Out & About
Rehoboth calling!
Summer is here and our favorite beach getaway is teeming with attractions


For the LGBTQ community the summer season in Rehoboth Beach begins the weekend before Memorial Day with the Washington Blade’s summer kick-off party at the Blue Moon on Friday, May, 17 from 5-7 p.m with guest speaker and native Delawarean Sarah McBride, national press secretary for HRC and the first openly trans person to speak at a major party presidential nominating convention. Join the fun and make a donation to the Blade Foundation, which funds reporting on the community around the world and provides fellowships and scholarships to aspiring LGBTQ journalists. It will be a great season at the beach and it’s time to begin planning your summer now.
Rehoboth is now a year-round community but for those magical times nothing compares to being there between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Summer at the beach, the mile-long boardwalk, Thrashers fries, salt water taffy, and acres of sand with hot bodies galore make Rehoboth the place to be.
Each year I head to Rehoboth in April to walk around town to see what’s new and visit old standbys. A stop in CAMP Rehoboth, the LGBT community center, on Baltimore Avenue is always a good idea to preview the summer schedule and get the latest gossip. This year CAMP is in the process of conducting a national search for a new executive director. On May 4, the town honored CAMP’s former Executive Director Steve Elkins, who passed away last year, by naming the path from the Convention Center to Baltimore Avenue Steve Elkins Way.
The gayest block in Rehoboth, Baltimore Avenue, will be more exciting than ever this year with the opening of The Pines. Tyler Townsend, Bob Suppies and David Gonce have made this new hotspot the place to visit when at the beach for an inventive cocktail or memorable dinner. Brunch is now available, too, with its own list of unique cocktails. Upstairs, Top of The Pines has a piano bar and outside deck, which in the summer will provide a good view of what is going on over at Aqua Grill the other fun place on the 2nd Street end of Baltimore Avenue.
Andres Bonell and Bill Shields will open Aqua Grill on Friday, May 17 and will have the new hot lineup of waiters serving drinks on the deck. Returning this year are AJ and Katie. Aqua will again have VIP cards so stop by and pick one up when they open. Happy hour on the Aqua deck has become the place to be seen on nice summer evenings. They have a simple but excellent low-priced food menu. Strolling down Baltimore Avenue toward the beach there are many other places to eat and shop. First the Iguana Grill, a fun bar and restaurant back to its old excellence under Hugh Fuller’s ownership. Of course, the grand dame of Rehoboth restaurants, the Blue Moon whereExecutive Chef Lion Gardner creates his magic. Pamala Stanley is again back to entertain in the bar five nights a week, including her ever-popular and packed Sunday tea dance. There are plenty of shops, including the Philip Morton Gallery with fine art and beautiful eclectic furniture and Peter Antolini, the most knowledgeable person at the beach when it comes to art and furniture. In the CAMP courtyard there is the Ward Ellinger Gallery, which has doubled its space this year. Also in the courtyard is Lori’s Café celebrating its 23rd season and still offering the best chicken salad in town (and they deliver lunches to the beach). Further down the block is Elegant Slumming owned by Philip Livingston, designer of the most stunning jewelry you can find anywhere. Then there is Beach Essentials, which has a great selection of men’s swimsuits and clothing. You can also stop in to One Day At a Time Gift Shop, which offers 12-Step addiction recovery items, LGBT novelties and gifts. Continue toward the beach and you get to Eden, a wonderful fine dining restaurant, and its more casual cousin Jam. Across the street is Café Azafran, featuring Holly Lane, a two-time past winner of Best Rehoboth Bartender in the annual Blade Best Of competition. Holly sings every Thursday night and is accompanied on the keyboard by the very talented John Flynn who now entertains in a number of places around town. Then there is Megan Kee’s La Fable, a fabulous French restaurant.
Walking on First Street between Baltimore and Wilmington Avenues you should stop first in Mel’s Brashhh, celebrating its fifth anniversary with great trendy clothing, original photography and gifts. Crossing over Rehoboth Avenue you come to the Frog Pond, which frequently features live bands and then Goolee’s Grille which has the best breakfasts and a weekly drag brunch along with a gift and card shop. Tell owner George that the Blade sent you.
If you walk along Rehoboth Avenue from the boardwalk you will find another whole group of great shops and restaurants. From the iconic Back Porch restaurant walk a few steps to Steve Fallon’s Gidget’s Gadgets, now the home of a huge selection of vinyl
Rehoboth has a number of mews but don’t miss the one between Rehoboth and Baltimore Avenues, it’s next to Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Avenue where you can get your morning paper. In the mews is the Coffee Mill, now celebrating its 27th year, with its unrivaled selection of coffees by the cup or take home a few pounds of beans. They have a great menu to go with your coffee.
The third commercial block in Rehoboth is Wilmington Avenue from 2nd street to the boardwalk. There you will find Confucius, the Henlopen City Oyster House, Salt Air, Mariachi, and Azzurro Italian Oven and Bar with itsupstairs patio all confirming it is still a great block to have a meal. Ask for Amber upstairs at Azzurro, a future Best Rehoboth Bartender in the making, and tell her the Blade sent you.
But Rehoboth is more than restaurants and shops. Among other attractions, there is the Rehoboth Art League, which puts on a great art exhibit each summer and don’t miss seeing a show at Clear Space Theatre. This summer they are boasting a remarkable lineup of plays including Mama Mia, Hello Dolly and The Wedding Singer all under the direction of their incredibly talented Artistic Director David Button.
So make sure you plan to spend plenty of time at the beach this summer. If you are one of those people who dread sitting in beach traffic there is a better option. Leave your car at home and take Best Bus, with convenient stops in Rehoboth and Dewey beginning Memorial Day weekend and running through Labor Day from Dupont Circle and Union Station. With free Wi-Fi and ample AC and USB outlets, you can be productive and leave the driving to them. They also have a good weekend schedule from New York to the beach. Remember Rehoboth Beach has something for everyone, so make your plans to join the fun.

