Arts & Entertainment

FALL ARTS 2019 MISC. EVENTS: Things to do, places to go, people to see

Some events — galas, benefits, stand-up acts, etc. — don’t fit in our other fall arts categories. We gathered up all the miscellany here!

Published

7 years ago

September 12, 2019

Joey DiGuglielmo

gay events dc, gay news, Washington Blade — ‘Drag Race’ champ **Bianca Del Rio** plays the Lincoln Oct. 18. (Photo by Rene Koala)

Get out your calendar!

The eighth annual Charlottesville Pride Festival is Saturday, Sept. 14 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Details at virginia.org.

Rainbow History Project presents walking tours called “Queering Capitol Hill” by Philip Clark Sept. 14 and 22. Sign up at culturaltourismdc.org. More info at rainbowhistory.org.

Rayceen has several events throughout fall including “Art All Night” (Saturday, Sept. 14), “Rayceen’s Reading Room” (Monday, Sept. 23), “Rayceen, Fix Me Up!” Autumn Mixer” (Thursday, Oct. 17), and regular “Ask Rayceen Show” dates Oct. 2 and Nov. 6 at the HRC Equality Center (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.). Team Rayceen is also presenting “AfroQueer: Black LGBTQ Immigrants in America” on Thursday, Oct. 24 at the HRC Equality Center (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) at 7 p.m. It’s free. Details at askrayceen.com.

“LGBT! #ShowUp4DC!” is Thursday, Sept. 19 at 10 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building (45 Independence Ave., S.W.) for a hearing on H.R. 51, a D.C. Statehood Bill. Organizers say “statehood has always been an LGBTQ issue.” Look for the event on Facebook for details.

“A Tupperware Party with Dixie Longate,” a benefit drag performance for D.C. Different Drummers, is Thursday, Sept. 19 at Arena Stage (1101 6th St., S.W.). Tickets are $45 at dcdd.org/dixie.

The Washington Blade has its 18th annual Best of Gay D.C. readers’ poll awards on Thursday, Sept. 19 (earlier this year) at Dacha Navy Yard (79 Potomac Ave., S.E.). Tickets are $25 via Eventbrite or Facebook.

The Maryland Trans Resilience Conference is Saturday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. at the Lord Baltimore Hotel (20 W. Baltimore St.) in Baltimore.

AIDS Walk Delaware is Saturday, Sept. 21 at 9 a.m. in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Details at aidswalkdelaware.org.

Night Out for The Trevor Project is Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. at Pitchers (2317 18th St., N.W.). Details at thetrevorproject.org.

The 14th annual Hispanic LGBTQ Heritage Awards are Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. at HRC (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.). Admission is free but donations will be accepted at the door. Details at latinoglbthistory.org.

Washington-Israel LGBTQ & Allies Reception is Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at Sonoma (223 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.). It’s a chance for locals to meet queer CEOs from Israel, here for AWB’s Reverse Mission project. Tickets are $18 at awiderbridge.org.

“Queer Eye’s” Jonathan Van Ness is at Sixth & I (600 I St., N.W.) on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. to talk about his new book “Over the Top.” It’s sold out but last-minute tickets may become available at sixthandi.org.

The National Trans Visibility March is Saturday, Sept. 28 at Freedom Plaza. Registration is suggested but not required. The Torch Awards are the night before.

The 23rd annual HRC National Dinner is Saturday, Sept. 28 at the Washington Convention Center (801 Mt. Vernon Pl., N.W.) at 5 p.m. Tickets are $400 at hrcnationaldinner.org.

Desiree Dik’s “Slay Them” drag competition is held the first Friday of each month at 9 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing (209 M St., N.E.). The next is Friday, Oct. 4.

The Bachelors Mill Reunion 2019 is Saturday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. at District Soul Food Restaurant & Lounge (500 8th St., S.E.), the original Bachelors Mill location.

