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Awesome Con returns next weekend packed with queer content
Organizers say D.C. much geekier than is often assumed
Revelers gather at last year’s Awesome Con in Washington. Attendance has spiked in recent years. About 70,000 attended in 2017. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
Geek culture fans usually flock to conventions in New York City or San Diego to see their favorite stars and connect with fellow nerd enthusiasts. However, as fan conventions have become a pop culture phenomenon, D.C. has slowly been gaining steam as a convention hotspot.
Awesome Con returns to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mt Vernon Pl., N.W.) for its fifth consecutive year on Friday, March 30-Sunday, April 1. For three days, people can indulge in nerdy pleasures featuring hours of celebrity guests, exhibits, panels and connecting with fans of “Star Wars,” “Smallville,” “Guardians of the Galaxy” and more.
Awesome Con founder Ben Penrod, a self-proclaimed “big nerd,” never expected his passion project to become the largest geek event in the D.C. area.
Penrod grew up in Annapolis, Md., with a love for comic books and superheroes that eventually grew into buying and selling comic books on eBay in the late ‘90s to make extra cash for more comic books. In 2009, Penrod went full-time selling comic books and began to travel to conventions across the country. He continued on to found Annapolis Comic-Con and Southern Maryland Comic-Con with Third Eye Comics founder Steve Anderson before Penrod decided to branch into Washington.
“People think of D.C. and they don’t immediately think of fans of comic books and pop culture,” Penrod says. “But the people that you would think of as a typical D.C. resident, like an attorney or a lobbyist or a federal employee or somebody in the military, I think that the representation of science fiction, superhero and comic book fans among those people is so high that Washington, D.C., is one of the best nerd communities in the entire country.”
The first Awesome Con kicked off in 2013 at the Convention Center with an attendance of 7,000 people. The event gained attention throughout the region and Awesome Con 2017 saw a spike in attendance with 70,000 guests.
Over the years, fans were invited to see their favorite celebrities in person for autographs, photo-ops and panels. In the past, the guest list has welcomed stars from hit shows such as “Doctor Who, “Star Trek” and “The Walking Dead.” This year, the lineup includes “Star Wars” breakout star John Boyega, Stephen Amell and out actor John Barrowman from CW series “Arrow” and the “Guardians of the Galaxy” cast including Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff, Michael Rooker and Sean Gunn.
Penrod says celebrity guests are chosen based on a combination of fan demand and TV shows and movies currently trending. The convention has roots in science fiction, but Penrod admits sometimes he purposely seeks out stars purely for nostalgia.
The cast of ‘90s sitcom “Boy Meets World,” Ben Savage, Rider Strong and Will Friedle, are on the guest list this year. While the show went off the air in 2000, it maintained a strong fan base through re-runs on the Disney Channel.
“It was meant to be this comic book convention with sci-fi, superhero celebrities. But what it’s turned into is this really broad celebration of pop culture and whether that means we’re doing the ‘90s nostalgia stuff with ‘Boy Meets World,’ that doesn’t really have a sci-fi, superhero realm of things, but it definitely fits. But you can’t pinpoint exactly why it fits,” Penrod says.
The convention also includes programming geared toward specific interests and groups.
Future Con, where science meets science fiction, will feature panels such as the “Science of ‘Black Panther,’” “Harry Potter and the Genetics of Wizarding,” “What’s Happening Now to Make the Sci-Fi Space Travel We See in Movies a Reality” and more. Programming is in partnership with the biggest names in science such as NASA, National Geographic and the Smithsonian.
“We didn’t just start Future Con because we thought it would be a good idea,” Penrod says. “We had so much involvement and so much outreach from all these governmental organizations, science-based organizations, whether it was NASA, the Smithsonian, the Science Channel. We had all of these people reaching out to us. We’re like, ‘This is special and nobody else could do this. Except D.C.’”
Awesome Con Jr. offers kids an experience crafted especially for them with character meet and greets with Paddington Bear, Buddy from the “Dinosaur Train,” Ranger Rick, “Dragon Ball Z” characters and the Easter Bunny. In between photo-ops, kids can attend panels such as “Intro Spells for Young Witches and Wizards,” participate in live art contests and play video games.
As for LGBT-specific content, Awesome Con has joined forces with Geeks Out, a non-profit organization based in New York City for the LGBT geek community. Together, they created Pride Alley, both a physical space and group of programming for LGBT patrons.
