Nightlife Highlights: Ziegfeld’s/Secrets anniversary, RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing parties, and more!
Our picks of the best LGBTQ nightlife in the D.C. area this week!
ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS ANNIVERSARY
It has now been one decade and one year since Ziegfeld’s/Secrets reopened in its current large, two-story complex on the outskirts of Southwest, with the Ladies of Illusion downstairs and fully exposed go-go boys upstairs. This Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, Feb. 29, the entertainment complex will toast “over 40 years of fun and drag” with special shows and guests joining the house’s grand dame Ella Fitzgerald, drink specials, and music by DJ Steve Henderson. Ziegfeld’s/Secrets is at 1024 Half St. SW. Call 202-863-0607 or visit www.secretsdc.com.
RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE VIEWING PARTIES
Several local queens will once again battle it out for the title of D.C.’s Best Host for a Reality Show Viewing Party starting this Friday, Feb. 28, and continuing at 8 p.m. every Friday into Pride season. The show in question is RuPaul’s Drag Race, the Emmy-winning hit VH1 show preparing to hoist 13 more queens on a suspecting America via its 12th Season. There’s a viewing party on the boards at just about every gay and LGBTQ-popular bar in town — including Nellie’s, which hasn’t announced a hostess yet, but is serving $6 Absolut cocktails till 10 p.m. — and it’s great fun to watch and wash it down with a local diva or two. The DC Eagle has Brooklyn Heights and Crystal Edge, additional guest stars each week, plus free pizza and hot dogs and $5 Stoli mixed drinks. Pussy Noir co-host Trade‘s coverage alongside porn star Boomer Banks for a night of games, lewks, gawks, and the “usual antics,” including music by Wess the DJ and XL Happy Hour drink prices until 10 p.m.
Goldie Grigio hosts at 18th & U Duplex Diner and then performs along with special guest Mia Vanderbilt. KC B. Yoncé is on the mic upstairs at Number Nine, which offers its 2-4-1 Happy Hour until 9 p.m. Desiree Dik helms the Red Bear Brewing Co., where this week’s premiere will be followed by the monthly Slay Them! Drag Performing Competition. Meanwhile, CAKE may take the proverbial cake at Pitchers by hosting and giving away prizes and surprises all while guests eat, drink, and watch the show from 14 TVs on three different levels of the bar. For contact information and links, visit www.metroweekly.com/nightlife.
CTRL: QWERTY: ALL BLACK EVERYTHING
The last Saturday of the month at Trade, DJs Adam Koussari-Amin, Dvonne, and Jeff Prior spin vogue house, “queerstep,” and other harder pop/EDM-focused tunes than the average gay party. And in honor of February as Black History Month, they’re taking the leap this Saturday, Feb. 29, to throw a party with music spun by Dvonne B2B with special guest Natty Boom of the Anthology of Booty collective, plus a performance by the Drag King Boi Band featuring Roman Noodle, Zillionaire, and Majic Dyke. The party, for everyone 21 and up, starts at 10 p.m. Trade is at 1410 14th St. NW. No cover. Call 202-986-1094 or visit www.tradebardc.com.
FLASHY SUNDAZE
This Sunday, March 1, the team behind the popular holiday-weekend party Flashy Sundays hosts another non-holiday, non-late-night bash — essentially, a tea dance — and all for free. Starting at 4 p.m., DJs TWiN and Sean Morris will take to the decks on the club’s rooftop level, where they’ll wind down the weekend and send it out with a bang. They’ll keep things spinning fast and, well, flashy, until 10 p.m. Flash is at 645 Florida Ave. NW. No Cover. Call 202-827-8791 or visit www.facebook.com/flashydc.
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