FRIDAY, AUG. 3

The seventh annual Chesapeake Bay Balloon and Wine Festival is today, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Triple Creek Winery (11138 3 Bridge Branch Rd., Cordova, Md.). There will be 25 hot air balloons with tethered balloon rides and flights available. The festival is kid-friendly. Live entertainment, food and craft vendors, and Triple Creek wines will be featured. Tickets include balloon glow, which will take place each evening, a tasting of six different wines, a wine glass and more. Adult tickets are $31 Friday, $36 Saturday and $16 Sunday. Children ages 6-15 are $5 each day, and children 5 or younger are free. To purchase tickets, visit balloonfestival.ticketspice.com. No refunds are available for tickets. For more information, visit triplecreekwinery.com.

Bear Happy Hour is at UPROAR Lounge and Restaurant (639 Florida Ave. N.W.) tonight from 5-10 p.m. Hosted by D.C. Bear Crue, all are welcome and are invited to “come as you are.” Rail cocktails and draft pitchers (Bud Light and Shock Top) are $5 until 10 p.m. Free appetizers will be handed out throughout the night and food will be available for purchase. For more information, go here. 

The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) hosts Woof! Happy Hour tonight from 5-11 p.m. There is no cover charge until 9:30. After 9:30, only guests 18 and over will be admitted. There will be free pizza at 7:30. Drink specials include $4 Rail/Well drinks until 11, $4 Bud Light bottles and all draft beers until 10, and $9 draft pitchers until 10. Parking is limited and guests should not park in front of the bar by the strip mall to avoid being towed. For more information, go here.

OutWrite 2018, an LGBT literature non-profit festival, hosts its kickoff event “Laughing Out Loud” tonight at Ten Tigers Parlour (3813 Georgia Ave. N.W.) from 6:30-9:30 p.m. This evening of literary comedy with Michelle Tea is hosted by Chelsea Shorte and features sets by Anthony Oakes and Camille Roberts. The event is on the second floor of the building and is only accessible by stairs. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Details here. 

SATURDAY, AUG. 4

Yoga Garden is at The Midlands (3333 Georgia Ave. N.W.) today at 10 a.m. There will be a one-hour vinyasa flow session followed by drinks. Tickets are $16.82 with tax and include yoga and Dogfish Head beer. They can be purchased through Eventbrite. 

City Winery (1350 Okie St. N.E.) hosts World of Rosé on the Rooftop today from 2-5 p.m. The event is general admission for guests 21 and over. Led by City Winery’s beverage director Vanessa Phillips, over 50 sparkling and still Rosé examples will be poured from each major wine-producing region. There will be different tasting stations all around the rooftop. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at citywinery.com.

Gay Latino Tropical Night is tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. at Cobalt (1639 R St. N.W.). Hosted by Rumba Latina, the night will feature drink specials and is jungle-themed. For more information, visit gogaydc.org.

SUNDAY, AUG. 5

SUBMERGE: a summer Pride pool party is today from 2-8 p.m. at the Embassy Row Hotel (2015 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.) on the rooftop. There will be a pool and a full bar. Tickets are $18 for pre-sale and $25 at the door. They can be purchased through Eventbrite and are non-transferable and non-refundable. Tickets include drink specials and towel service. DJ RVSSLL will be spinning. Seating and cabanas will be limited. All are welcome and the event will be body positive, inclusive and respectful of diversity. The rooftop is ADA wheelchair accessible. 

Busboys and Poets (14th and V St. N.W.) hosts *SPARKLE*, a queer open-mic poetry reading, tonight from 8-10 p.m. Regie Cabico, producer of international queer poetry slam “Capturing Fire” and National Poetry Slam award-winning spoken word poet, hosts. The cover charge is $5. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event at busboysandpoets.com or in the bookstore (cash only). Ticket purchases are limited to four per person, and guests must have their wristbands on to enter the event. No refunds are offered. For more information, visit gogaydc.com.

Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant (555 S. 23rd St., Arlington, Va.) hosts a Zodiac Drag Contest tonight from 8-10 p.m. The monthly amateur drag competition is hosted by Ophelia Bottoms. No cover charge is necessary to watch, but contestants will accept tips. The winner receives the zodiac sign title for the date and will be judged by audience applause. Tonight’s winner will be dubbed Miss Leo 2018 and will receive $50 and a slot in the final competition next May. For more information, visit freddiesbeachbar.com.

MONDAY, AUG. 6

D.C. Gay Board Gamers Group meets tonight from 6-9 p.m. at Soho Tea and Coffee (2150 P St. N.W.). Gamers are welcome to bring a game to share and are encouraged to patronize the host coffee shop. There is a $1 fee for attendance. For more information, go here. 

TUESDAY, AUG. 7

The Congressional Chorus is holding tenor and bass auditions today at the chorus offices (733 8th Street N.W., Suite G303), one block away from the Gallery Place Metro stop. To reserve an audition time, contact David Simmons at [email protected].

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St. N.W.) hosts a safer sex kit packing party tonight from 7-9 p.m. The HIV Working Group will be packing safe sex kits for distribution at LGBT spaces around D.C. Volunteers are welcome. For more information, go here. 

Prime Timers, a social group for older gay and bi men, meets tonight at 7 p.m. at Hi-Tide Lounge (101 N. Union St., Alexandria, Va.). Details at gogaydc.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8

The Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at Trio Bistro (17th and Q St. N.W.), near the Dupont Circle Metro. The members will be discussing Stephen McCauley’s “My Ex-Life.” Newcomers are always welcome to attend. For more information and to RSVP, email [email protected].

The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St. S.E.), across from the Marine barracks, to play duplicate bridge. No reservations are needed and newcomers are welcome. For a partner, call 202-841-0279.

Lez Read, a lesbian book group through Politics and Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse (5015 Connecticut Ave. N.W.), hosts a lesbian book discussion tonight from 7:30-10 p.m. The meeting will be in The Den, the coffeeshop downstairs from the book store. The group reads a wide variety of books on lesbian and queer themes by lesbian or queer-identifying writers. It is not necessary to have read the book in advance before attendance. For more information, go here. 

THURSDAY, AUG. 9

The Highwaymen’s Hot Jock Night is at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) tonight from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. There will be a Hot Jock Contest with prizes like tickets to events, jocks, toys and hankies. Draft beer at the club bar is $3 and Jell-O shots are $2 or three for $5. For more information, go here. 

The Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has its Chamber Connect event tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Graham Hotel in Georgetown (1075 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W.). State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Va.) will attend and provide remarks. Details here.