Pride Alley is part of Artist Alley, which highlights arts, crafts, comics and more from LGBT creators. There are also panels that focus specifically on queer identity and fandom.
“The Queer Gamer Meetup: with D.C. Gaymers” offers a place for LGBT people to meet and play video games on Friday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. “GAAAYS IN SPAAACE,” is a panel on LGBT representation in “Star Trek” on Saturday, March 31 at 12:30 p.m. “Slash of Our Ancestors,” a panel on the history of same-sex fan fiction, takes place on Sunday, April 1 at 2:15 p.m. Geeks Out will be hosting Snikt: D.C., the official queer after party of Awesome Con, at the Dew Drop Inn D.C. (2801 8th St., N.E.) on Friday, March 30 at 9 p.m.
It also wouldn’t be a convention without cosplay. In addition to the con’s daily cosplay contests, Pride Alley offers the panel “Sexuality in Cosplay: Nuff Said” on Friday, March 30 at 8:45 p.m. featuring representatives from NYC nightlife, an LGBT therapist and cosplayers.
Geeks OUT President Nicole Gitau praises Awesome Con for giving the LGBT community a home at the con.
“The group at Awesome Con, they’re really great,” Gitau says. “They really wanted to increase the visible presence of diversity on the floor. I can only commend them for that. Conventions are known for not always having been the most welcoming of spaces. I think that’s changed a lot in the last few years. It’s nice to see that Awesome Con is really committed to that.”
Penrod says Awesome Con needed Pride Alley because LGBT fans were already engaged in the convention.
“It was important because we knew that community was very well represented in our fans, in our people who are already exhibiting and at the con, and the creators who are making comics, TV and movies,” he says. “We knew that in this world of nerd stuff and geek culture that the LGBT community is a very big part of things. I wanted to take the opportunity to make that a focus at Awesome Con.”
For Gitau, who identifies as queer, the LGBT geek community is a haven she hopes can make the general geek community have “positive associations in their life” of LGBT people and to “think differently about the social climate we’re in right now.”
“One of the fun things about this is to be amidst a group of people who understand not only my cultural references but also my cultural critiques,” Gitau says. “There’s sort of a safety. Geeks, we love things passionately. That is what makes us geeky about a thing. But when you love something you want it to be better. And that ability to have free conversation is what is really exciting for me.”
Pride Alley (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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Mr. Henry’s celebrates 60 years of proud inclusivity
Capitol Hill staple remains ‘a caring community’
America’s 250th isn’t the only milestone birthday D.C. is celebrating this year.
Beloved D.C. restaurant Mr. Henry’s, that Capitol Hill staple, celebrates its Diamond Jubilee all year long. Named for its original owner Henry Yaffe, the restaurant opened on a warm day 60 years ago in the summer of 1966 and has never looked back.
Yaffe took over what was then a country western restaurant, renovated the interior to his liking, and created an institution. Yet Yaffe had another goal. As a gay man, “he created Mr. Henry’s to be a place where everyone felt welcome — not easy in 1966 — and he succeeded,” says current owner Mary Quillen.
“Mr. Henry’s has long been a place the LGBTQ community has supported because they felt and still feel welcomed,” says Quillen. Even in the current administration, “the gay community and the diversity-minded community continue to come.”
Since then, Mr. Henry’s has changed hands, opened and closed its second floor, welcomed famed musical acts, and played host to politicians, date nights, breakups, and birthdays. But it still feels like home (and has a note in the National Trust for Historic Preservation) at 601 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.
Its wood-paneled, Victorian-inspired art-filled décor in the downstairs dining room and bar serves American pub fare for lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on weekends (and a dog-friendly patio). Upstairs, Mr. Henry’s hosts live jazz performances and special events most nights, continuing a musical tradition that has defined the venue for decades. That upstairs bar has played host to names like Roberta Flack and Woody Allen.
Musician Kevin Cordt said that, “Mr. Henry’s has been a part of my life for more than 30 years. I started as a customer, then became a bartender and server, and now I have the good fortune to play trumpet at one of the best live music venues in Washington, D.C.”
Aaron Myers, executive director of the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, is also a supporter. “Not many cities can sport venues that have consistently served the community in the space of culture for more than 50 years, let alone can brag as the birthplace of culture defining talent.”
