Arts & Entertainment

Halloween fun!

Our guide to the best parties, screenings and theme nights in town this weekend

Published

15 years ago

October 27, 2011

Joey DiGuglielmo

Halloween mayhem last year at Cobalt. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

TODAY:

Secrets (1824 Half Street) is having a Halloween Black Light Party tonight hosted by La Troya Nichole with music by DJ Steve Henderson. Doors open at 9 p.m.

Strathmore presents “Friday night Eclectic: Rock, Paper, Zombies” tonight at the Mansion (10701 Rockville Pike) in Bethesda at 8:30 p.m. with music by Mittenfields, Devin Ocampo and Bellflur. There will be a showing of art including gig posters by Rich Bernett, Itty Bitty Press, John Foster and Fire Studio. Tickets are $10 in advance at strathmore.org and $12 at the door. Doors open at 8 p.m.

Beat City at Chief Ike’s Mambo Room (1725 Columbia Rd., N.W.) is Halloween themed this time around with the “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah” featuring a costume contest at midnight with winners received a $50 bar tab. Beat City is a queer lounge night featuring real rock ‘n’ roll from Alice in Chains to ZZ Top.

AFI Silver (8633 Colesville Rd.) in Silver Spring presents two silent horror classics tonight accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra. First up is “The Phantom of the Opera” starring Lon Chaney as the Phantom and Mary Philbin at Christine at 7 p.m. Then at 9:30 p.m.,“Nosferatu, A Symphony of Horror” starring Max Schreck as Count Orlok. Tickets for either screening are $20, $18 for AFI Members.

D.C.’s Rocky Horror Shadowcast, the Sonic Transducers, will be giving three special performances of the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” starting tonight and going through Sunday. Tonight and Saturday the performances begins at midnight and Sunday they start at 7 p.m. sharp. All performances will be at the E Street Cinema (555 11th St., N.W.) and tickets are $11 for general admission, $9 for students and military and $8 for seniors. For more information, visit dcrockyhorror.com.

Saturday, Oct. 29

RAW’s Halloween Party is tonight at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) with DJs Shea Van Horn and Bil plus guest DJ Keenan Orr from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. There’s a costume contest with $1,000 in prizes available. There will also be an open vodka bar from 10 to 11 p.m. There is a $10 cover. Attendees must be 21 or older.

“Thriller: Women’s Hallow Party” is tonight at Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) with a costume contest and DJ LS spinning. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the contest begins at midnight. There’s a $10 cover and all attendees must be 21 or older.

Remington’s (639 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) is having a Halloween party and costume contest tonight. Prizes include $250 case and a $100 bar tab. The contest begins at midnight and all participants should be signed up by 11:45 p.m.

Lace Lounge (2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E.) presents “If Only for a Night: A Mature Costume Party” tonight from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. featuring a sexy, mature mini show. Cover is $10 with costume, $12 without one.

Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) presents GhostTown tonight featuring a costume contest at midnight with a grand prize of $1,000. The drag show begins at 10:30 p.m. Cover is $15 and all attendees must be 21 or older.

S.H.E. Productions presents Homoween 2011, the annual Saints and Sinners Masqueradde at Grand Central and Sapphos (1001 North Charles St.) in Baltimore. Doors open at 9 p.m. There is a $5 cover before 11 p.m. which doubles afterward. All attendees must be 21 or older.

Artomatic’s SurrealD.C. Halloween Masquerade is back for a third year at the Washington Harbour (3050 K St., N.W.) tonight from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will be a costume contest, including scariest, craziest, funniest, sexiest, most original and most creative, performances and art installations. Tickets are $25 and attendees must be 21 or older. For more information, visit artomatic.org.

Sunday, Oct. 30

Fairfax Pride is having a Halloween party tonight at Alto Plaza (5800 Old Centreville Rd.) in Centreville, featuring a Latin Zumba group, Brandonna Dupri, the Virginia chapter of the D.C. Gurly Show and more. Doors open at 7 p.m. and performances will happen every 30 minutes from 9 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the group page on Facebook.

