Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Through March 7
Parties, concerts, volunteer opportunities, events and more
Friday, March 1
Adodi-D.C. Black Same Gender Loving Menās social group hosts a potluck at the Metropolitan Community Church (474 Ridge St., NW) this evening at 7 p.m. The night will include a discussion about internal and external homophobia in the black same-gender loving community. Attendees are asked to bring food to share with others. For more information, visit mccdc.com.
Foundry Gallery (1314 18th St., NW) hosts the opening reception for the show āBits and Pieces,ā photographs on canvas by Sarah Alexander starting at 6 p.m. For more information, visit foundrygallery.org.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. This event is for people 21 and older.Ā There is no cover charge.Ā Later in the evening, the club will be hosting āSo, you think youāre a drag queen?ā to find the newest drag talent in the area. Contestants will be judged on performance ability, outfits, attitude and the ability to navigate a contest that requires them to do āridiculous feats of drag-agility!ā This will be a monthly contest. In order to participate, sign up during the drag show a month before the contest. The club will take the first six contestants to sign up monthly. Winners will receive $200 and the title of the monthās winner. All winners are eligible for a final competition at the end of the year. For attendants of the show, the cover is $5 before 11 p.m. and $10 after for anyone 21 and older. For 18-20 year olds, cover is $10. For details, visit towndc.com.
Saturday, March 2
Unity Fellowship Church D.C., a mostly black LGBT church, holds its annual Prayer Breakfast and Womenās Health Conference at Metropolitan Community Church (474 Ridge St., NW) today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The keynote speaker is Mandy Carter. Registration is $50 per person. For more information, visit ufcdc.com.
The annual Rainbow Families dance takes place tonight from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Washington Ethical Society (7750 16th St., NW). The party is especially good for those who are older than 4, but there is a quiet room for younger children. There will be a family friendly DJ, games, pizza dinner and desserts. Tickets for adult members is $10, non-members is $13, children 5 and up are $5 and children 4 and under are free. For more information, visit rainbowfamiliesdc.org.
Burgundy Crescent volunteers this morning at Food and Friends (219 Riggs Rd., NE) at 8 a.m. Volunteers will help with food preparation and packing groceries. The shifts are limited to 10 per shift. Burgundy Crescent also volunteers today for the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation at Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) starting at 11:45 a.m. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega returns to Sixth and I Historic Synagogue (600 I St., NW) tonight at 8 p.m. She began writing poetry and music as a young girl and she attended the New York High School of the Performing Arts. Tickets are $35. For more information, visit sixthandi.org.
Honey Mahogany from āRuPaulās Drag Raceā comes to Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight at 10 p.m. In 2011, Mahogany was voted San Francisco Weeklyās Readersā Poll āBest Drag Queen 2011,ā was on San Francisco Bay Guardianās Hot Pink List of āqueers to watchā and was the cover girl for the Guardianās 2011 Queer Issue. Her hit single, a cover of Adeleās āHometown Glory,ā was chosen one of the best cover songs of the year by Limelight. Cover is $8 before 11 p.m. and $12 after. For more information, visit towndc.com.
Sunday, March 3
Metropolitan Community Church (474 Ridge St., NW) holds its weekly 9 and 11 a.m. worship services. The church is the regionās largest mostly LGBT church. For more information, visit mccdc.com.
National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS starts today at noon and ends March 9. Congregations from around the nation will be participating in the promotional campaign by incorporating lessons about HIV and showing compassion toward those with the virus. For more information about the week or to see how your congregation can get involved, visit nationalweekofprayerforthehealingsofaids.org.
Monday, March 4
Bears do Yoga takes place this evening 6:30 p.m. as part of a series at the Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, NW). This is part of a basic yoga series that takes place every Monday and is open to people of varying body types and experience. There is no charge. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The D.C. Lambda Squares holds its dance series tonight at 7:30 p.m. at National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, NW). The only square dance club located in Washington, the mostly LGBT group invites everybody to learn square dancing in just 16 Mondays. No special outfits, partner or prior dance experience is needed. The cost is $100. For more information or to register, visit dclambdasquares.org.
Tuesday, March 5
Green Lantern (1335 Green Court, N.W.) hosts its Safer Sex Kit-packing program tonight from 7-10:30. The packing program is looking for more volunteers to help produce the kits because they say they are barely keeping up with demand. Admission is free and volunteers can just show up. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Wednesday, March 6
The D.C. Center and Gallaudet University hold a special lecture titled āSexuality and HIV/AIDS: Special Challenges for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adolescentsā by Joan Garrity of Garrity Health Consulting and Training starting at noon today at Gallaudet Universityās Merrill Learning Center (800 Florida Ave., NE). Attendees are asked to RSVP to [email protected]. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Thursday, March 7
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W) is hosting its weekly Best Package Contest tonight at 9 p.m. There is a $3 cover and there are $2 vodka drinks. Participants in the contest can win $200 in cash prizes. The event is hosted by Lena Lett and music by DJ Chord, DJ Madscience, and DJ Sean Morris. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Celebrity News
More than 1 million people attend Madonna concert in Rio
Free event took place on Copacabana Beach on Saturday
An estimated 1.6 million people on Saturday attended Madonna’s free concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach.
The concert, which was the last one as part of Madonna’s Celebration Tour, included a tribute to people lost to AIDS.
Bob the Drag Queen introduced Madonna before the concert began. Pabllo Vittar, a Brazilian drag queen and singer, and Anitta, a bisexual pop star who was born in Rio’s HonĆ³rio Gurgel neighborhood, also joined Madonna on stage.
Congresswoman Erika Hilton, a Black travesti and former sex worker, and Rio Municipal Councilwoman MĆ“nica BenĆcio, the widow of Marielle Franco, a bisexual Rio Municipal Councilwoman who was assassinated in 2018, are among those who attended the concert.
“Madonna showed that we fight important fights for the human rights of Black (people), young (people), women and LGBTQIA+ people, and against all injustice, discrimination, and violence,” saidĀ AssociaƧao Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (National Association ofĀ TravestisĀ and Transsexuals), a Brazilian trans rights group known by the acronym ANTRA, on itsĀ X account.Ā “What they call identitarianism’ is our subversion to the retrograde and conservative tackiness that plagues the country.”
The Associated Press reported the concert was Madonna’s biggest ever.
The DC Center for the LGBTQ Community, SMYAL and Rainbow Families sponsored Gay Day at the Zoo on Sunday at the Smithsonian National Zoo. The Smithsonian observed International Family Equality Day with special exhibits and an event space.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Covering Gay Day at the Zoo for @WashBlade . Here at @NationalZooDC pic.twitter.com/LqgGNOOAiM
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) May 5, 2024
Photos
PHOTOS: Taste of Point
Annual fundraiser held for LGBTQ youth scholarship, mentorship organization
The Point Foundation held its annual Taste of Point fundraiser at Room & Board on May 2.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)