a&e features
Remembering those we lost in 2023
World’s oldest drag performer, PR guru to the stars among those who died
The many acclaimed LGBTQ people and allies who died in 2023 include:
Frank Galati, an internationally acclaimed writer, director, and actor, known for directing “Ragtime” on Broadway and his Chicago theater work, which included his adaptation of “The Grapes of Wrath,” died on Jan. 2 in Sarasota, Fla. at 79 from complications of cancer.
Lily Chavez, a beloved D.C. nightlife figure, died on Jan. 8 at age 35 from complications of Lupus. Chavez was the box office cashier at D.C.’s Town Danceboutique, a bartender at Annie’s and Level 1 restaurants and the gay bar Cobalt, the Blade reported.
Sal Piro, a fan of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” who saw the camp classic some 1,300 times and founded “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” fan club, died at 72 on Jan. 22 at his Manhattan home from an aneurysm in his esophagus.
Everett Quinton, an actor, director, and leader of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company after his partner Charles Ludlam’s death in 1987, died on Jan. 23 in Brooklyn, Ny. at 71 from glioblastoma, a fast-moving cancer.
Albert Russell, an acclaimed organist and music director from 1966 to 1984 of St. John’s Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square in D.C. (often called the “Church of the Presidents”), died at 91 from complications of a fall on Jan. 23 at his Washington home.
Dr. Charles Silverstein, a psychologist, whose presentation as a graduate student helped to persuade the American Psychiatric Association to stop pathologizing being queer, died on Jan. 30 at age 87 at his Manhattan home from lung cancer. He founded the Institute for Human Identity, which provides mental health service to LGBTQ clients.
Shinta Ratri, an Indonesian transgender activist, who founded an Islamic boarding school that provides a safe space for trans women, died on Feb. 1 at 60 from a heart attack in Yogyakarta, a city on the Indonesian island of Java.
Adrian Hall, the founding artistic director of the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, R.I., who revitalized regional theater in Dallas and other cities, died at 95 on Feb. 4 in a hospital in Tyler, Texas.
Donald Spoto, a biographer whose more than two-dozen subjects included Joan of Arc, Jesus, Alfred Hitchcock and Grace Kelly, died at 81 on Feb. 11 in Koege, Denmark from a brain hemorrhage.
Howard Bragman, a publicist who advised celebrities involved in scandals and queer clients who were coming out, died at 66 on Feb. 11 from leukemia in Los Angeles.
John E. Woods, an award-winning translator of Thomas Mann, died on Feb. 15 in Berlin at 80 from a lung ailment and skin cancer.
Royston Ellis, a British Beat poet whose spoken word performances accompanied the Beatles, Jimmy Page and other performers before they became rock stars, died on Feb. 26 at 82 from heart failure in Induruwa, Sri Lanka.
Georgina Beyer, believed to be the first transgender member of Parliament in New Zealand, died on March 6 at 65 in a Wellington, New Zealand hospice.
Ian Falconer, whose popular children’s books featuring Olivia, an endearing, charming pig, delighted kids and adults, died on March 7 at 63 in Norwalk, Conn., from kidney failure.
Julie Anne Peters, author of “Luna,” whose books were widely banned, died on March 21 at 71 at her Wheat Ridge, Colo. home. “Luna,” released in 2004, is believed to be the first young-adult novel with a transgender character to come out from a mainstream publisher.
Walter Cole, the world’s oldest drag performer known as Darcelle XV died March 23 at 92 at a Portland, Ore. hospital.
James Bowman, a British countertenor known for his performance as Oberon in Benjamin Britten’s opera “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Apollo in Britten’s opera “Death in Venice,” died at 81 on March 27 at his home in Redhill, south of London.
Raghavan Iyer, an American-born chef and author who introduced Americans to Indian cuisine, died on March 31 at 61 in San Francisco from pneumonia complicated by colorectal cancer that had metastasized to his lungs and brain.
Rachel Pollack, a transgender activist and authority on tarot, who created the first trans DC Comics superheroine, died at 77 on April 7 from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Rhinebeck, N.Y.
Gail Christian, a trailblazing, acclaimed Black NBC News and PBS correspondent, died on April 12 at 83 in Los Angeles from complications of intestinal surgery.
