a&e features

Trinity’s tricks of the trade

‘Drag Race’ finalist gears up for ‘War on the Catwalk’ tour

Published

9 years ago

July 13, 2017

Trinity Taylor, gay news, Washington Blade

Trinity Taylor (aka Ryan Taylor) says her season was one of the tightest competitions in the history of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’ (Photo courtesy VH1)

Trinity Taylor, one of the finalists from season nine of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” is on the “War on the Catwalk” tour, which was slated to kick off Thursday in New Haven, Conn. (tickets, dates, etc. here)

The queens come to Washington Sunday night, July 16, at the Warner Theatre. Trinity spoke with the Blade by phone Tuesday from her home in Orlando, Fla.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Where are you right now?

TRINITY TAYLOR: I’m in my bedroom. Are you gonna ask me what I’m wearing next?

BLADE: Sure, why not?

TRINITY: A grungy T-shirt and we’re leaving it there (laughs).

BLADE: Tell us about the tour.

TRINITY: Yeah, well, I was very fortunate that they asked me to host the tour which is kind of nerve wracking because I’ve hosted tons and tons and tons of shows but this is a major tour this season nine tour, so there’s a lot more pressure. So hopefully I do OK. I am, you know, I’ll do what I do best — show my tuck, hopefully make some people laugh and the biggest thing is just entertain because that’s what I am, an entertainer.

BLADE: I thought Trixie was hosting.

TRINITY: We’re both hosting. Maybe certain dates. I don’t know that she’s doing the whole thing.

BLADE: How did you like the format for the “Drag Race” finale this year?

TRINITY: Well obviously I thought it was terrible because I didn’t make the top two (laughs). I’m just kidding. I think it was great for the show. It’s something the show needed because the show was very predictable the past couple of years, you know, the person who wins the most challenges wins. So this was definitely something that was shocking and something different which is good, change is good. I think it got a lot of attention and exposure and that’s good for the show and whatever’s good for the show’s gonna be good for me.

Trinity Taylor (Photo courtesy VH1)

BLADE: Charlie Hides said during the reunion she only got two hours of sleep one night. Is the competition really that intense? Did you sleep well during the run?

TRINITY: So, um, Charlie, I love Charlie, but the reason why Charlie was saying all these excuses was people were putting her on the spot for her terrible lip sync. So she was just grasping at straws. As far as sleep goes, first of all, this is a competition. You’re not signing up to go to a weekend spa. When they say it is “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” it is really a race. You have very little time, the schedule is grueling, the challenges are not easy. … If you’re watching it and you go, “Yeah, I could do that,” well yeah, you maybe could do that if you had the time but when you’re on a time crunch, you don’t have a lot of time and so, you might not do your best. Or you may do phenomenal, but it is a race. So as far as sleep goes, you got plenty of hours to sleep because there was a schedule of when we were done and when we were picked up. But when you had your alone time in the hotel rooms, you did have to make sure you knew your lip sync songs, make sure if you had anything last minute you needed to work on, prepare for, you know, all that’s on your own time. So for her to say she didn’t have enough sleep, that’s really on her.

BLADE: Could you tell she was phoning it in on that lip sync or were you too busy concentrating on your own performance to realize that?

TRINITY: Until I watched it on the episode, I didn’t know what she did. I kind of just zoned out, I was just like, “I’m in the bottom, I’ve got to stay,” and it didn’t matter who I was lip syncing against, I was going to stay, that was my focus. So she wasn’t even there to me, I was just performing.

BLADE: What struck you most watching the show vs. experiencing it in person? Do you see it at all before it airs or you see it with everybody else?

TRINITY: Oh, no that’s the first time we see it. What’s shocking is — I’ll give Alexis as an example. On the show, Alexis didn’t — I liked Alexis, she was not annoying at all, I didn’t see this like person who made excuses and blamed us for not doing well. For some reason it didn’t click in my mind while I was there that she was complaining a lot like that. And then watching the episodes I’m like, “Dang, she really tried to come in for us.” And so seeing it from a different perspective from actually being there, it just registers differently. And also seeing how everything is edited together. Not that they edited stuff that was not true, but just seeing how it all tells a story, it’s very interesting.

