Arts & Entertainment
Calendar: Nov. 1
Parties, concerts, exhibits and more through Nov. 7
‘Forever Tango’ explores the history of the tango at the Strathmore. (Photo courtesy of the Strathmore)
Friday, Nov. 1
Adodi D.C., a black same-gender-loving men’s social/spiritual group, hosts its bi-monthly potluck discussion at Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Please bring food to share. For details, call 202-360-1143 or email [email protected].
D.C. Aquatics Club hosts its “November Happy Hour” at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) from 6-9:30 p.m. The upstairs bar will be reserved and there will be drink specials. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. There is no cover charge and admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit towndc.com.
Saturday, Nov. 2
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today at Food and Friends (219 Riggs Rd., N.E.) from 8-10 a.m. Come help with food preparation and packing groceries. Coffee and donuts will be provided. For details, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Metro Cooking D.C. hosts “The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertainment Show” at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Pl., N.W.) today from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Enjoy samples and tastings from more than 40 chefs and restaurants, 300 vendors and cooking demonstrations from local chefs and workshops. Tickets range from $24.50-$63. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit metrocookingdc.com.
Run or Dye, a tie-dye 5k race, comes to Robert F. Kennedy Stadium (2400 East Capitol St., S.E.) today from 9 a.m.-noon. All ages and levels of fitness welcome. Team registration is $52 per person and individual registration is $57 per person. For registration, visit runordye.com.
JR.’s Bar and Grill (1519 17th St., N.W.) host a scavenger hunt and trivia challenge from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. today to raise money for Stonewall Kickball’s official charity The D.C. Center. Meet at JR.’s at 11 a.m. for instructions and teams have until 3 p.m. to earn points. At 3 p.m., meet at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) for an after party and prizes. Entry fees are $50 per two-person team. Registration includes one free drink at Cobalt, 25 percent off food at Level One (1639 R St., N.W.) and happy hour pricing. For registration, visit stonewallkickballscavengerhunt.eventbrite.com.
Jinkx Monsoon performs her cabaret show with Major Scales “The Vaudevillains” at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $20, open seating tickets $35 and open seating and meet-and-greet tickets are $50. For details and to purchase tickets visit flavorus.com.
fallFRINGE, a festival that brings back seven of the top shows from this summer’s Fringe Festival, kicks off this weekend. An opening party with an “all souls potluck” is tonight at 8 p.m. at Fort Fringe: The Shop, Redrum and Bedroom (607 New York Ave., N.W.). Tickets are $20 or $15 with a Fringe button. Visit capitalfringe.org for details on returning shows and more information on the opening party. The festival runs through Nov. 17.
Sunday, Nov. 3
Chick Chat, a singles group for lesbians ages 50 and over, meets at Brookside Gardens (1800 Glenallan Ave., Silver Spring, Md.) today at 2 p.m. for a walk rain or shine. Event is free. Please RSVP to [email protected].
Perry’s (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts its weekly “Sunday Drag Brunch” today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The cost is $24.95 for an all-you-can-eat buffet. For more details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.
Converge D.C., a new LGBT-inclusive church, holds its official launch at First Congregational United Church of Christ D.C. (945 G St., N.W.) tonight from 6-7 p.m. For more information, visit convergedc.org.
SMYAL hosts its 16th annual “Fall Brunch” at the Mandarin Oriental (13300 Maryland Ave., S.W.) today at 11 a.m. There will be a cocktail reception and a silent auction. Ally Sheedy will be honored as a community advocate. Tickets are $150. For details, visit smyal.org.
Monday, Nov. 4
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The D.C Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts a volunteer night from 6:30-8:30 p.m. tonight. Come check out the new facilities, meet new people and give back to the local community center. Activities may include sorting through book donations, cleaning up around the center and taking inventory for FUK!T packets. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts poker night tonight at 8 p.m. Win prizes. Free to play. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Tuesday, Nov. 5
Maryland Corporate Council hosts a look forward at 2014 legislative session with Michael Busch, Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, at Ballard Spahr (300 East Lombard St., Baltimore) today from 8-10 a.m. A complimentary continental breakfast will be served. For details, visit marylandcorporate.org.
Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) hosts its weekly ”FUK!T Packing Party” from 7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit thedccenter.org or greenlanterndc.com.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) holds free and confidential HIV testing drop-in hours from 3-5 p.m. today. For details, visit smyal.org.
Wednesday, Nov. 6
The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.
The Bachelor’s Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) hosts happy hour from 5-7:30 p.m. today. All drinks are half price. Enjoy pool, video games and cards. Admission is free. For more details, visit bachelorsmill.com.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., N.W.) hosts a support group for black men living with HIV/AIDS tonight from 7-9 p.m. For more details, visit uhupil.org or call 202-446-1100.
Thursday, Nov. 7
Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay literature group, discusses “Tinderbox: How the West Sparked the AIDS Epidemic and How the World Can Finally Overcome It” by Craig Timberg and Daniel Halperin at Tenleytown Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. All are welcome. For details, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
Sphinx Virtuosi, an ensemble comprised of alumni from the Sphinx Competition for young black and Latino string players, performs at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $32. For details, visit wpas.org or call 202-785-9727.
Music Center at Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Md.) presents Luis Bravo’s “Forever Tango” tonight at 8 p.m. for one night only. The Tony-nominated show tells the history of tango with a cast of 14 Argentine dancers and an 11-piece orchestra. Tickets range from $36-$78. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit strathmore.org.
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)
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
‘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.
The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.
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