Helen Thorington, a trailblazer in radio and internet art, died at 94 on April 13 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease in Lincoln, Mass.
Koko Da Doll, 35, a Black transgender woman, who was featured in “Kokomo City,” an award-winning documentary about four Black transgender sex workers, was killed in Atlanta on April 18.
Barry Humphries, the Australian-born actor and comic, who created the divine and beloved Dame Edna, died on April 22 in Sydney at 89 several days after having hip surgery.
Robert Patrick, a playwright whose 1964 play “The Haunted Host,” The New York Times has called “a touchstone of early gay theater,” died at 85 on April 23 from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at his Los Angeles home.
Harry Belafonte, a barrier-breaking singer, actor, civil rights activist and LGBTQ ally, known as the “King of Calypso,” died on April 25 at 96 from congestive heart failure at his Manhattan home.
David Miranda, an ally of Edward J. Snowden and an advocate for LGBTQ rights in Brazil’s Congress, who was born in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, died at 37 on May 9. He died in a Rio de Janeiro hospital intensive care unit after battling an abdominal infection for nine months.
Renowned queer, avant-garde artist Kenneth Anger, known for his surreal films, died at 96 on May 11 in a care facility in Yucca Valley, Calif. Anger wrote two “Hollywood Babylon” books, which were filled with gossip. These works were thought to be based on rumors, not facts.
Helmut Berger, an Austrian actor who was known for his work in films directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Luchino Visconti, died at 78 on May 18 at his Salzburg home.
Tina Turner, the legendary singer, who performed at the first Gay Games in 1982, died on May 24 at 83 at her home in Kusnacht, Switzerland after a long illness.
George Maharis, an actor who was a star in the iconic TV show “Route 66,” died at 94 on May 24 at his Beverly Hills, Calif. home.
Jon Haggins, a fashion designer, who was acclaimed for, what The New York Times called his “sinuous, sensuous” 1960s and early 70s designs, died on June 15 at 79 at his Queens, N.Y. home.
The drummer for the Texas acid-punk band Butthole Surfers, Teresa Taylor, died at 60 on June 18 from lung cancer. She was beloved by Gen-Xers for her appearance in the 1990 movie “Slacker.”
Robert Black, an acclaimed bassist and a founding member of the renowned Bang on a Can All-Stars ensemble, died at 67 on June 22 from colon cancer at his Hartford, Conn. home.
David Richards, a theater critic, who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his work for the The Washington Post, and, briefly, chief drama critic for The New York Times, died at 82 on June 24 in a Warrenton, Va. hospital. The cause of death was complications from Parkinson’s disease.
Michele Judith Ballotta, a.k.a. Mickie, a beloved advocate for the fight against breast cancer and other causes, died on June 24 at age 67 in Seaford, Md.
Lilli Vincenz, a groundbreaking LGBTQ rights activist, psychotherapist and documentary filmmaker, died at 85 on June 27 of natural causes at her residence at an Oakton, Va. assisted living center.
Dr. Susan Love, a surgeon, public health advocate, author, researcher and founder of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, died at 75 on July 2 from a recurrence of leukemia at her Los Angeles home. At the time of her death, she was chief visionary office of the Dr. Susan Love Foundation.
Minnie Bruce Pratt, an acclaimed lesbian poet, essayist and LGBTQ activist, died at 76 from an aggressive brain tumor on July 2 at a hospice in Syracuse, N.Y.
Cheri Pies, author of the landmark 1985 book “Considering Parenthood: A Workbook for Lesbians,” died at 73 from cancer on July 4 at her Berkeley, Calif. home.
The Rev. A. Stephen Pieters, a gay minister, who had AIDS and spoke about being gay and having the disease to church congregations in the 1980s when homophobia was the norm, died at 70 on July 8 from a sepsis infection at a Glendale, Calif. hospital. His memoir “Love Is Greater Than AIDS: A Memoir of Survival, Healing, and Hope” will be released in 2024.
Amos Badertscher, a photographer whose empathetic portraits of hustlers, sex workers and drag queens in Baltimore are in institutions devoted to queer art from the Leslie-Loman Museum of Art in New York to the ONE Archives in Los Angeles, died on July 24. He died in Baltimore at age 86 from complications from a fall.