BLADE: On “Untucked” there’s often notes for the girls who are leaving in the workroom but it looks like they’re taken in there as soon as they get their makeup off. When do you have time to write notes if you’re — it appears — still out there on the main stage?

TRINITY: Um, what happens, um — I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you this but I’m gonna tell you anyway — what happens is after they have the person sashay away, that person goes and is sequestered for a short period of time, not long. For us to film the rest of it when she says, “If you can’t love yourself …” and then they play music and we leave. When we leave, we go directly back to the work area, take off our makeup and that’s when we are allowed to do the notes. Then we leave and then the person who’s eliminated is allowed to come back and that’s when they actually pack to leave. But the reason why we get our makeup off is they still have filming to do and they want to get us out of there quickly because we have to be up the next morning.

Trinity Taylor (Photo courtesy VH1)

BLADE: Your boyfriend was so hot in the finale. I was jealous. Are you still together and how are things going?

TRINITY: Um, we broke up that night actually. No, just kidding, we’re still together. He’s still a doll and I am very blest to have him in my life. He’s very supportive.

BLADE: Remind me his name.

TRINITY: His name is Leo. He’s just a great guy.

BLADE: Have fun with that.

TRINITY: Oh trust me, I do.

BLADE: I was enthralled by Valentina at first but later, especially at the reunion, she struck me as really fake nice and she got a lot of flak from the other queens. What’s your take on her?

TRINITY: Well I love Valentina. Me and her are probably the closest from this season out of all the girls. On the show, I hated her. I thought she was a diva. She got a really great edit. There were several girls who got really great edits. Like the producers for some reason just didn’t see what we all see, but like Valentina was a diva brat on the show, she was. Kind of like what you saw in the reunion. Valentina in person though, as you get to know her, she really is a diva. But like it’s just different. Getting to know her and interacting with her in person in everyday life vs. on the show is different. She’s a diva and she has this grandiose aura about her all the time, even as a boy. It’s not fake but I can see how it could come across fake because it came across fake to me on the show but that’s just how she is.

BLADE: On the makeover episode with the crew it showed you back there helping your partner with his tuck. Were you actually taping his dick back or just handing him the tape and telling him what to do? That must have been awkward doing that with a straight guy.

TRINITY: His name is Rizzo. It was not awkward at all for me. Obviously he was, you know, a beautiful man. First of all, he didn’t want to be taped but he knew that was part of my schtick as an entertainer is my tuck and if he’s gonna be my partner, he’s gotta have a fierce tuck too. I told him you’re gonna have to shave everything because if you don’t, you’re gonna hate yourself. So he shaved everything except his ass, he shaved everything in the front. We couldn’t tape him like my tape which is tape to skin, so we put a pair of tiny, tiny, tiny underwear on him and we taped over the underwear because you can’t have tape on hair. That would be a nightmare. I didn’t have my hands on his penis but I was back there to like really, really help him. After he got the tape on, I had some hands on helping him but, you know, I tried to keep it professional as much as I possibly could, taping on top.

BLADE: Who was your favorite celebrity judge?

TRINITY: Oh absolutely Lady Gaga. She just was very genuine. I felt like she was genuinely interested in what we were doing and what we had to say and in “Untucked” she actually came back there and did a one-on-one critique with us and told us bluntly what she thought and I believed everything she said. She’s very wise about her experience in the industry and the advice she gave us was, she just was very genuine and heartfelt. I liked her. A couple of the judges were just there because they were asked to be there but she was actually excited to be there.

BLADE: Is Cheyenne Jackson as hot in person as he looks on TV?

TRINITY: Oh girl, he is a Daddy. I would sit on his face. He is, yes, he is beautiful. And he’s got like this swag about him, like, I don’t know, this smooth, cool guy attitude. And he’s hot, yes.

BLADE: The reunion seemed especially bitchy this year. Why?

TRINITY: By then, we’d seen the show and we got to see what everybody truly said, some of which we hadn’t known before. That’s why a lot of the girls were not as friendly like they were on the show because they got to see the true side of people and they wanted to voice their opinion.