Out & About
Documentary about Blade reporter to premiere this month
Panel discussion to follow ‘Lou’s Legacy’ screening

“Lou’s Legacy: A Reporter’s Life at the ‘Washington Blade’” will premiere on Thursday, May 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
This new documentary from Emmy-nominated D.C. filmmaker Patrick Sammon tells the story of the legendary Blade news reporter, Lou Chibbaro Jr., as he works on an article about the return of drag icon Donnell Robinson – also known as Ella Fitzgerald — to the Capital Pride stage.
The documentary follows Chibbaro as he works on a story about Ella’s triumphant return to the Pride stage after three years away because of COVID. Donnell and Chibbaro reflect on their careers and discuss the ongoing backlash against the LGBTQ community, including laws targeting drag performers.
After the screening, there will be a panel discussion moderated by D.C. journalist Rebekah Robinson and featuring Blade Publisher Lynne Brown. This event is free and more details are available at the DC Public Library website.

Friday, May 16
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St. NW. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans Genderqueer Game Night will be at 6 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Saturday, May 17
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, May 18
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Pride Kickoff FunDay Social” at 4 p.m. at Moxy. This event is ideal for making meaningful new connections and informal community building. Or just to unwind and enjoy the group happy hour. Fabulous people from all over the world are expected and nametags will be provided. This event is free to attend and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Art with Tosca will host “Queer Icons & Trailblazers: An Art Tour for World Pride DC 2025” at 2:00p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This will be an unforgettable exploration of LGBTQ+ history, identity, and artistic expression at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Celebrate the vibrant history and culture of the LGBTQ+ community through compelling portraits and groundbreaking works that highlight the power of queer artistry. Tickets cost $48 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Monday, May 19
“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” 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 details, email [email protected].
“Pickets, Protests and Parades Exhibit Tour” will be at 7 p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This exhibition honors the courage, resistance, and resilience of D.C.’s LGBTQ+ community. Tickets start at $10 and are available on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, May 20
Center Bi+ Roundtable Discussion 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. For more details, visit Facebook or Meetup.
Wednesday, May 21
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.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, May 22
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. 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 with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
DC Anti-Violence Project Open Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. These are open meetings, and we would love to see anyone who is interested in learning more and getting involved in lessening violence both within and directed towards the LGBT communities. For more details, visit Facebook and Twitter.
Out & About
DJs to hold panel discussion on music, identity
Featured artists include DJ Chord, Tezrah and Jake Maxwell

Promethean Fundraising will host “Circuit Music: A LGBTQ+ Cultural Identifier,” an exclusive panel featuring influential LGBTQ DJs in the music industry, on Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBTQ Community (1828 Wiltberher St., N.W.).
The event will provide a unique opportunity for attendees to engage with these groundbreaking artists as they share their journeys, discuss the cultural significance of circuit music, and explore how music can serve as a platform for advocacy and empowerment within the LGBTQ+ community. The featured artists are DJ Chord, Tezrah and Jake Maxwell.
This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.