Sinead O’Connor, the pop singer, who was acclaimed, but reviled for denouncing pedophilia in the Catholic Church, and, in 1992, tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on “Saturday Night Live,” died at 56 on July 26.
James “Hawk” Crutchfield, a U.S. Air Force veteran and U.S. Federal Communications Commission career program analyst, died at 77 of natural causes in his D.C. home on July 29. For more than four decades, Crutchfield was “devoted” to volunteer leadership to at least eight D.C.-area LGBTQ D.C. organizations, the Blade reported.
Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian who created and portrayed the iconic and beloved character Pee-Wee Herman, died at 70 on July 30 from cancer in a Los Angeles hospital.
Jess Search, a gender nonconforming producer of documentaries focusing on marginalized groups, died at 54 on July 31 in a London hospital from brain cancer. Search helped to start-up the Doc Society, a group that supports documentarians.
Carmen Xtravaganza, a ballroom legend and transgender activist, who was featured in the documentary “Paris Is Burning,” died at 62 on Aug. 4. Before her death, she had been struggling with stage 4 lung cancer.
Sarah Wunsch, a civil liberties lawyer known for her work on race, gender ,and free speech issues, died at 75 on Aug. 17 at her Brookline, Mass. home from complications of a stroke.
Janne Marie Harrelson, who had a 32-year career at Gallaudet University, died at 70 on Aug. 23 from Ovarian cancer while in hospice care in Rockville, Md. She held multiple leadership positions at Gallaudet, including director, National Mission Planning and director, Gallaudet University Regional Centers.
Michael Leva, an acclaimed 1980s fashion designer, who was on the cover of the (now defunct) weekly “7 Days” for its “Designers on the Verge” feature, and later a prominent fashion executive, died at 62 on Sept. 14 in Providence, R.I. from heart failure.
Erwin Olaf, a Dutch photographer acclaimed for his portraits of counterculture celebs and Dutch royalty died at 64 on Sept. 20 in Groningen, the Netherlands from complications of a lung transplant.
John F. Benton, 72, who worked in management at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum and other government agencies for more than four decades, died on Sept 20 after a short illness at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington the Blade reported.
Pat Arrowsmith, 93, a British author, anti-war activist and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament co-founder, who worked with Amnesty International, died on Sept. 27 at her North London home.
Rudy Perez, a choreographer and postmodern dance pioneer died at 93 on Sept. 29 from complications of asthma at his Los Angeles home.
Beverly Willis, a trailblazing, acclaimed architect, who advocated for omen striving to break through in the profession, died at 95 on Oct. 1 from complications of Parkinson’s disease at her Branford, Conn., home.
James Jorden, a writer and creator of the high culture, yet punk opera zine-turned-website Parterre Box, died at 69 on Oct. 2. He was found dead at his Sunnyside, Queens home, The New York Times reported.
Terence Davies, 77, a British director whose acclaimed films included “The House of Mirth,” “A Quiet Passion” and “Benediction,” died on Oct. 7, after what his manager said was “a short illness,” at his home in Mistley, Essex in England.
Margot Polivy, a lawyer, champion of women in college sports and a tireless advocate for Title IX, died at 85 on Oct. 7 at her Washington home.
Steven Lutvak, 64, a composer and lyricist whose show “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder” won the Tony Award for best musical, died on Oct. 9 from a pulmonary embolism at his Manhattan work studio.
Eva Kollisch, 98, in her teens, fled Nazi-occupied Austria. Kollisch, who grew up to be a prominent lesbian rights advocate, feminist studies scholar and memoirist, died from a chest infection on Oct. 10 at her Manhattan home.
Jack Anderson, a dance critic for The New York Times for five decades, died at 88 in a New York City hospital from sepsis on Oct. 20.
Amber Hollibaugh, 77, an activist, organizer, author of “My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home” and self-educated public intellectual in the LGBTQ+, feminist, sexual liberation and economic justice movements, died from complications of diabetes on Oct. 20, the Blade reported.
David Del Tredici, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, acclaimed for his pieces that set parts of “Alice in Wonderland” to music, died at 86 from Parkinson’s disease on Nov. 18 at his Greenwich Village home.