BLADE: How are you and Eureka now? Think you’ll get along OK on the tour or have you spoken to her lately?

TRINITY: I hate her. I think she’s a terrible human being. (laughs) She’s actually a cool girl. I have no qualms with her at all. We’ve actually talked since the show. The thing with Eureka is, I didn’t have any beef with her. I beat her (in a previous pageant). Why would I have a beef with somebody I beat? To me, she was holding onto a grudge because I had beaten her. That’s where the beef came in because she had something against me. As far as like since the show, we have some similar personality traits but also some real differences and I don’t feel like our personalities mesh well for long periods of time like being on a show together for many, many days, that’s where you get a lot of conflict. But I like Eureka. I think she’s very talented, I think she has a lot to offer and I think she’s going to slay season 10. She’s very funny, so I feel like we’re in a good place.

BLADE: What’s the Ruvealed going to be that starts June 29th? Is that just outtakes or do you know?

TRINITY: I think it’s just you get to see clips that weren’t put in the show because of time. Like an extended version of the show. More outtakes, more things you haven’t seen yet, stuff like that.

BLADE: Some years it seemed there was a clear frontrunner like Bianca or Violet. This year it felt to me like you could have made a good case for any of the top four. I know it’s hard to say when you’re in the middle of it, but do you agree?

TRINITY: No, this was to me, and I’m not trying to be biased, I’m a fan of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” even though I’ve been on the show. I watched all the season past as a fan and this season, the cast was probably collectively the strongest cast they’ve ever had, as far all the girls brought it. All the girls have fashion, all the girls brought it in the challenges, so they are a very talented group of girls so that’s why there wasn’t a clear standout winner like when Bianca won or when Bob won or Violet won. There was just more competition. Like you said, there was a valid case for each of the girls in the top four of why they could have won and that makes for better TV, that makes for better competition. I hope that every year from now on, they do that good a job of casting where they actually pick top-notch girls from start to finish. That way, you don’t know who’s going home.

BLADE: The “Drag Race” wiki said at one point you considered transitioning to further your career. Is that true and do you think, like this was something some fans said about Peppermint, is transitioning — not that it’s bad or wrong by any means — but at some point does that become a different thing from the art of female illusion?

TRINITY: OK, so to answer your question, yes that is true. To answer the last part of the question first, being a trans person whether you’re a trans woman or a trans man, that is completely different from being a drag queen, drag king or an entertainer. I have really good friends who never entertained or don’t entertain anymore who are trans. Being trans is who you are on the inside. Being an entertainer or being a drag queen is a hobby or your job or your creative outlet. You can be both, like Peppermint, but being trans is completely different. Now years ago when I was first starting pageants, I contemplated transitioning not because I felt I was trans, but because I felt the pressure from pageants because a lot of really well-known, successful pageant entertainers are trans and I felt that was the route I was gonna have to take if I wanted to be successful. I’m glad I didn’t go down that route because I am not trans and you should never transition for the wrong reasons. You should transition because that is who you are and that’s how you feel on the inside, not because of pressure from a job or wanting to further your career.

Trinity Taylor (Photo courtesy VH1)

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a&e features

Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard

Published

4 days ago

July 29, 2026

Kyle Rood

Lily Erin, one of Rainbows in Revolt’s signature artists, performed at Capital Pride in June. (Photo courtesy of Rainbows in Revolt)

Last month’s Pride celebration in D.C. was so fun. Walking around my first Capital Pride with a $15 lemonade I was loving the madness and the color. Artists and small businesses battling banks you’ve never heard of collecting your personal information so you can spin a wheel to snag free merch. Great music blaring, people actually smiling and enjoying themselves, the “Great” American State Fair could never!

The Monument Stage was on Pennsylvania Avenue, directly in front of the National Gallery of Art and I can’t think of a better venue to see live music. How does someone get on the lineup for Pride? How do we accelerate the visibility of the most talented voices in our community to perform in places like this?

There is certainly not a talent gap, but there is a visibility gap. Chappell Roan went from playing for two people in a parking lot to owning the main stage at Coachella in one year. Whether it is shadowbanning or bias in AI, algorithms have been shown to suppress queer artists. In a digital age, how can queer people break through and show the world how talented they are?

