Arts & Entertainment
Array of queer events on tap for D.C. this spring
Art, music, and Rehoboth’s Women’s+ Fest among options
After such a blisteringly cold winter, spring is almost here, which means it’s time to hit the streets for unmitigated fun. Below is a list of some of the events you should absolutely check out.
Flower Factory Party will host a colorful, queer dance party on Sunday, March 16 at Zebbie’s Garden. Sweet Spot (aka Chris & Andre), a Baltimore-based DJ, will perform. If you love all things pop music, pop culture, and queer icons — you’ll love their sets. They produce a queer dance party in Baltimore, also called Sweet Spot, and have a monthly residency at Trade in D.C. Tickets are $10 and more details are available on Flower Factory’s Instagram.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington D.C. will perform on Saturday, March 15 at 8 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre as part of its international tour, “Passports.” The group is travelling the globe in song, celebrating diversity in culture and identity in the name of Pride. The show will feature GMCW, along with the smaller ensembles Potomac Fever, Rock Creek Singers, and Seasons of Love, plus GenOUT Youth Chorus, and 17th Street Dance. From African folk songs and South American dance rhythms to American jazz, you’ll be dancing in your seats. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Chorus’s website.
Art with Tosca will host “Queer Icons & Trailblazers: An Art Tour for WorldPride DC 2025” on Sunday, May 18 at 2 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Art historian and licensed tour guide Tosca Ruggieri will lead an unforgettable exploration of LGBTQ history, identity, and artistic expression at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Expect to celebrate the vibrant history and culture of the LGBTQ+ community through compelling portraits and groundbreaking works that highlight the power of queer artistry. Tickets start at $50 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Allumé Entertainment Group Xclusive will host “For Men Only Weekend” starting on Friday, April 11 at 8 p.m. at an undisclosed location. There will be “Guys & Gaymes” on Friday, which will include a spades tournament, Uno, and more. On Saturday, there will be “Deep Strokes Sip ‘N’ Paint.” For this event, presale tickets are priority over door tickets. By purchasing at the door you run the risk of not being able to attend as there are a limited number of seats based on the number of art supplies. This is an indoor event, ticket sales are final (refunds only if event is cancelled). Tips encouraged, and this event is for those 21 and over with valid ID. The weekend will end with “Men & Mimosas” on Sunday. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Skye Marinda will host “Femme Art Market” on Saturday, March 22 at The Coupe. One dozen local makers will come together to celebrate the Spring Equinox, Women’s History Month, and have fun. Come check out local arts and crafts, tarot readings, and more. Plus, you can enter a raffle for a chance to win goods from our artists. All proceeds to benefit the D.C. Abortion Fund. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Caged Bird Productions will host “GAY Soul Food” during the weekend beginning on Friday, March 14 at 7 p.m. at Anacostia Arts Center. Guests are encouraged to come celebrate a special dedication to the mothers, grandmothers and aunts who love their LGBTQ+ family members unconditionally. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
The Howard Theatre will host “Electric Feels: Indie Rock + Indie Dance Party” on Saturday, March 29 at 10:30 p.m. This is an experiential dance party that features all your favorite Indie Rock + Indie Dance songs all night with amazing DJs, stage production and more. Tickets start at $18 and can be purchased on the Howard Theatre’s website.
9:30 club will host “Gimme Gimme Disco – A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA” on Friday, April 11 at 9 p.m. This is a DJ dance party playing all your favorite ABBA tracks, plus plenty of other disco hits from the 70s & 80s like The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Cher, and so much more. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased on 9:30 club’s website.
UpCycle Creative Reuse Center will host “Art Therapy: Neurographic Drawing” on Wednesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. Starting with a short meditation, they will use markers and up-cycled inks to follow intuitions and work through emotions. This workshop is open to anyone ages 8 and up. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
The Pancakes & Booze Art Show is coming to Washington D.C. on Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at Hook Hall. This is one of the largest pop-up art movements to hit North America over the past decade. Guests are encouraged to come celebrate the group’s 10th year serving free pancakes and introducing you to some of the nation’s leading emerging artists. There will be local artists exhibiting over 750+ pieces of work, free “All-U-Can Eat Pancakes,” live audio performances from local DJs and music producers, and live body painting and art. This event is for those 21+. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Women’s+ Fest returns to Rehoboth Beach April 10-13 with a weekend packed full of events, including a golf tournament, art reception, pickleball tournament, a literary pop-up bookstore, and more. The Friday night headliner is Be Steadwell with Gwen LaRoka at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. Col. Grethe Cammermeyer speaks on Saturday morning at 9:30 in the Sands Hotel ballroom. Saturday’s dance party features GirlsRoom and DJ Peggy Castle. There’s a range of ticket options available at camprehoboth.org.