Carlton D. Pearson, a pastor who was cast aside by his evangelical megachurch after he said he didn’t believe in hell and began advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, died at 70 on Nov. 19 from cancer in a Tulsa, Okla. hospice. Pearson, whose life story was told in a Netflix movie, moved on from his evangelical church to become a minister with the United Church of Christ, a liberal Christian denomination.
Brandon “RBC” Gordon, 41, a Greenbelt City Council member, who started the Greenbelt Pride festival in 2022, died on Nov. 26. Gordon, who worked to make the community more inclusive, identified as a “transamorous heterosexual man,” The Washington Post, reported.
LGBTQ ally Norman Lear, the TV writer and producer whose TV shows, from “All in the Family” to “Maude,” transformed the culture, died at 101 on Dec. 5 at his Los Angeles home.
a&e features
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars’ cast visits D.C.
8 queens vie for $200,000 prize for charity in new season, premiering May 17
Donning sparkling and star-studded red, white, and blue attire on a gloomy, humid D.C. Monday, the cast of the latest “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season sashayed on the National Mall to promote the reality show’s ninth season.
This upcoming season is different than those in the past — eight queens are competing for a donation of $200,000 for the charity of their choosing, rather than a personal cash prize.
Several cast members noted how it felt important to visit the nation’s capital, being authentically themselves and wearing drag. Nina West, who competed in season 11, likened drag to armor.
“We’re here during a really specific time in history, that’s, I would say, markedly dark,” she told the Blade at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. “And there’s an opportunity, as drag has always done, which is for our community as specifically LGBTQI+ people, to stand in our truth and be wonderful — like guardians and fighters for our community.”
She’s competing for the Trevor Project, which is focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for young LGBTQ people. This season’s pivot to compete for charity made Nina West want to come back on the show for the All Stars season. She’s been offered the spot two times before this, she said, and this twist aligned with what she wanted to do.
Several of the other queens mentioned that it’s an honor to be featured in this season, including season 5’s Roxxxy Andrews. She also competed in two subsequent All-Stars seasons.
She chose the organization Miracle of Love, which provides HIV/AIDS prevention programming and assistance in central Florida. It’s a smaller, more local organization, which is why Roxxxy Andrews chose it. She wants to make its work more nationally known. Also, vying to win during a charity season makes the competition feel more rewarding, she said.
Plastique Tiara of season 11 also noted it’s different competing for charity. She’s competing for the Asian American Foundation, which launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and aims to curb discrimination and violence through education and investments in nonprofits.
“It’s more competitive because then you’re fighting not just only for yourself, but your ideas and the things that you love,” she said.
Vanessa Vanjie of seasons 10 and 11 agreed that competing for charity adds a bit more pressure — she chose the ASPCA. And as onlookers near the Lincoln Memorial took pictures of and with the queens, she said she was relieved.
“I was a little bit worried somebody would yell some slurs at us,” Vanessa Vanjie said. “Nothing happened. Everybody came to take pictures like Santa Claus in the middle of the mall.”
There’s a range of contestants from different seasons for this round of All Stars. Some queens hail from recent seasons, but Shannel competed on the show’s first season. To be a part of this new season is surreal, she said.
She’s competing for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, which she has a close tie to. She’s dealt with anxiety her entire life. The association is focused on increasing awareness and improving diagnosis and treatment.
“I always felt like I just wasn’t normal, sadly,” she said. “And so now being able to be able to do this season and to get back to that organization is like amazing to me.”
Gottmik, from season 13, is competing for Trans Lifeline — a nonprofit providing advocacy, a hotline and grants created by trans people, for trans people. Being able to do drag and give back is the “perfect scenario,” Gottmik said.
Gottmik was the first openly trans man on Drag Race, which was overwhelming when first on the show. Gottmik felt pressure to be the “perfect example,” but later realized that they didn’t have to worry so much.
“I just want to show people that trans people are real people. We can express ourselves however we want to express ourselves, through drag, through whatever it may be,” Gottmik said.
The new season will be available to stream on Paramount+ on May 17.
a&e features
Pride season has begun
LGBTQ parades, festivals to be held throughout region in coming months
LGBTQ Pride festivals, parades and other events have been scheduled in large cities and small towns throughout the region. Pride events around the world culminate in June, but organizers in some municipalities have elected to hold celebrations in other months.