From the start, Yaffe promoted a rare yet celebrated combination of locals’ bar and soulful nightlife venue. Mr. Henry’s has attracted a diverse crowd at a time when such spaces were – and perhaps still are – uncommon, a diversity that is credited with helping protect the pub during the 1968 D.C. riots.
Longtime customer Evelyn Branic said, “Mr. Henry’s has been my ‘Cheers’ hangout since my wife and I moved to the Hill in 1987. I’ve experienced many iconic moments meeting politicians, reporters, civic activists, and neighbors engaging in spirited conversations. Whether political, LGBTQ, historians, neighbors, or out-of-towners, everyone could find a special place to be greeted as a friend.”
Its welcoming tables come dabbed with a bit of tea: In 1971, in a moment that has since become part of Capitol Hill lore, Yaffe lost the pub in a poker game to Larry Quillian. The Quillian family, recognizing the special role Mr. Henry’s played in the neighborhood, took over ownership, and committed to preserving its spirit. Today, Larry’s daughter Mary owns the bar, having given it a bit of a facelift for the bar’s 50th birthday, bringing in new tables and some fresh menu items.
For example, the menu has some of those dishes that regulars would riot if they disappeared. The Reuben and the hamburgers, the chili and in-house roasted turkey have never departed the menu. Dishes do evolve, says Quillen: they added wings about two decades ago.
In 2026, the restaurant is hosting monthly ticketed “decades” parties, celebrating each of the 10-year periods the restaurant’s been open, plus there were specials in June for Pride. The official 60th anniversary gala takes place Aug. 29, featuring performers, beverages, timeless favorite foods, swag – and the unveiling of a new cocktail.
Inclusive, eccentric, eclectic, Mr. Henry’s is looking forward to maintaining its centrality to diverse crowds in Capitol Hill. Battling inflation, rising menu prices, changing tastes, and thin margins, Quillen says that Mr. Henry’s has — and will always be — “a caring community for so many different folks. And THAT is why I am committed to keeping us going. Society needs places like Mr. Henry’s, now more than ever.”
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Television loses a legend, longtime ‘Will & Grace’ director James Burrows
Iconic hitmaker leaves behind a legacy of telling LGBTQ stories
You don’t have to be a pretentious film major to name 10 movie directors. But naming television directors is not that simple. They’re the unsung heroes of your favorite shows, and the late James Burrows was the television director. He passed on June 19, but his DNA runs through television history.
He directed over 1200 episodes of television and over 50 pilots. He co-created “Cheers” and directed many episodes of long-running series like “Friends,” “Taxi,” “Frasier,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “Two and a Half Men.” You also may remember him from playing a heightened version of himself on the Lisa Kudrow comedy “The Comeback.”
He has left an indelible mark on the LGBTQ community. As recently as last year, he directed the series run of “Mid-Century Modern” starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, and Linda Lavin. He was also a longtime director of “Will & Grace” and directed every episode of the series revival. He even directed the unaired “Absolutely Fabulous” pilot with Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Johnston, and Zosia Mamet.
Not to mention he’s worked with queer icons throughout history, including Betty White and Stockard Channing on their single-season series, and Jennifer Coolidge in “2 Broke Girls.”
He started his career on shows like “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Rhoda,” “Laverne & Shirley,” and the first four seasons of “Taxi.”
He continued to work steadily and directed successful pilots that went to series for “Roc,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Dharma & Greg,” and “Wings.” He directed multiple episodes of “Friends,” “Caroline in the City,” and “Frasier.”
This magic continued into the 2000s with him directing the pilots for “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and multiple episodes of “Mike & Molly,” and the entire return series of “Will & Grace.”
What was the secret to his success? He’d enact the “fun clause” in his contract. In his words, “Life is too short to deal with obnoxious leads,” he shared. “So as long as the writing is good and the cast is fun, I’m going to enjoy the experience.”
He had the magic touch, having multiple pilots turned into long-running series. He was nominated for an Emmy 24 times in 26 years and worked consistently until a year before his death.
The secret was the way he brought the cast together. He describes, “it was my job to mold them into an ensemble, and they did round into a group of people who loved each other.”
This earned him 11 Emmy Awards and five Directors Guild of America Awards, including being awarded the inaugural DGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Television Direction.
