Out & About
10 LGBTQ events this week
Music, drag, leather and dancing and more
Below are our picks for some of the most fun and creative things to do this week in the DMV (and Baltimore) that are of special interest to the LGBTQ community.
Tuesday Gaymer Social

Tuesday, July 19
7-10 p.m.
UPROAR Lounge & Restaurant
639 Florida Avenue, N.W.
Facebook
Join the DC Gaymers for a night of games and camaraderie. All gaming stations will be open for free play. Games include Super Smash Bros., Ultimate, Mario Kart 8: Deluxe, Kirby and the Forbidden Land, Mary Party Superstars and more.
DC Boys of Leather July Happy Hour

Thursday, July 21
6 p.m.
Trade
1410 14th Street, N.W.
Facebook
The DC Boys of Leather host a monthly happy hour complete with a bootblack on the back patio. Wear your gear for an evening of general merriment at this queer venue.
Miss Gay Freestate

Friday, July 22
Doors 9 p.m. / Pageant 10 p.m.
Central Bar Mount Vernon
887 North Howard Street
Baltimore, Md.
Cover $5 / $7 after 10 p.m.
Facebook
Join host Maranda Rights for a preliminary drag competition for Miss Gay Maryland 2022.
Kicks & Giggles: GLOW/CRAZY dance party

Friday, July 22
9 p.m.
Green Lantern
1335 Green Court, N.W.
Facebook
Kicks & Giggles is a no cover great time out. Free drinks from 9-10 if you are wearing body paint on your chest or back. Anything underwear and up is acceptable.
LGBTQ+ Brunch

Saturday, July 23
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Freddie’s Beach Bar
555 23rd Street S
Arlington, Va.
Facebook | Eventbrite
Go Gay DC hosts a brunch and meetup at Freddie’s. There is no cover charge, but you can order food off of the menu or partake in an all-you-can-eat buffet with mimosa for $14.99.
Comedy Bonfyre Presents: Bold and Baddie Special

Saturday, July 23
6 p.m.
Crazy Aunt Helen’s
713 8th Street, S.E.
$10
Facebook | Tickets
Comedy Bonfyre is a monthly stand-up comedy showcase. In this Bold and Baddie Special, look out for Sarah Suzuki Harvard and Kate Blansett with performers Anna Artazova, Stacey Axler, Davine Ker, Arzoo Malthotra, Ambi and Andie Basto.
Elevate

Saturday, July 23
Doors 9 p.m.
City Winery
1360 Okie Street, N.E.
$30 advance / $40 door
Facebook | Tickets
Join the city’s top DJs and drag favorite Cake for a night of dancing and entertainment at the top two floors of City Winery.
Beach Please! Bottomless Drag Brunch

Sunday, July 24
Two showtimes:
– Seating 11 a.m. / Show 11:30 a.m.
– Seating 1:30 p.m. / Show 2 p.m.
Johnny Pistolas
2333 18th Street, N.W.
$10 admission + $50 bottomless brunch
Facebook
Join Cake, Crimsyn, Logan Stone and Chicki Parm for a bottomless drag brunch at Johnny Pistoals on Sunday. This month’s theme is Beach, Please! so come in your best beachwear.
LGBTQ+ Coffee & Conversation

Sunday, July 24
12-2 p.m.
As You Are
500 8th Street, S.E.
Facebook | Eventbrite
For another Go Gay DC! opportunity to meet friends and hang with the community, meet up at As You Are for coffee and conversation on Sunday.
BONBON Mini-Festival

Sunday, July 24
5-11 p.m.
Songbyrd Music House
540 Penn Street, N.E.
$20
Facebook
This mini music festival is a benefit for the LGBTQ youth services organization SMYAL. DJs and performers include Dvonne, Tommy C, PWRPUFF, Kristy la rAt, Gabberbitch69, Aphroditus, Franxx and Haus of Bambi.
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.