Pride in the region has already begun with last weekend’s Mr., Miss, and Mx. Capital Pride Pageant held at Penn Social as well as Roanoke Pride Festival held in Elmwood Park in Roanoke, Va.
Below is a list of Pride events coming to the region.
MAY
Capital Trans Pride is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (901 G St., N.W.). The website for the event advertises workshops, panel discussions, a keynote address, a resource fair and more. transpridewashingtondc.org
Equality Prince William Pride is scheduled for 12-4 p.m. on May 18 at the Harris Pavilion (9201 Center St.) in historic downtown Manassas, Va. equalityprincewilliam.org
D.C. Black Pride holds events throughout the city May 24-27. Highlights include an opening reception, dance parties and a community festival at Fort Dupont Park. The Westin Washington, DC Downtown (999 9th St., N.W.) is the host hotel, with several events scheduled there. dcblackpride.org
NOVA Pride and Safe Space NOVA will hold NOVA Pride Prom from 7-11 p.m. on May 31 at Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Va. The event is open to all high school students throughout the region, regardless of identity, from rising ninth grade students to graduating seniors. novapride.org
Capital Pride Honors will be held on May 31. The Capital Pride Alliance has announced on its website that nominations are open for awardees. The Honors celebrates excellence in the LGBTQ community and its allies. capitalpride.org
JUNE
Downtown Sykesville Connection is sponsoring Sykesville Pride Day in downtown Sykesville, Md. on June 1 from 12-4 p.m. downtownsykesville.com
Reston Pride will be held at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, Va. on June 1 from 12-6 p.m. restonpride.org
Fairfax Pride, hosted by the City of Fairfax and George Mason University, will be held at Old Town Hall (3999 University Drive, Fairfax, Va.) on June 1 from 5-7 p.m. The event will include children’s activities and more. fairfaxva.gov
OEC Pride celebrates Pride with “art, dance, education, and fun” in Old Ellicott City. The OEC Pride Festival is held along Main Street in Ellicott City, Md. on June 1 from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. visitoldellicottcity.com
Annapolis Pride has consistently drawn a giant crowd for a parade and festival in the quaint downtown of the Maryland capital. “The Voice” star L. Rodgers has been announced to headline the 2024 festival. The parade and festival will be held on June 1. annapolispride.org
The Alexandria LGBTQ+ Task Force Alexandria Pride is scheduled to be held at Alexandria City Hall from 3 – 6 p.m. on June 1 in Alexandria, Va. alexandriava.gov
The Portsmouth Pride Fest will be held at Festival Park adjacent to the Atlantic-Union Bank Pavilion in Portsmouth, Va. on June 1 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. portsmouthprideva.com
The Delaware Pride Festival is a free event scheduled for June 1 at Legislative Hall in Dover, Del. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.The event is billed as family friendly and open to people of all ages and sexual orientations. delawarepride.org
The City of Rockville is hosting Rockville Pride at Rockville Town Square (131 Gibbs St., Rockville, Md.) from 2-5 p.m. on June 2. The free event features live performances, information booths, and children’s activities. rockvillemd.gov
Equality Loudoun is hosting the ticketed Loudoun Pride Festival from 1-7 p.m. on June 2 at Claude Moore Park in Sterling, Va. The event features three stages, a “#Dragstravaganza,” a kid’s zone, an alcohol pavilion, a food hall and more. Tickets $5. eqloco.com
Culpepper Pride is slated to be held at Mountain Run Winery in Culpepper, Va. from 12-6 p.m. on June 2. The theme this year is “True Colors.” culpeperpride.org
The Southwest Virginia Pride Cookout Community Social is planned for 2 p.m. at the Charles R. Hill Senior Center in Vinton, Va. on June 2. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Capital Pride kicks off with the RIOT! Opening Party at Echostage starting at 9 p.m. on June 7. Tickets run from $27-$50 and can be purchased on the Capital Pride website. The event is set to feature Sapphire Cristál. capitalpride.org
Pride events continue over the weekend of June 8-9 in the nation’s capital with the Capital Pride Block Party featuring performers and a beverage garden, the massive Capital Pride Parade, Flashback: A totally Radical Tea Dance to be held at the end of the parade route, and the Capital Pride Festival and Concert. Visit capitalpride.org for more information. Other Pride events planned for the weekend in D.C. include a number of parties and the unforgettable (and free) Pride on the Pier & Fireworks Show at the Wharf sponsored by the Washington Blade from 2-10 p.m. prideonthepierdc.com
