Out & About
Calendar Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2018
Parties, screenings and sing-a-longs abound for Labor Day Weekend
Alison Wonderland, an Aussie DJ, plays Echostage Friday night. (Photo courtesy Capitol Music Group)
Friday, Aug. 31
The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) hosts Exile Fridays, an 18-and-up LGBT dance party, tonight from 10 p.m.-4 a.m. Ba’Naka will host the drag show which features D.C.-area queens. DJ Ryan DoubleYou will spin tracks. Rail drinks are $4 until 11 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/eagledc.
D.C. Bear Crue hosts Bear Happy Hour at Uproar Lounge & Restaurant (639 Florida Ave., N.W.) tonight from 5-10 p.m. Drink specials include $5 rail cocktails and $5 draft pitchers of Bud Light and Shock Top. Free appetizers will be handed out all night. For more details, visit facebook.com/bearhappyhour.
Australian DJ Alison Wonderland performs at Echostage (2134 Queens Chapel Rd., N.E.) tonight at 9 p.m. American EDM DJ Party Favor opens the show. Tickets are $33.50. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit echostage.com.
Saturday, Sept. 1
The 18th Library of Congress National Book Festival is at the Washington Convention Center (801 Mt Vernon Pl., N.W.) today from 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Authors scheduled to appear include gay author David Levithan, bisexual author Roxane Gay, Dave Eggers, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and many more. There will be family friendly activities on the expo-floor and a book sale. Admission is free. For more information and a complete list of authors, visit loc.gov.bookfest.
D.C. Drag Brunch celebrates its three-year anniversary at Dirty Martini (1223 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) today from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Drag show starts at noon. All-you-can-eat brunch buffet is served from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. There is also a full bar. Guests must be 21 and over for entry. Tickets are $40 but a $20 online deposit is required. For more details, visit dragshowbrunch.com.
Game of Crawls, a “Game of Thrones”-themed bar crawl is today from 4-10 p.m. Participating bars include Decades D.C., Lucky Bar, James Hoban Irish Restaurant and Bar, Buffalo Billiards and Cafe Citron. Tickets are $28.45 and include access to drink specials at all bars, a souvenir cup, crowns, beads and candy. For more information, visit facebook.com/wherelocalsgo.
Sunday, Sept. 2
Flash (645 Florida Ave., N.W.) hosts Flashy Sundays Labor Day Weekend tonight from 10 p.m.-4 a.m. Drag performers Kristina Kelly, Gabrielle Dupree and Labella Mafia will have shows at 11:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. on the roof deck. DJ Twin and DJ Sean Morris will play music on the main floor and DJ Mike Babbitt will play music on the roof deck. Cover is $20 for the main floor and roof deck. Admission to the first floor is free. For more details, visit facebook.com/flashydc.
AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md.) hosts “Leonard Bernstein at 100: West Side Story Sing-a-long” today from 4-6:50 p.m. Attendees can sing along to classic songs from the musical such as “Maria,” “Tonight” and “America.” General admission tickets are $13, senior tickets are $10 and child tickets are $8. For more information, visit silver.afi.com.
The BackRoom (715 Florida Ave., N.W.) hosts “Electric Rainbow: Labor Day Edition,” a dance party, tonight from 5-10 p.m. The party will be a Beyonce and KC birthday celebration and a Labor Day celebration. For more details, visit facebook.com/thebackroomcapo.
Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) hosts Church Labor Day Sunday tonight from 10 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Jane Saw hosts the party. Div0id and Daisy Confused will perform. Bil Todd, Wess the DJ and Jesse Jackson will spin tracks. For more information, visit facebook.comtradebardc.
Monday, Sept. 3
Alamo Drafthouse (15200 Potomac Town Pl., Woodbridge, Va.) hosts its Champagne Cinema Movie Party with a sing-a-long screening of “Grease 2” tonight at 7:20 p.m. Craft cocktails inspired by the film will be served. Guests will also receive interactive props. Tickets are $14. For more information, visit drafthouse.com.
Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) hosts Labor Gay: the Annual Day Party for Working Gurls today from 2-6 p.m. There will be popsicles, performances and a raffle. For details, visit facebook.com/tradebardc.
Tuesday, Sept. 4
The fourth annual Silver Spring Takoma Park Restaurant Week starts today and runs through Sept. 9. Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker hosts the event. Participating restaurants include Busboys and Poets, Mrs. K’s Toll House, Republic and more. For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit sstprestaurantweek.com.
Republic (6939 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, Md.) hosts Alegre Happy Hour, an LGBT happy hour, today from 5-7 p.m. For more information, visit republictakoma.com.
Wednesday, Sept. 5
Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay literature group, discusses “The Sparsholt Affair” by Alan Hollinghurst at the Cleveland Park Library (3310 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. For details, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.
Thursday, Sept. 6
Alanis Morissette performs at Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) tonight at 8 p.m. The Canadian songstress will sing some of her biggest hits including “Ironic” and “You Oughta Know.” Tickets range from $45-80. For more details, visit wolftrap.org.
The Asian and Pacific Islander Queer Community hosts a support group meeting at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. The meeting is co-sponsored by the Asian Pacific Islander Queer Society D.C. and Asian Queers United for Action. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
Friday, June 12
Bet Mishpachah will host “Pride Shabbat Happy Hour” at 6 p.m. at Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center. This is an in-person happy hour with an open wine and beer bar, great company, and joyful conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will meet at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, visit Facebook.
Saturday, June 13
Out N Bad will host “SWEET WHINE: DC Pride Queer Caribbean Slow Whine Function” at 9 p.m. at Decades DC. This is a late-night escape into slow and steamy Dancehall & Kompa only. No splits. No headtops. No pressure. Tickets are $22.14 and are available on Eventbrite.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host a screening of “10s Across the Borders,” a bold pan-Asian queer film that confronts homophobia, transphobia, and racism while celebrating Southeast Asia’s underground ballroom scene. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Sunday, June 14
Beth A Wolfe Yoga will host “Pride Baby Goat Yoga” at 1 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington, Va. The goats will be decked out in their finest Pride apparel, and human participants are welcome to do the same. Proceeds from this event will go to the Trevor Project. Tickets cost $44.52 and are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, June 15
“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 information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Tuesday, June 16
“Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” will be at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a full-time Martial Arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website.
Center Bi+ Roundtable 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.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, June 17
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. 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.
Thursday, June 18
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center. 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 will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
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