Out & About
Summer’s second half
OutWrite book fest, 17th Street Festival, Kastles Night OUT and more coming soon


The annual 17th Street Festival will be Saturday, Aug. 25. This is a photo from last year’s event. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Let’s start with the bears. Now that Town is closed, several other venues have started Friday night bear happy hour events. It’s a long D.C. Friday evening tradition that goes back to DIK Bar and Titan.
Bear Happy Hour, which has been around about six years, is at the Rock & Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) is every Friday evening from 6-10 p.m. No cover. Details at bearnonsense.com.
WOOF! Happy Hour is every Friday from 5-11 p.m. at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) with free pizza at 7:30 p.m., no cover before 9:30 p.m. and drink specials. Details at dceagle.com.
Otter Happy Hour by TRADE and Otter Den is every Friday from 5-10 p.m. at TRADE (1410 14th St., N.W.). No cover. Details at tradebardc.com.
D.C. Bear Crue’s Bear Happy Hour is every Friday evening from 5-10 p.m. at UPROAR Lounge and Restaurant (639 Florida Ave., N.W.). Details at dcbearcrue.com.
Other events of note throughout the summer include:
• Drag Brunch is every Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.). Tickets are $45.21.
• The Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival is Saturday, July 21, from 2-8 p.m. In Court Square in Harrisonburg, Va. Details at shenandoahvalleypride.org.
• City Winery (1350 Okie St., N.E.) has its Rooftop Vino and Vinyasa event featuring Ashley Binetti leading a 50-minute flow class on Saturday, July 21 from 10:30 a.m.-noon. Tickets are $15. Details at citywinery.com.
• Lawyers for SMYAL is Wednesday, July 25 at 6:30 p.m. at 555 13th St., N.W. Tickets at app.etapestry.com.
• Night OUT at the Washington Kastles is Thursday, July 26 at 7 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center (600 22nd St., N.W.). Prices vary. Details at groupmatics.events.
• Jay Z and Beyonce bring their On the Run Tour II to FedExField (1600 Fedex Way, Landover, Md.) July 27-28. Tickets range from $49-770. Details at ticketmaster.com.
• DISTRIKT of Columbia has its BM 2018 Fundraiser on Saturday, July 28 at 8 p.m. at Flash (645 Florida Ave., N.W.). Tickets are $8-15 and available at ticketfly.com.
• Alan Cumming performs his cabaret show “Legal Immigrant” on Saturday, July 28 at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets are $59-349 at kennedy-center.org.
• “The Ask Rayceen Show” is the first Wednesday of each month and has its next installment on Wednesday, Aug. 1 with a poetry slam. Look for the event on Facebook for details.
• OutWrite 2018, D.C.’s LGBT Literary Festival, is Aug. 3-5 mostly at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) although the Laughing Out Loud kickoff event will be held at Ten Tigers Parlour (3813 Georgia Ave., N.W.) with Michelle Tea and Chelsea Shorte. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Full details on the festival at thedccenter.org.
• World of Rose on the Rooftop is Saturday, Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. at City Winery (1350 Okie St., N.E.) with Vanessa Phillips leading patrons through a sampling of 50 rose samples. Tickets are $45. Details at citywinery.com.
• Taste of Studio is Saturday, Aug. 4 at 11 a.m. at Studio Theatre (1501 14th St., N.W.) offering art, culture and culinary excellence under one roof. Tickets start at $50. Details at studiotheatre.org.
• Distrkt C’s Rehoboth Beach weekend party is Aug. 4-5. Deborah Cox will perform on Saturday, Aug. 4 at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. Various passes and packages are available. Details at distrktc.ticketspice.com.
• Sistas Who Travel will host a drag brunch on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Dirty Martini (1223 Connecticut Ave., N.W.). Tickets are $40. Look for the event on Facebook for details.
• Distrkt C Winter White party is Saturday, Aug. 11 at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) with Twisted Dee Martello. Tickets are $20. Details at distrktc.ticketspice.com.