The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade held its 18th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach, Del., on Friday, May 16. Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer spoke along with State Sen. Russ Huxtable, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Kim Leisey, Blade Editor Kevin Naff, and Clear Space Theatre Managing Director Joe Gfaller. The event raises funds for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which was awarded to AU student Abigail Hatting.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
In some fowl fiction foreshadowing, a gay-owned chicken joint has come home to roost on U Street, taking a page from the chicken window subplot on the HBO show “Looking.”
Last Friday, Lucky Pollo – much more than just a takeout window – stretched its wings atop the busy nightlife corner of 14th and U Streets NW.
Behind the poultry production place is Zach Renovátes, a D.C.-based nightlife operator and managing partner of LGBTQ venues Bunker and District Eagle, as well as the LGBTQ event production company KINETIC Presents.
Renovátes opened Bunker in February 2023 and District Eagle in January of this year. Lucky Pollo is the third in his growing gay empire, though this time there are noshes.
“Lucky Pollo was meant to be fun and a little provocative,” Renovátes said.
Based around its Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken, Lucky Pollo is a quick-service restaurant boasting a small menu of poultry and sides. Renovátes says that the dishes are deeply rooted in Peruvian culinary tradition, “a playful experience alongside seriously good food.”
Lucky Pollo’s signature chicken is steeped in a dozen-plus-spice marinade for 24 hours. The meat is then slow-roasted, rotisserie-style, over oak-wood charcoal. Chicken options include quarter, half, and whole.
Helming the kitchen at Lucky Pollo is Chef Luis Herrera, who brings Peruvian recipes passed down through three generations, including his grandmother Laura’s original creations.
Beyond the full bird, the menu features Peruvian-inspired sides like yuca fries (“I personally love these,” says Renovátes) and fried plantains, as well as comfort classics such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes, and bowls, wraps, and salads. Herrera oversees development of the multiple sauces (including staff favorite, the “secret green sauce”), crafted in-house using traditional Peruvian ingredients.
Lucky Pollo, in its streetside perch, is an independent concept from District Eagle, open to the public and staying open late (3 a.m. on weekends) to serve both nightlife guests and the wider U Street crowd hungry for late-night bites. However, just beyond the kitchen, tucked in the back lies a vintage 1950s candy machine—labeled “Out of Order,” which serves as the door leading to subterranean District Eagle.
Renovátes notes that when District Eagle is open, security staff will maintain a strict two-line policy, ensuring that those seeking meat to eat will not get entwined with those looking to gain access to District Eagle.
Lucky Pollo unites the need for sustenance with the idea of a bit of fortune, given its motto, “Get Lucky” and the whimsical brand mascot: a leather-booted chicken perched on a horseshoe. Renovátes and his District Eagle business partner had always been interested in opening a restaurant, and the Lucky Pollo space was indeed lucky: It already came with a functional kitchen. Plus, he says, the nearby fast-casual places around 14th and U streets “don’t offer a lot of quality options,” so opening the chicken spot “was a no-brainer.”
The space, designed by NYC creative Jasin Cadic, blends theatrical street-art-style vibes with Keith Haring-inspired wall prints, neon signs, and ceiling-hung chicken figurines —”some edgy, some sweet,” says Renovátes —creating an immersive, playful atmosphere. Lucky Pollo and District Eagle maintain separate amenities for their respective customers.
Lucky Pollo opened last week with a competition to devour a whole rotisserie chicken in the fastest time, with the winner earning $1,000 and a framed spot on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The opening also featured other games and prizes, and a full crowd spilling out the door.
“We want it to be a great place to eat, but also serve as a playful front for something completely unexpected.” Renovátes says.
On weekends especially, he jokes, the motto will be, ‘Come for the chicken, stay for the cock.’”
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