The fifth annual VIDA Thrive 5k is Saturday, Oct. 12 at 8 a.m. in Rock Creek Park. Register and find info at vidathrive5k.com.

Rainbow Families Family Camp is Oct. 14–16 at Camp Tockwogh in Worton, Md. Details at rainbowfamilies.org.

Out figure skater Adam Rippon, who won a team bronze at the 2018 Olympics and later won “Dancing With the Stars,” will be at Sixth & I Synagogue (600 I St., N.W.) on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. to speak about his new memoir “Beautiful on the Outside.” Tickets are $20-45 at eventbrite.com.

The Washington Blade has its 50th Birthday Gala on Friday, Oct. 18 starting at 6 p.m. with cocktails at the InterContinental (801 Wharf St., S.W.). Tickets are $300. Details at blade50th.com.

La Fantasy presents the Superhero Underwear Party with Eliad Cohen on Friday, Oct. 18 at 10 p.m. at Saint Yves (1220 Connecticut Ave., N.W.). Tickets are $25 at seetickets.us.

“Drag Race” champ Bianca Del Rio brings her “It’s Jester Joke” tour to The Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) on Friday, Oct. 18 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $39.50-199 at ticketfly.com.

The SMYAL Fall Brunch is Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Marriott Marquis (901 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.) at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $250 at bidpal.net/smyal.

The fourth annual CAMP Rehoboth Block Party is Sunday, Oct. 20 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center (37 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.). Details at camprehoboth.com.

The eighth annual Chefs for Equality event (an HRC benefit) is Tuesday, Oct. 22 at Washington National Cathedral at 5:30 p.m. Tickets went up this year — they’re $225. Details at chefsforequality.org.

Baltimore Black Pride 2018 is Oct. 25-27. This year’s theme is “Revival.” It opens with a networking event Oct. 25, a brunch with the theme “Healing Black LGBTQ Trauma” and Halloween masquerade party are Oct. 26. Oct. 27 is Sunday Family Fun Day. Details at cbebaltimore.org.

Swazz presents “Queer Halloween Party” on Friday, Oct. 25 at 9 p.m. at Smith Public Trust (3514 12th St., N.E.). Tickets are $10 at swazzevents.com.

Miss Adams Morgan is Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Washington Hilton (1919 Connecticut Ave., N.W.).

The Walk & 5K to End HIV 2019 is Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 a.m. (check-in) kicking off and ending at Fredom Plaza (Pennsylvania Ave. and 13th streets, N.W.). The 5k begins at 9:15. The walk begins at 9:20. Post-race activities start at 10. Details at walktoendhiv.org.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq the World Tour” is Sunday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. at The Anthem (901 Wharf St., S.W.). Tickets start at $52 at ticketmaster.com.

The 32nd annual High Heel Race is Tuesday, Oct. 29 on 17th Street, N.W.

“Randy Rainbow Live!” is Saturday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Hippodrome (12 N. Eutaw St.) in Baltimore. Tickets are $57-77 at ticketmaster.com.

Todrick Hall brings his “Haus Party Tour” to the Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.) on Saturday, Nov. 9. He plays Baltimore Nov. 10. Tickets are $23-42 at livenation.com.

The Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony for LGBT veterans is Monday, Nov. 11 at noon at Congressional Cemetery (1801 E St., S.E.).

Transgender Day of Remembrance is Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. at The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., suite 105). Details at thedccenter.org.

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Sports

Jason Collins dies at 47

First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer

Published

22 hours ago

May 12, 2026

Michael K. Lavers

Jason Collins (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.

The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.

Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.

Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.

Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.

The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”

“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”

“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”

“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”

Photos

PHOTOS: ‘Studio 69’

Glitterati Productions hold party at Bunker

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

Michael Key

'Studio 69' was held at Bunker on Friday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Arts & Entertainment

Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week

Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.

Published

2 days ago

May 11, 2026

Staff reports

The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.

Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.

“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”

Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.

Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.

Event Details:

📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026

⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP