 on 17th Street. The event has its own Facebook page for details.

High Heel Race (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

High Heel Race (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Us Helping Us will hold “A Passion for Living: a Night of Celebratory Giving” on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 6-11 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom at the University of the District of Columbia (4200 Connecticut Ave., N.W.). Tickets are $125. Details at uhupil.org.

The Dulles Triangles, a social group in Virginia, have its 25th anniversary gala on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 7 p.m.-midnight at the Spectacular Ballroom at Sheraton Tysons Hotel (8661 Leesburg Pike, Tysons, Va.). Tickets are $50 for members; $60 for guests. Details at dullestriangles.com.

Trans Day of Remembrance is Sunday, Nov. 20. A service is usually held that evening at Metropolitan Community Church of Washington but details for this year’s service have not been announced yet. Check soon at thedccenter.org or on Facebook.

Jessica Xavier, Transgender Day of Remembrance, Washington Blade, gay news

Transgender Day of Remembrance (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

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Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

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(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.

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Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

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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. 

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Calendar

Calendar: June 13-19

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, June 13

“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]

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. 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, June 14

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month 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.

Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Monday, June 16

“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 information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook

Tuesday, June 17

Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion 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. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, June 18

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.

“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, June 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

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