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3 Reasons Why We Can’t Wait For Sawasdee DC Thai Festival

This Independence Day weekend, you’ll be happy you stayed in town.

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Sawasdee DC brings an array of music, food, dance, performers, and more to the National Mall to celebrate Thai and U.S. culture. (Graphic provided by the Thai Embassy.)

On Sunday, July 2, the Thai Embassy is hosting Sawasdee DC on the National Mall to celebrate 190 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the United States. With a star-studded line-up of performers, delicious food vendors, and ample activities to enjoy, it’s sure to be a festival unlike any other.

Sawasdee DC will take place from 10 am to 6 pm, on 3rd/4th Street of the National Mall. It features Thai pop performers, New Orleans Jazz music, Thai massage, traditional food and dance, a Muay Thai demonstration, and more.

Here are three reasons we are especially excited for Sawasdee DC!

4mix, Thailand’s first LGBTQ+ pop group, will take to the stage at Sawasdee DC.(Photo provided by 411 Records.)

1. Dance to Thai pop’s first LGBTQ+ group among a star-studded musical lineup Thailand’s first LGBTQ+ pop group, 4mix, will take to the stage for their first performance in Washington, DC.

Their upbeat music, affirming lyrics, and gender non-conformity have made 4mix explosively popular among fans. Since their debut in May, 2021, the band has taken the music world by storm, with a fanbase that stretches from Thailand, to Latin America, and beyond.

4Mix is just one of many talented performers on the Sawasdee DC lineup. The Thai pop singer Ally will make her Washington, DC debut, too, and Wendell Brunious will lead the New Orleans Quintet in a performance to honor the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was a lover of jazz music and composed dozens of jazz songs himself. Brunious, who once performed for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, will play a selection of songs written by the late king. For this reason, Brunious’ performance at Sawasdee DC will be especially meaningful.

Thailand’s most renowned kickboxer, Buakaw Banchamek, will perform a Muay Thai demonstration as part of Sawasdee DC. (Photo provided by C.P. Group.)

2. Pick up some Muay Thai tips from Thailand’s most famous kickboxer Musicians won’t be the only stars to grace the Sawasdee DC stage.

Buakaw Banchamek is joining the lineup of performers for a Muay Thai demonstration in his first appearance in Washington, DC.

Banchamek has earned global renown for his championship-winning Muay Thai, and is considered one of the best kickboxers in Thailand’s history. With a career spanning more than 290 wins and several championship titles, Banchamek is known for his work ethic and credited with Muay Thai’s recent growth in global popularity.

The Thai Embassy is thrilled to welcome this kickboxing legend to the District for the first time!

A delicious range of traditional Thai dishes will be available to try at Sawasdee DC. (Photos provided by the Thai Embassy.)

3. Celebrate many different aspects of Thai culture

Food, traditional dance, Thai massages — you name it! Sawasdee DC will feature a wide range of entertainers, vendors and activities that celebrate Thai culture.

Throughout the performances, an array of delicious food vendors will prepare a wide variety of traditional Thai dishes for attendees to enjoy as they watch traditional Thai dancers and other performing artists. Afterward, explore the broad range of activities at Sawasdee DC, including a Thai massage.

Want to learn more about the festival? Visit www.sawasdeedcthaifestival.com for a closer look at the fun that awaits at Sawasdee DC. We can’t wait to see you there!

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This queer comedy show will warm you up

Catfish Comedy to feature LGBTQ lineup

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(Promotional image via Eventbrite)

Catfish Comedy will host “2026 Queer Kickoff Show” on Thursday, Feb. 5 at A League of Her Own (2319 18th Street, N.W.). This show features D.C.’s funniest LGBTQ and femme comedians. The lineup features performers who regularly take the stage at top clubs like DC Improv and Comedy Loft, with comics who tour nationally.

Tickets are $17.85 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

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Arts & Entertainment

Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71

Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’

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(Photo courtesy of Pop TV)

Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.

O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.

In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.

In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”

Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.

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Calendar

Calendar: January 30-February 5

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, January 30

Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).

Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, January 31

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, February 1

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, February 2

“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 (adamheller@thedccenter.org).

Tuesday, February 3

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected]

Wednesday, February 4

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.

Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, February 5

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 5:00 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, breath work 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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