Allison and Matt of Rainbows in Revolt are on a mission to make openly LGBTQ+ artists’ voices heard. Their goal is to find “musicians whose queerness is central to their identity as an artist,” and accelerate them to a place where they can actually reach fans.

The only time queer events seem to be in the spotlight is June, but this should be year round, according to Allison and Matt. Rainbows in Revolt wants to act as a “nucleus” for different sub-communities, finding common ground in the universal language of music.

Matt and Allison founded Rainbows as a way to make cheaper, higher quality merchandise for queer artists. While Rainbows has already pledged 20% of their profits to the LGBTQ+ community, with 10% to Whitman-Walker Health and 10% to LGBTQ+ organizations in need, this is just the beginning of the work that they do.

Rainbows “does the dirty work” that artists normally struggle to do on their own with limited resources. Interviews, artist profiles, social promotion, playlist discovery, radio outreach, and merch-funded support. This work is normally expensive, time consuming, and requires lots of different skills. Musicians don’t want to be editing clips to post online. Standup comedians don’t want to make graphics for their tour dates. They want to write more. They want to focus on their craft.

In addition to helping artists find their audience, Rainbows has built other digital tools to help queer people connect, including an interactive Safe Space Map for most major cities. It is hard to know which places are truly safe and supportive just from a simple Google search. Attitudes and actions change, and there should be a simple way for queer people to find other places that align with them. The Safe Spaces Maps are all up to date, and are tagged and filterable. Instead of relying on forums and word of mouth, Rainbows has created a centralized way to find authentic community quickly.

I had a chance to talk with Allison and Matt at Pride where Lily Erin, one of their signature artists, was performing on the Monument stage. Lily Erin is a folk singer who is familiar and forging her own path. Her bittersweet sound echoes through Acadia, and her garb mirrors the New England athletes I grew up with. Gorp Core meets streetwear. A graphic tee, hiking shorts, and creamsicle Jordans.

Her debut single, “Bus Stop,” tells a sad story about unconditional love, and the conditions that still seem to come with it. Graduating into lockdown, Erin needed a new way to connect with herself and others. Lily made “Bus Stop” without an intention to share it, but doing so was a liberation. People have been responding to her honesty around queer-ness, family, and the “ghosts which haunt us” even in the daytime.

Rainbows in Revolt has helped Lily Erin go from bars and backyards to The Monument Stage at Pride. This is a meteoric rise, and a testament to both Erin’s talent and the work of Rainbows to promote her. “A little encouragement goes a long way with early artists,” and by “planting a seed” Rainbows is already seeing their artist garden grow. Community is power, and Erin is a perfect example of how effective simple modern techniques of promotion can be.

A next step for Rainbows is putting on shows themselves. On Oct. 3, Rainbows in Revolt will host an Evening with Ray Boltz at the National City Christian Church. Boltz grew up in the Catholic Church and for many years was the soundtrack to many services, youth camps, and church groups. He was celebrated by millions until he came out in 2008. Allison remembers her community “never playing his music again.”

Rainbows in Revolt is helping him to return to the church, and proving that identity does not need to be exclusive. We live in a complicated world with complicated lines being drawn. Boltz proves that these lines don’t exist, and will be breaking down barriers to bring together communities. To Allison, “a trans woman standing next to a straight white man in church is a powerful teacher.”

The Safe Space maps bridge all types of spaces, and one of the unlikely ones is, perhaps, churches. Matt said that “BYU has only nine safe spaces around their campus and seven of them are churches.” Not all churches are anti-gay, and many times they are the only place for people to find community.

Rainbows in Revolt is just getting started bridging gaps and building community.

a&e features

Summer in the City: Free exhibits, movies, more fill D.C.’s calendar

America 250 celebrations continue

Published

7 days ago

July 26, 2026

Emma LaPointe

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in ‘Wicked,’ screening Sept. 12 at Union Market. (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

From late-night museum visits and outdoor jazz concerts to free movie screenings and America250 exhibitions, Washington’s summer calendar is packed with events that don’t charge admission. Here’s a look at some of the free activities happening across the District through September and beyond.