In a 2003 interview by the Television Academy, he was asked how he wants to be remembered, and he said, “That every night forever you can tune in somewhere, and there’ll be a show I did.”
He’s survived by his wife, Debbie, four daughters, seven grandchildren, and the countless people whose careers he launched and the countless viewers he inspired with his television legacy.
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D.C. prepares to party as Pride celebrations kick off Saturday
Bars, clubs have busy lineups; Pride on the Pier returns
Capital Pride’s date change isn’t slowing down the festivities. Back in December, the Capital Pride Alliance shifted the calendar for Pride celebrations in the nation’s capital from the second weekend of June to two weeks later to the weekend of June 20-21 to not conflict with President Trump’s birthday and 250th anniversary of America celebrations, with the aim that “our community can gather safely and without unnecessary barriers… We are protecting our space and preserving Pride as a powerful act of visibility, solidarity, and resistance.”
On the heels of WorldPride last year, the city shows no sign of slowing down. Instead, restaurants, bars, clubs, and neighborhoods are taking the opportunity to be even more visible. The Blade has put together a (non-comprehensive) list of parties, activations, and activities across town:
Pride on the Pier returns on Saturday, June 13 to the Wharf on the Southwest waterfront. The event, sponsored and hosted by the Washington Blade, is free and runs from 4-9 p.m. There will be vendors, DJs, and drag performances all day. VIP tickets are $25 and come with air conditioned party room, private bathrooms, and free cocktail. More details at prideonthepierdc.com.
Capital Pride Official Opening Party: RIOT! is the official opening dance party of Capital Pride, taking place Friday June 19, 9 PM-3AM. The 2026 edition headlining performer is Myki Meeks, a finalist of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 18; Bob The Drag Queen will perform a special set. DMV-area DJs and performers include: Bambi, Baphomette, Bumper, Cake Pop!, Connor, DJ Ed Bailey, DJ Diyanna Monet, Evry Pleasure, Jakknife Complex, Mari Con Carne, Pussy Noir, WessTheDJ. Trade owner Ed Bailey is producing the event.
Kinetic Presents brings the heat across the entirety of Pride weekend as well. It again is partnering with Capital Pride Alliance to produce four events over four days this Pride, including the Official Main Event on Saturday (the Friday official event is at Echostage). Kinetic’s parties are splayed across various D.C. venues, with special performances, massive productions, shirtless dancers, play zones, dance-forward audio and visuals, and international DJ talent. Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM at District Eagle is Lust, with music by Dan Slater and TOMI. Friday, June 19 at 10 PM is UNCUT XXL Heavy Load, at A.i. Warehouse in Union Market District, with music by Alex Acosta, Felipe Lira & Mitch Ferrino; the party is a “high-octane night of muscular house and tribal rhythms.” Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM brings that official main event, Kinetic Toy Land, at Echostage, with music by GSP & Matt Suave. Alaska Thunderfuck headlines. Sunday evening June 21 at 10 PM closes with discoVERS at SAX. A portion of tickets supports the DC LGBTQ+ community through Capital Pride Alliance.
9:30 Club always comes in clutch for the LGBTQ community. Already in June, it produced Kitty Kat Ball on June 7, and Kiesza performed on June 8. On June 20 at 10 PM, the famed Mixtape party hits the stage, care of gay DJs Shea van Horn and Matt Bailer, who have spun together for coming up on two decades. Mixtape has been held at several venues across the city over those years, and now settled on 9:30 Club for Pride. On June 25 at 7 PM, Big Freedia – the bounce artist from New Orleans – hits the 9:30 Club scene for the eighth time, as part of the Big Freedom Tour.
Crush: New this year from the 14th Street bar is the Pride Pop-Up, sitting pretty in the parking lot at 1820 14th St., N.W., at the corner of Swann Street by the start of the Pride Parade route. Hours are Friday from 2-10 PM and Saturday from 12-10 PM. Friday evening features Grizzly Bear Happy Hour, a DJ will set up shop on Saturday, and for those needing another layer, there’s a Crush merch store. Co-owner Mark Rutstein “has always wanted to throw a party in that parking lot, so he did,” said co-owner Stephen Rutgers. Note that Crush (the bar) will have a cover on Friday and Saturday.
