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Calendar: Aug. 16-22

Shows, parties and events in the week to come

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Madonna, gay news, Washington Blade
A Madonna Birthday Dance Party is being held Friday night from 9 p.m.-midnight at the Black Cat. (Photo by chrisweger via Wikimedia Commons)

Friday, Aug. 16

The Madonna Birthday Dance Party is tonight from 9 p.m.-midnight at the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.). Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Attendees are invited to come early for the “Hung Up” happy hour from 9-10:30 p.m. featuring chill tracks and deep cuts from Madonna’s extensive catalogue. The night will be filled with hits, misses, remixes and collaborations all to celebrate the material girl’s 61st birthday. Tickets are available on ticketfly.com

Broke Royals and Mystery Friends perform tonight at DC9 (1940 9th St., N.W.) from 7-11 p.m. Tickets are $10. Called “one of the best live bands in D.C.” by CBS news, Broke Royals has headlines festivals and performed with AWOLNATION, Dashboard Confessional and more. Mystery Friends is a band rooted in the D.C. music tradition and has been compared to Talking Heads. For tickets and information visit eventbrite.com.

Saturday, Aug. 17

“Dear Evan Hansen” continues its run at the Kennedy Center today with shows starting at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets start at $79 and are available at kennedy-center.org. The website advises seats often become available at the last minute, so call or visit to check availability. Winner of six Tony awards, this musical resonates with anyone who has ever felt like an outcast looking for a chance to fit in. Show runs through Sept. 8.

Sunday, Aug. 18

The Shoff Promotions comic book and sports card show is today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Double Tree hotel (1960 Chain Bridge Rd., Tysons Corner, Va.). The main ballroom will be filled with top area dealers in gold, silver, bronze and modern age comics as well as nonsports trading card games such as Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh and Magic the Gathering. Other featured collectibles include vintage rock albums, anime, superhero figures and sports memorabilia. Admission is $3; 12 and under are free. Visit shoffpromotions.com for more information. 

“The Life of Animals in Japanese Art” exhibition closes today at the National Gallery of Art (4th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W.). Admission is free and gallery hours are 11 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. The first exhibition devoted to Japanese representations of animals, real and imaginary, covers 315 works over 16 centuries and is showcased across 18,000 feet of display space. Featured artists include Murakami Takeshita, Nara Yashimoto, Kusama Yayoi and more. For more information visit washington.org.

Monday, Aug. 19

The Kennedy Center continues its Millennium Stage free concert series with The Glissandos tonight at 6 p.m. This duet of two French-American brothers features soaring cello and fiddle harmonies from their new album, “Just Sliding.” Their music is a blend of folk, bluegrass and jazz and is sure to intrigue audiences looking for something new and entertaining to enjoy on a Monday night. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.

Tuesday, Aug. 20

“The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement” art exhibition continues through Sept. 22 at the Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.). Curated in partnership with the New Museum in New York, this display features more than 75 artists wrestling with global refugee crises both throughout history and in this current moment. “The Warmth of Other Suns” uses video, installations, paintings, documentary images, sculptures and other cultural materials to immerse visitors in stories of strength and resilience. Admission is $12 for adults; $10 for students and seniors; free for 18 and under. Visit philipscollection.org for more information. 

Wednesday, Aug. 21

“LGBTQ Enterprising Women: Learning from the Past and Embracing the Future” is a networking event featuring a panel discussion taking place tonight from 6-9 p.m. at the Keegan Theater (1742 Church St., N.W.) and presented by the Washington Blade. Panelists include Jamie Leeds of Hank’s Oyster Bar, Rebecca Linder of Linder Global Events, Ebone Bell of Tagg Magazine and Lynne Brown of the Washington Blade. Elizabeth Birch, vice president of CBRE, moderates. For tickets and information, visit eventbrite.com.

Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay literature group, will discuss Ronald Firbank’s 1926 novella “Concerning the Eccentricities of Cardinal Pirelli” tonight starting at 7:30 p.m. in the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., Suite 105). Firbank, an early 20th century British author, was inspired by Oscar Wilde and often critiqued religion, social-climbing and sexuality. Additionally, his satirical works, “Sorrow in Sunlight,” “Valmouth,” and “Santal” reflect the difficult racial and colonial tropes of the time. Visit bookmendc.blogspot.com for more information.

Thursday, Aug. 22

The D.C. Improv comedy club and restaurant (1140 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) presents “Couples Therapy: A Comedy Show” with Rahmein Mostafavi tonight at 7:30 p.m. This show is a round-table discussion featuring comics and willing audience members led by socio-political comedian Mostafavi. Audiences will be entertained by a humorous discussion about love, dating, sex, single-hood and married life. Tickets are $12 for this 18-and-up event and there is a two-menu item minimum per ticket. For more information, visit dcimprov-com.

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Out & About

Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves

Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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

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Baltimore Pride is here

Parade, block party, festival planned for Maryland city

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A scene from last year’s Baltimore Pride. This year’s main events take place on Saturday and Sunday. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

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

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Calendar: June 12-18

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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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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