Museum exhibitions

The Renwick Gallery is presenting State Fairs: Growing American Craft, an exhibition that looks at unique and unconventional crafts from the 19th century to the present. It will run until Sept. 7, and admission is free.

The Arts and Industries Building, located next to the Smithsonian Castle, is presenting the exhibition Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America. The exhibition features the development of American independence and what that has meant over time, beginning with the Revolutionary War. Admission to the museum is free, and the exhibition runs until Sept. 7.

The National Gallery of Art presents Dear America, an exhibit featuring more than 100 pieces of work, including letters, photographs, and drawings that depict American landscapes and depictions of freedom. The exhibition will run until Sept. 20.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is exhibiting Burnished: Pueblo Pottery until Sept. 27. The exhibit features pottery from the Southwest, and while most of the pottery belongs to women artists, a few also reflect those who have advocated for women.

Extending past this summer, the exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa will be at the National Museum of the American Latino until July 2028. The exhibition shows how Afro-Cuban music has become a staple in the U.S. Admission is free.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will feature the exhibition District Vibes / American Pride: How DC Changed American Culture, which will highlight all of the ways D.C. has impacted American life. The exhibit will run until Sept. 27.

At the Folger Shakespeare Library, the exhibit Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era will be on view through Aug. 2. All the portraits on display come from the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London.

The United States Botanic Garden will be open until 8 p.m. on Aug. 20 and Sept. 17, as part of America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration. The evenings will include live music, mocktails, ice cream, and snacks.

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden will have extended hours, staying open until 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday until Sept. 3.

Live performances

On Aug. 7, the postgame Nationals concert series will continue with Jordan Davis performing. To see the concert, guests just need to buy tickets to the Nationals game.

Jazz in the Garden will run each Friday until Aug. 14. The event has free admission, but those interested have to enter a lottery due to the high demand for the event.

From May to October, Capital Harvest Market occurs every Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The market features fresh foods, crafts, and recipes for unique dishes. A full list of vendors is available on Capital Harvest’s website.

Live! Concert Series on the Plaza will feature live performances at Woodrow Wilson Plaza until Sept. 25. The performances run Monday to Friday from 12-1 p.m. Admission is free to the performances.

DowntownDC Live! at Anthem Row is running until July 30, with free performances every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The final performance will feature HUE and a vintage flea market hosted by Get Flee Marketplace.

Located in Adams Morgan, AdMo Vibe will present live performances every Thursday at 6 p.m. in Kalorama Park. Guests are encouraged to check out Adams Morgan before and after shows, and it is an event for all ages.

Other events

Union Market is hosting drive-in movies on Aug. 8, featuring “Monsters, Inc.”, and Sept. 12, featuring “Wicked.” On Aug. 8, the parking lot will open at 7:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 8:25 p.m. On Sept. 12, the parking lot will open at 6:35 p.m., and the movie will start at 7:30 p.m.

Sunset Cinema at the Wharf will also be available one day a month. On Aug. 12, “10 Things I Hate About You” will premiere, and on Aug. 26, “Project Hail Mary.” No tickets are necessary.

The Library of Congress will also show movies. On Aug. 6, guests are invited to watch “Apollo 13.” The movie will be shown at 8 p.m., with additional live performances beginning at 7 p.m.

For fans of Asian media, the Okaton convention will be at Walter E. Washington Convention Center from July 31-Aug. 2. Festivities will include cosplay contests, skits, live music, and panel discussions.

Washington Spirit’s season also begins in August. The Spirit is Washington’s National Women’s League, with matchups occurring between the San Diego Wave, the North Carolina Courage, the Orlando Pride, and the Bay FC.

a&e features

Summer in D.C. brings sports, Restaurant Week, festivals, and more

Published

1 week ago

July 23, 2026

Evan Caplan

Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone hosts Pride Night OUT on Sunday, Aug. 23. (Photo courtesy of Washington Spirit)

Summer in D.C. just hits different. Congress is out, school is out, the sun is out, thighs are out. With the skies clearing from Canadian smoke, here are a few ways to stay entertained.