Kiki: Over at Kiki, there’s a full slate of Pride-themed programming all week. Tuesday, June 16 at 9 PM brings karaoke; Wednesday, June 17 at 7:30 PM is trivia; Thursday June 18 at 9PM is “Night of 1000 Tatianna’s Drag Show”, and Friday June 19 at 9 PM brings the Juneteenth Serve Drag Show. Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM, post-parade, is a Pride Dance Party with DJ Lemz. Sunday daytime at 5 PM is the Father Figures Daddy Issues Special Drag Show; and after the festival at 8 PM, DJ Tezrah hits the tapes.
Jane Jane: Right along the parade route, gay-owned Jane Jane has transformed its space into a “No Kings, Yas Queens” activation in a direct response to the America 250th commemorations happening downtown, from the colorful window installation, to merch (including a custom bandana and tank) to disco wig installations. Events include industry night on Mondays, donations to LGBTQ charities, and to-go cocktails during the Pride Parade.
Shaw’s Tavern: Gay-owned Shaw’s Tavern on Florida Avenue celebrates Pride week with a full lineup of themed events, entertainment, and specials, including Pride trivia on Monday, June 15 at 7:30 PM, bingo on Tuesday, June 16 at 8 PM, a cabaret on Thursday, June 18 at 9 PM, Juneteenth Drag Brunch on Friday, June 19 at 12:30 PM, and both a pre-parade brunch (10 AM-4 PM) and post-parade party (5-9 PM) on Saturday, June 20. Sunday, June 21 at 7 PM brings Mama’s Sunday Supper & Drag Pride Show in the evening for anyone who is still awake.
Trade: This classic has a weekend of events, starting on Thursday, with Tiburon Pride Edition, a Latin Dance party in the Shark Tank. On Friday, the bar opens early (at 2 PM), with all-day happy hour and the Jx&Evry Show. On Saturday, the bar opens at noon, offering a prime parade viewing spot from its windows. There will be the CLASH drag show hosted by Tatianna and Crimsyn, and Sweet Spot party that night. On Sunday, the bar opens for normal hours at 2 PM, with DJs Adam K, Alex Love, and WESSTHEDJ.
Pitchers: The multi-level bar in Adams Morgan is hosting a Pride-themed show on Thursday, June 18 at 10 PM, with drawstring bag giveaways – the only kind of bag that will be allowed into the bar during Pride weekend. The show features drag queen Kyle Sonique Love.
Barrel House Cafe and Bar: Also by the parade route on 14th Street, Barrel House Cafe takes advantage of its large patio to have a slate of events during Pride week, including Schism, a drag and burlesque show on June 18 at 10 PM, as well as an all-day Pride party coinciding on parade day.
Bunker: Bunker again plays host to a series of afters. Friday night (Saturday 3:30 AM) is Unhinged, and Saturday night (Sunday 3:30AM) is Unholy. The regular Saturday night party (10 PM) brings in Venetian and Tiara Missou. All parties have cover charges.
District Eagle: Beyond the Kinetic party on Friday, June 19 brings Gear Night at 10 PM; Saturday, June 20 at 10 PM is LOBO presents PRISM, and Sunday, June 21 is Sundaze wit Papi at 6 PM.
African Art Museum: On Thursday, June 18 at 5 PM, this Smithsonian museum is hosting a free event with artists and curators celebrating its exhibit, “Here: Pride and Belonging in African Art,” “based on years of close collaboration and dialogue with African visual art practitioners who claim belonging in the LGBTQ+ community, however they define those terms,” according to the museum.
KNEAD Hospitality & Design: The gay-owned KNEAD restaurant group (including spots like Gatsby, Mi Vida, Succotash The Grill) is featuring the GLITTERATI cocktail, made with Tito’s, St-Germain Elderflower, Butterfly Flower, ginger, and yes, glitter. A portion of proceeds from every Glitterati cocktail sold will benefit The Trevor Project. The cocktail will be sold throughout June.
The Fountain Inn is partnering with Rhodium spirits (Rhode Island’s first LGBTQ+ owned distillery) all month, making cocktails like gimlets and espresso martinis featuring Rhodium’s liquors. Proceeds benefit SMYAL, an organization dedicated to empowering LGBTQ+ youth.
Hard Rock Cafe: Hard Rock DC is taking part in the chain’s annual “LOVE OUT LOUD” campaign, with Pride merch, specials on June 20, and a donation to The Trevor Project.
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