Halloween isn’t until next Thursday, but venues around town are already getting in the spirit of the spookiest season of the year.
Certainly, any spooky savant should be hellbent on making it to the 9:30 Club this Saturday, Oct. 26, for the very last BENT. “See You in HellBENT” will be hosted by Pussy Noir, who will perform along with queens from the haus of bambi and Ana Latour. Music by DJs The Barber Streisand, Samson, and the party’s founder Lemz. Doors at 10 p.m. Tickets are $25. Call 202-365-0930 or visit www.930.com.
Queer scaremongers, so to speak, can also get spirited Saturday at Trade with its Monster Mash hosted by Vagenesis and Jane Saw and featuring music by Strikestone, plus a costume contest with a grand prize of $500 at midnight. The party starts at 10 p.m. Trade Bar DC, 1410 14th St. NW. Call 202-986-1094 or visit tradebardc.com.
The same night finds a costume contest with a $400 bar tab for the winner at Shakers, along with a drag show featuring scream queens Desiree Dik, Brita Filter, Mari Con Carne, and special guest Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, hosted by Crystal Edge and Tatianna, plus music by Alex Love aka #TheDJThatSings. Starting at 10 p.m., with a meet-and-greet at 9 p.m. Shakers, 2014 9th St. NW. Visit www.shakersdc.com.
Two blocks down at DC9 is the Halloween-themed three-year anniversary of Dance Club, “a LGBTQ- & BIPOC-positive event celebrating Washington, D.C.’s unique sounds and robust, experienced dance floors.” The party features resident DJs Joyce Lim, Tommy C, and Baronhawk Poitier, lights by Artemis, and will introduce as host Shelby Jones. The party starts at 11 p.m. DC9, 1940 9th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $25. Visit www.dc9.club.
The Green Lantern ensures die-hard holiday devotees have an extra-spooky reason to go out the next night as well, Sunday, Oct. 27, with its Hardcore Halloween 4 event featuring music by DJ Darryl Strickland and a costume contest starting at 11:30 p.m. and offering $500 cash for the winner. Festivities get going upstairs at 10 p.m. with an hour-long session of “Shirtless Men Drink Free.” You can partake in Karaoke with Kevin starting at 9:30 p.m. downstairs. And, of course, early birds can enjoy Happy Hour drinks downstairs for four long hours starting at 4 p.m. Regardless of when you get going, everyone can enjoy no cover all night long. Green Lantern, 1335 Green Ct. NW. Call 202-347-4533 or visit www.greenlanterndc.com.
Two days before the holiday this year is when thousands of spectators will crowd 17th Street to watch dozens of folks run in heels. The 37th Annual High Heel Race, presented by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Mayor’s Office for LGBTQ+ Affairs, steps off Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 9 p.m., but the festivities commence after the closing of 17th Street between P and S Streets by 6 p.m., with race check-in for participants at 7:30 p.m.
After the race, you can wander over to JR.’s, where DJ Jason Royce spins his weekly dose of late-20th-century pop hits a la his decades-old party Flash Back. JR.’s Bar, 1519 17th St. NW. Visit www.facebook.com/JRsBarDC.
For a suburban alternative to the race, you could enjoy a special Halloween Edition of Trivia at Freddie’s Beach Bar with games and a costume contest with show hosts Bri and Holly Ann, starting at 7 p.m. Freddie’s Beach Bar, 555 23rd St. S, Arlington, Va. Call 703-685-0555 or visit www.freddiesbeachbar.com.
Come the actual holiday, Thursday, Oct. 31, Thurst presents “Twisted Fantasy: A Halloween Party” with sounds by TRYFE starting at 9 p.m., plus a costume contest where the “winner gets a prize.” No word on what that prize is, exactly. Doors open at 5 p.m., with no cover all night. Thurst Lounge, 2204 14th St. NW. Call 202-478-6717 or visit www.thurstlounge.com.
Wunder Garten brews up “Down the Witches’ Road,” a free Halloween party full of “wicked music, eerie decorations, and chilling surprises.” Costume contest at 10 p.m. Wunder Garten, 1101 1st St. NE. Visit www.wundergartendc.com.
Nellie’s presents a costume contest at midnight offering a $300 grand prize, plus gift cards to the runners-up, and a DJ party presented by Xavier Entertainment starting at 10 p.m. Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St. NW. Visit www.nelliessportsbar.com.
Bunker offers a no-cover “Ball-O-Ween Extravaganza,” featuring “electrifying music and eerie vibes [plus] spine-tingling beats” by DJ Miscalculated. Party at 10 p.m. Bunker DC, 2001 14th St. NW. Visit www.bunkerdc.com.
Finally, The B-52’s, the queer ’80s hitmakers, return to The Anthem for a special “Halloween Dance Party.” Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Anthem, 901 Wharf St. SW. Tickets are $95. Call 202-888-0020 or visit www.theanthemdc.com.
The fall looks primed to be a strong season of concerts by -- and appealing to -- the LGBTQ community. Among the highlights in the category of the well-known, consider Andy Bell (Lincoln), Jane Lynch (Strathmore), Renee Rapp (Merriweather), DOECHII (Anthem), and of course All Things Go (Merriweather). In the category of merely appealing, not gay per se, consider The Queens (Capital One Arena), Deborah Cox (Bethesda Theater), and Judith Hill (The Hamilton).
That barely scratches the surface. There's a lot of new -- or perhaps new to you -- queer artists out there, just waiting for you get into them including Katie Pruitt (Union Station, Rams Head), Rio Romeo (Songbyrd), Aaron Lee Tasjan (Jammin Java), Dixon Dallas (Union Stage).
If you need relief from these stressful and angst-ridden times, you're sure to find something to salve your soul in this section. If you crave a good laugh attack, for starters, look to the "Because They're Funny Comedy Festival," or seek out specific comedians and eccentrics known to get the job done, be it John Waters or Paula Poundstone (both coming to the Birchmere), or Jessica Kirson or Margaret Cho (coming to the Warner), or Leslie Jones, who will be at The Clarice later this winter. To name only five.
Of course, if you'd prefer to get serious and really contemplate and converse about our woeful state of affairs, you'll find plenty of ways to do that, as well. Start by consulting the lineup of noted authors coming to local bookstores and even a certain historic synagogue.
The strangest thing Pixie Windsor ever sold was a stuffed cat.
“I was like, oh, my god, I can't believe I sold a dead cat,” laughs the longtime proprietor of Miss Pixie’s Furnishings & Whatnot. “But it was early on, when I wanted to be just as weird as I could possibly be. Selling that cat -- I mean, that guy moved to New York, and every once in a while he’ll send me a picture. He goes, ‘Fred is still around.’ I think his story was he always wanted a pet but didn’t want to have to take care of it, so there you go!”
Pixie adds she also “sold the big taxidermied groundhog that they used for the Groundhog Day celebration at Dupont Circle.” She has long since moved away from selling stuffed animals at her antique store, known for its eclectic tchotchkes, offbeat art, and gorgeous vintage furniture sourced from regional auctions and estate sales.
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