Dining

Summer restaurant week: The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is once again hosting Summer Restaurant Week, Aug. 18-24. This weeklong dining experience showcases the dynamic dining scene of the DMV, including 2026 RAMMY Award-winning favorites (the annual D.C. food awards show that took place June 29). Participating restaurants will offer three-course brunch and lunch selections for $25 or $35 per person, and three-course dinners for $40, $55 and $65 per person.

New Restaurants: A handful of new spots have opened, so the summer is a great time to check them out:

Oribu: A new Mediterranean-Japanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, which just underwent a remodeling effort. The sleek restaurant brings upscale charm, with dishes like Wagyu beef tartare with potato pavé and caviar.
The Oak Room: A snazzy old-school American grill has just opened in Georgetown, alongside its sister upstairs supper club (Bernadette’s) restaurant, in the old El Centro space.
Uchi: This showy Japanese sushi-forward chain has landed in Dupont with a chef’s tasting menu of favorites like fatty tuna.
Kathmandu: Recalling the capital of Nepal, this warm, buzzy subterranean restaurant right in the heart of U Street brings spice, flair, and rare ingredients to its dishes (see: buffalo burgers) and drinks.

Sports

Washington Spirit Pride Night OUT: On Sunday, Aug. 23, head to Audi Field for a massive, high-energy game following the exciting month of World Cup. The designated Pride Night OUT game promises boisterous crowds plus pre- and post-game community engagements.
Washington Tennis Open – Now called the Mubadala DC Open, this annual tournament is only combined mens’ and womens’ 500-level tennis tournament in the world. The open is one of D.C.’s longest-standing sports traditions, and will take place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center July 25-Aug. 2. Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and others are expected to play.

Festivals

Afro Plus Fest: This huge, three-day Afro-Caribbean Hip-Hop Festival brings together headliners Davido, Alkaline, and Wizkid, plus Tems and Ayra Starr. The event moves from RFK to the Northwest Stadium Complex for three days, Sept. 4-6.
Capital Fringe Festival: Running from July 11-21, this massive celebration features dozens of live theater, comedy, dance, and boundary-pushing nighttime performances across multiple DC neighborhoods.
The National Book Festival returns, with headliners like Cynthia Erivo, and Martin Scorsese. The one-day festival, Saturday, Aug. 22, brings together bookworms and word nerds under the theme “America 250: It’s Your Story.” There are talks, workshops, musical sessions and more.
All Things Go: A three-day festival Sept. 25-27 at Merriweather Post Pavilion featuring Mitski, Hayley Williams, Brandi Carlile, MUNA, Zara Larsson, Ethel Cain, and many, many more artists. There are single-day and three-day tickets. Featuring and highlighting female artists, the festival has turned into a must-see for many LGBTQ audience members.
Fuchsia Fest: The inaugural Fuchsia Fest is a new multi-day celebration created to celebrate LGBTQ community and expression, bringing together a mix of community gatherings, entertainment, and nightlife. The event takes place Sept. 18-20 and is hosted by Capital Pride.

Art and Music

United We Dance: A high-energy rave with house, techno, bass, and festival music, on Aug. 1 at the 9:30 Club.
The Fray. On Aug. 14, this American rock band famous for How To Save A Life is at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Kesha: Kesha’s high-energy The Freedom Tour comes to the D.C. area on Aug. 14 at Jiffy Lube Live.
ALOK: On Sept. 3 at Lincoln Theater, ALOK (they/them) performs. The poet, comedian, and actor is putting on a new comedy show.
2charm, the emerging Australian electronic club-pop duo popular with the queer community, which blends hyperpop and dance music, comes to the Atlantis.
Sapphic Dance Party: a vibrant, inclusive nightlife and social event designed specifically for queer women, lesbians, bisexuals, trans individuals, and nonbinary folks, at Atlantis on Aug. 21.
Jazz in the Garden: The most quintessential of D.C. activities returns Friday evenings through Aug. 14. This season’s theme, “American Sounds,” is a nod to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Tunes themes range from Appalachian and Americana to Creole jazz, Hill Country blues, contemporary jazz, and more. Tickets are available through a lottery system a week before each event.