Out & About
Calendar: Sept. 4-10
Events in the week to come
Friday, Sept. 4
Busboys and Friends! Zoom Dinner presents writer and political analyst Anand Giridharadas tonight at 6 p.m. This event is free but attendees must RSVP via Eventbrite to receive the Zoom link. Giridharadas’ works include “True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas” about a campaign to save Mark Stroman, a murderer of immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in revenge for the 9/11 terror attacks. Rais Bhuiyan survived one of Stroman’s shootings and the book explores his quest to forgive. To RSVP, visit this event’s Facebook and Eventbrite pages.
Off the Mall Tours (1455 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) presents Madams of D.C. tonight from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are $15. Guests will learn how Pennsylvania Avenue became D.C.’s most notorious red light district during an unprecedented rise in prostitution during and after the Civil War. for tickets and information visit otmdc.com/bookings-checkout/madams-of-dc.
Saturday, Sept. 5
Brunch at Freddies hosted by National Landing BID, Go Gay D.C. and Freddie’s Beach Bar (555 23rd St., S, Arlington, Va.) is today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Brunch is served on the patios and inside, or is available for curbside takeout. Call ahead to (703) 685-0555 for more information or visit freddiesbeachbar.com.
Bohemian Rhapsody Movie Night is tonight at 7 p.m. at Hard Rock Cafe Washington D.C. (999 E St., N.W.). Tickets are $5 for this socially distanced event. Seating opens at 6:45 p.m. and the show starts at 7. Masks and temperature checks required. This event is part of “Freddie for a Weekend” in celebration of Freddie Mercury of Queen’s birthday and ticket price includes guaranteed seating, soda and popcorn. For tickets and information, visit ticketweb.com and hardrockcafe.com/location/washington-dc.
Sigma D.C.’s weekly Saturday Dungeon Party is tonight from 8 p.m. to midnight. Entry is $20 for members and $30 for everyone else. Sigma D.C. (1636 R St., N.W.) is D.C.’s only all-male BDSM space, but they have reduced the total number of people allowed in the space and made other adjustments due to pandemic concerns. For more information on reservations and other COVID precautions, email [email protected].
Sunday, Sept. 6
A Baltimore Drag Brunch hosted by Bookmakers Cocktail (31 E Cross St., Baltimore) is today. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the show starts at 12:30 p.m. This event features a $35 brunch buffet, $4 Mimosas and Bloody Marys, drag performances, twerk contests and more. Reservations are required and can be made through bookmakersbaltimore.com.
Monday, Sept. 7
Showtunes in the Streets hosted by JR.’s bar (1519 17th St., N.W.) is tonight at 8 p.m. This event includes content both video-streamed online via @JRsBar_DC on Twitter and in-person on a giant projector. Guests are encouraged to arrive by 8 p.m. to grab a seat, order a drink and enjoy the full show. Seating reservations are required through host.tablesready.com/p/book/add/jrs_bar_dc.
Tuesday, Sept. 8
Second Tuesday Queer Trivia, hosted by A League of Her Own, is tonight from 7-9 p.m. This virtual event is an opportunity for queer participants to join in groups and share knowledge of women’s contributions to sports, literature and more. For more information, visit this event’s page on Facebook.
Rainbow Families Annual Conference is an all-day virtual event to connect businesses and service providers who work with the LGBTQ community with queer families, parents-to-be and allies. To register, and for more information on the scheduled events, visit rainbowfamiliesconference.org.
Wednesday, Sept. 9
Transmasculine and Nonbinary Social Hour is tonight from 6-9 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing (209 M St., N.E.). This event is for those who are 17-and-up and are masculine of center but assigned female at birth, including trans men, AFAB nonbinary, two-spirit and gender queer folks. Friends and partners are welcome when accompanied by someone transmasculine. For more information, visit dcats.org or the Facebook event page.
Get Empowered! A Self-Defense Happy Hour is tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., suite 105). This class is open to all genders. To register, visit defendyourself.org/find-a-class/ or thedccenter.org.
Thursday, Sept. 10
Grupo LGBTQ en Centro Empoderate Washington, D.C. presented by La Clinica del Pueblo, Centro Empoderate is today from 5-7 p.m. via Facebook Live. Empoderate! Builds on La Clinica’s 20 year history of fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Latinx community by tackling underlying issues of isolation, depression and more. For more information, visit this event’s Facebook page or email [email protected].
Local queer journalists will celebrate Pride this weekend at the annual NLGJA-DC Pride Happy Hour event at Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) on Saturday, June 6, 3-5 p.m. Admission is free.
Out & About
DC Front Runners Pride Run 5K set for Saturday
Annual event held at historic Congressional Cemetery
The 14th annual DC Front Runners’ Pride 5K run/walk is set for Saturday, June 6 at historic Congressional Cemetery. The race starts and ends at the cemetery (1801 E St., S.E.) and passes through scenic D.C., along the Anacostia River trail and the fields at RFK campus. Registration ends Friday at 11:59 p.m.
Runners can pick up their race packets on Saturday from 7-8:30 a.m. at Congressional Cemetery; the race begins at 9 a.m.
The fee to run the 5K in person is $65 ($35 for those under age 20). Proceeds benefit local LGBTQ nonprofits, including Thrive DC, Wanda Alston Foundation, Blade Foundation, Ainsley’s Angels, SMYAL, and Team DC. Visit DCFrontRunners.org for more information.
Friday, June 5
“Center Aging: Pride Monthly Luncheon with Chair Yoga & Drag Bingo” will be at 12:00 p.m. at the DC LGBQ+ Community Center. Lunch will be provided. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
“Comedy Show for LGBTQ+ Prosperity” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center. This will be a funny, queer show produced by Grassroots Comedy to celebrate the DC LGBTQ+ Center and the beginning of Pride month. Across the country, LGBTQ+ people are losing access to care, protection, and support. These aren’t abstract policy changes – they are real people losing the resources they rely on to stay safe and well. And when that happens, many come to Washington, DC, a place long considered a site of refuge for these vulnerable populations. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Saturday, June 6
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.
Sunday, June 7
Pride Month Sound Bath Meditation will be at 10:30 a.m. at Atlas Salon DC. Pride Month sound bath meditation is an immersive morning of sound to slow down, reset, and rest in community while supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, June 8
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]).
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Tuesday, June 9
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so — by sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook.
Wednesday, June 10
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 11
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC LBTQ+ Community Center. 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.
Rehoboth’s Pride on the Bay set for June 27
Blade editor inducted into D.C. Society of Professional Journalists Hall of Fame
Pride in a new world order
McDuffie on LGBTQ support and standing up to Trump
PHOTOS: Fairfax City Pride
‘Girlfriends’ wanted for murder in Silver Spring, Md.
Controversial ‘Blue Film’ pushes past taboos for gripping drama
Timothy Nelson on the premiere of his opera ‘Song of Sakuntala’
PHOTOS: ‘Soul Divas’