Monday, Oct. 31

Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) is having its Halloween costume contest tonight from 8 p.m. to midnight. The first place winner will received $250 cash, second place winner will get a $100 Nellie’s tab and third place will win a $50 Cubano’s dinner.

Photos

PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier

Seventh annual LGBTQ celebration held at The Wharf DC

Published

13 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Landon Shackelford

The Washington Blade's Pride on the Pier was held on Saturday, June 13. (Washington Blade photo by Landon Shackelford)

The Washington Blade held the seventh annual Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC on Saturday, June 13.

(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)

Photos

PHOTOS: Lost River Pride

LGBTQ celebration held in rural West Virginia

Published

16 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Michael Key

Singer/songwriter Tom Goss performs at Lost River Pride on Saturday, June 13. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2026 Lost River Pride Festival was held on the scenic grounds of the Lost River Farmers Market in Lost City, W.Va. on Saturday, June 13. Headliner Tom Goss performed at the festival and gave a second performance at the nearby Guesthouse Lost River.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Books

David Archuleta on Mormon faith, ‘Idol,’ more in new book

Unique memoir details religious upbringing, coming out

Published

21 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Terri Schlichenmeyer

(Book cover image courtesy of Gallery Books)

‘Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself’
By David Archuleta
c.2026, Gallery Books
$29/290 pages

So just make up your mind already.

The decision is very much in your control – or, at least that’s how it’s supposed to be. It’ll be your future, your path, and seizing it may not just be necessary, but mandatory. It’s your life, and no one can live it for you. As in the new memoir “Devout” by David Archuleta, that goes for career and for love, too.

Born to parents who both had musical careers before they wed, David Archuleta remembers an early childhood growing up in a Hispanic Mormon community in Florida, where kin was always nearby. He was six when his parents moved the immediate family to Utah; the first thing he remembers about that is the snow, and how it was so cold, it burned.

Because music was in his blood, Archuleta grew up singing and dancing, often with his mother whom he calls “my rock.” It was his father, however, who encouraged him to perform; first, with a gentle push, then a shove toward a career Archuleta didn’t really want.

But he did want to make his father happy, so he went along with the contests, embarrassing meet-and-greets with stars, and uncomfortable introductions. Slowly, though, performing became more fun, and Archuleta made friends.

Meanwhile, back home, everything was breaking apart. A “family friend” whom Archuleta refuses to name accused his father of abuse. He was exonerated, but it affected the family’s closeness and they stopped being affectionate.

That was a painful backdrop to Archuleta’s soaring career, his appearances on Star Search, friendships with other rising stars, his runner-up spot on “American Idol,” tours, and recording contracts. His father kept pushing him.

But there was one thing missing.

Since he was a boy, Archuleta had known that he was attracted to men, but his Mormon faith taught him that that was unacceptable. Kissing, his abuelita said, was wrong. He tried hard to date girls, in the most chaste way. Anything past that was against God – and anything at all with a man was unthinkable.

Though it absolutely favors his personal life and dwells on it a bit too much, “Devout” strikes an otherwise nice balance between that, author David Archuleta’s career, his sexuality, and his faith. The latter two are loaded with controversy.

You don’t need to be Mormon to fully understand the faith part; Archuleta offers non-Mormons a brief education, so readers can see the importance of the Church’s teachings in his life and why he felt the need to abandon it as his understanding of his bisexuality grew. It’s emotionally raw and honest, but also so respectful that it almost bears re-reading. Such candor and the heart-on-his-sleeve tone you’ll sense are features in the entire book, alongside Archuleta’s family’s struggles and his learning to strike out alone.

It’s harmonious in more ways than one, and fans will be happy.

So, too, will anyone who wants a unique memoir with a dose of faith, or someone who’s an “American Idol”watcher. Find “Devout” and be sure to share. You won’t mind.

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