• Shakira brings her “El Dorado World Tour” to Capital One Arena (601 F St., N.W.) on Saturday, Aug. 11. CHCK PRICES. Details at ticketmaster.com.
• The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington has its Summer Restaurant Week Aug. 13-19. Details and participating restaurants at rwdmv.com.
• “Express Yourself! Madonna’s 60th Birthday Flow” is Thursday, Aug. 16 at 6 p.m. at 405 Yoga D.C. (1000 Florida Ave., N.W.). Tickets at clients.mindbodyonline.com.
• The LGBT Biz Pitch Competition from the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce is Friday, Aug. 17 at 11:30 a.m. at the chamber (729 15th St., N.W.). Details at nglcc.org.
• BARE (every third Saturday) has its ninth annual White Party on Saturday, Aug. 18 at 10 p.m. at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.). Wear white. Look for the event on Facebook for details.
• “Hard Paint (Tinta Bruta)” screens on Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. at HRC Headquarters (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) from Reel Affirmations. Details at reelaffirmations.org.
• The 17th Street Festival is Saturday, Aug. 25 from noon-6 p.m. on the 1500-1600 blocks of 17th Street. Look for the event on Facebook for details.
Out & About
HRC’s National Dinner is back
LGBTQ rights organization’s annual gala features Rhimes, Waithe, Bomer

The Human Rights Campaign will host its annual National Dinner on Saturday, Oct. 14 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
The dinner’s honorees include world-famous producers, actors and entertainers whose work spotlights the fight for civil rights and social justice, including Shonda Rhimes, Lena Waithe and Matt Bomer.
A new event, as part of the weekend, — the Equality Convention — will take place the night before the dinner on Friday, Oct. 13. The convention will showcase the power of the LGBTQ equality movement, feature influential political and cultural voices, and bring together volunteer and movement leaders from across the country to talk about the path ahead.
For more details about the weekend, visit HRC’s website.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will host “A Conversation with Trung Nguyen, Novelist” on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
Nguyen’s book, “The Magic Fish” explores the LGBTQ experience and dives deep into Asian heritage and culture. United States Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius will attend the event and introduce Nguyen.
Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Friday, September 29
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at DIK Bar. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, September 30
“September LGBTQ+ Climbing Day” will be at noon at Movement Columbia. LGBTQ+ and ally people 5 and up are welcome to attend a fun day to try out climbing and some climbing games. Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy brunch with other LGBTQ+ folk.. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, October 1
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Coffee & Conversation” at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is ideal for those looking to make new friends & connections in the DMV’s LGBTQ+ community. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
AfroCode DC will be at 4 p.m. at Decades DC. This event will be an experience of non-stop music, dancing, and good vibes and a crossover of genres and a fusion of cultures. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Monday, October 2
“Reign: A Variety Drag Show” will be at 8 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. Logan Stone will host the event, featuring Dabatha Christie, Hennessey, Sirene Noir Sidora Jackson, and Anamosity. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. LGBT Older Adults — and friends — are invited to enjoy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with. For more information, visit the Center Aging’s Facebook or Twitter.
Tuesday, October 3
Pride on the Patio Events will host “LGBTQ+ Social Mixer” at 5:30p.m. at Showroom. This event is a weekly cocktails and dinner social mixer for the LGBTQIA community in Frederick, MD. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, October 4
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.
PRISM will host “LGBTQ+ History Tour & Happy Hour” will be at 5:30p.m. at Lafayette Square. Treasury Curator Jon Frederick will lead the group on an LGBTQ+ history tour of Lafayette Square. Thereafter, there will be happy hour at Trade at 1410 14th St NW. This event is free and details are available on Eventbrite.
Thursday, October 5
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be more fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm 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.
Virtual Yoga Class with Charles M. will be at 12 p.m. online. This is a weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Guests are encouraged to RSVP on the DC Center’s website, providing your name, email address, and zip code, along with any questions you may have. A link to the event will be sent at 6 pm the day before.
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