Pride in the ‘Peake will be held at Summit Pointe (580 Belaire Ave.) in Chesapeake, Va. on June 9 from 12-5 p.m. The family-focused Pride event does not serve alcohol, but will feature community organizations, food trucks and more in a street festival. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Celebrate with a drag show, dancing and a lot of wine at Two Twisted Posts Winery in Purcellville, Va. for a Pride Party from 2-5 p.m. on June 15. twotwistedposts.com
Baltimore Pride holds one of the largest Pride parades in the region on June 15 in Baltimore. (2418 Saint Paul St.). The parade concludes with a block party and festival. Pride events are scheduled from June 14-16. baltimorepride.org
The fourth annual Catonsville Pride Fest will be held at the Catonsville Presbyterian Church (1400 Frederick Rd.) in Catonsville, Md. on June 15 from 3-6 p.m. The event features a High Heel Race, pony rides, face painting, local cuisine and more. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
The Ghent Business District Palace Shops have announced a Ghent Pride event from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on June 17 at the Palace Shops and Station (301 W 21st Street) in Norfolk, Va. ghentnorfolk.org
An event dedicated to celebrating the elders in the LGBTQ community, Silver Pride is scheduled for June 20 at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Location and more information to be announced soon. capitalpride.org
Visit the Hampton Roads PrideFest and Boat Parade for a truly unique Pride experience along the Elizabeth River. The full day of entertainment, education and celebration will be held on June 22 from 12-7 p.m. at Town Point Park (113 Waterside Dr.) in Norfolk, Va. hamptonroadspride.org
Frederick, Md. will hold its annual Frederick Pride Festival at Carroll Creek Linear Park on June 22 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Entertainers include CoCo Montrese of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” frederickpride.org
The fourth annual Pride at the Beach is scheduled for 2-10 p.m. on June 23 at Neptune’s Park (3001 Atlantic Ave.) in Virginia Beach, Va. The event features entertainment, community vendors, beachside DJ sets, food trucks and offers a “perfect conclusion to an unforgettable Pride weekend.” hamptonroadspride.org
Winchester Pride will hold its Mx. Winchester Pride Pageant at 15 N. Loudoun St. in Winchester, Va. on June 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door. winchesterpride.com
The organizers of last year’s inaugural Ocean City Pride with a “parade” along the boardwalk in Ocean City, Md. have announced that they will be organizing a return this year with events from June 28-30. instagram.com
The third annual Arlington Pride Festival will be held at Long Bridge Park at National Landing (475 Long Bridge Dr.) in Arlington, Va. on June 29 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. arlvapride.com
FXBG Pride is holding its annual community Fredericksburg Pride March on June 29 from 10-11 a.m. at Riverfront Park (705 Sophia St.) in Fredericksburg, Va. Speeches begin at 10 a.m. and the procession starts at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Salisbury Pride “90’s Edition” is scheduled for 3 – 7 p.m. on June 29 in Downtown Salisbury, Md. Magnolia Applebottom is listed as the headliner and grand marshal. salisburyprideparade.com
The 2024 Suffolk Pride Festival is scheduled for Bennett’s Creek Park in Suffolk, Va. on June 30 from 12-7 p.m. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.
Expect music, entertainment and drag performances in the picturesque mountain town of Cumberland, Md. at the Cumberland Pride Festival on June 30 from 12-4 p.m. at Canal Place. cumberlandpride.org
Montgomery County’s annual Pride in the Plaza will be held on June 30 from 12-8 p.m. at Veterans Plaza (1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, Md. liveinyourtruth.org
JULY
The sixth annual Westminster Pride Festival is scheduled for downtown Westminster, Md. on July 13 from 12-6 p.m. westminsterpride.org
Hagerstown Hopes is holding its annual Hagerstown Pride Festival in Doubs Woods Park (1307 Maryland Ave.) in Hagerstown, Md. on July 13 at 11 a.m. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.
The Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival will be held on July 20 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with other Sussex Pride events scheduled throughout the weekend of July 18-21. sussexpride.org
Us Giving Us Richmond hosts Black Pride RVA in Richmond, Va. with events on July 19-21. ugrcrva.org
a&e features
Eastern Shore chef named James Beard Finalist
Harley Peet creates inventive food in an inclusive space
In a small Eastern Shore town filled with boutiques, galleries, and the occasional cry of waterfowl from the Chesapeake, Chef Harley Peet is most at home. In his Viennese-inflected, Maryland-sourced fine-dining destination Bas Rouge, Peet draws from his Northern Michigan upbringing, Culinary Institute of America education, and identity as a gay man, for inspiration.
And recently, Peet was named a James Beard Finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic – the first “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” finalist representing the Eastern Shore.
Peet, after graduation from the Culinary Institute of America, took a position as sous chef at Tilghman Island Inn, not far from Bas Rouge. Falling in love with the Eastern Shore, he continued his passion for racing sailboats, boating, gardening, and fishing, and living his somewhat pastoral life as he opened Bas Rouge in 2016 as head chef, a restaurant part of the Bluepoint Hospitality group, which runs more than a dozen concepts in and around Easton, Md.
Coming from a rural area and being gay, Peet knew he had his work cut out for him. He was always aware that the service and hospitality industry “can be down and dirty and rough.”
Now as a leader in the kitchen, he aims to “set a good example, and treat people how I want to be treated. I also want to make sure if you’re at our establishment, I’m the first to stand up and say something.”
The Bas Rouge cuisine, he says, is Contemporary European. “I’m inspired by old-world techniques of countries like Austria, Germany, and France, but I love putting a new spin on classic dishes and finding innovative ways to incorporate the bounty of local Chesapeake ingredients.”
His proudest dish: the humble-yet-elevated Wiener Schnitzel. “It is authentic to what one would expect to find in Vienna, down to the Lingonberries.” From his in-house bakery, Peet dries and grinds the housemade Kaiser-Semmel bread to use as the breadcrumbs.
Peet works to support the LGBTQ community inside and outside of the kitchen. “I love that our Bluepoint Hospitality team has created welcoming spaces where our patrons feel comfortable dining at each of our establishments. Our staff have a genuine respect for one another and work together free of judgment.”
Representing Bluepoint, Peet has participated in events like Chefs for Equality with the Human Rights Campaign, advocating for LGBTQ rights.
At Bas Rouge, Peet brings together his passion for inclusion steeped in a sustainability ethic. He sees environmental stewardship as a way of life. Peet and his husband have lived and worked on their own organic farm for several years. Through research in Europe, he learned about international marine sourcing. Witnessing the impacts of overfishing, Peet considers his own role in promoting eco-friendly practices at Bas Rouge. To that end, he ensures responsible sourcing commitments through his purveyors, relationships that have helped create significant change in how people dine in Easton.
“I have built great relationships in the community and there’s nothing better than one of our long-standing purveyors stopping in with a cooler of fresh fish from the Chesapeake Bay. This goes especially for catching and plating the invasive blue catfish species, which helps control the species’ threat to the local ecosystem.
Through his kitchen exploits, Peet expressed a unique connection to another gay icon in a rural fine-dining restaurant: Patrick O’Connell, of three Michelin starred Inn at Little Washington. In fact, Peet’s husband helped design some of O’Connell’s kitchen spaces. They’ve both been able to navigate treacherous restaurant-industry waters, and have come out triumphant and celebrated. Of O’Connell, Peet says that he “sees [his restaurants] as canvas, all artistry, he sees this as every night is a show.” But at the same time, his “judgment-free space makes him a role model.”
Being in Easton itself is not without challenges. Sourcing is a challenge, having to either fly or ship in ingredients, whereas urban restaurants have the benefit of trucking, he says. The small town “is romantic and charming,” but logistics are difficult – one of the reasons that Peet ensures his team is diverse, building in different viewpoints, and also “making things a hell of a lot more fun.”
Reflecting on challenges and finding (and creating) space on the Eastern Shore, Peet confirmed how important it was to surround himself with people who set a good example, and “if you don’t like the way something is going … move on.”
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