A couple times each year, Phila-delphia’s LGBT community is bombarded with a huge selection of special events, promotions and diversions. Usually taking place during the spring and fall seasons, our social scene transitions (please excuse the environmental metaphor) from tundra to rainforest within a matter of days. So after a few months with limited innovative events on the calendar, Philly’s in the midst of a social explosion. And with a deluge of options in the next two weeks, I’m sacrificing style for volume and efficiency. I hope you find the following events exciting and interesting.
— This evening (March 27) from 7-9 at The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., the University of Pennsylvania’s Queer Student Alliance is holding its third annual drag benefit show, “All That Drag.” It’s a recession-proof event with admission priced reasonably at $5 (presale) or $7 (at the door). Proceeds equally benefit Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutritional Alliance and the Vivek A. Patel Foundation. Check out the Queer Student Alliance on Facebook for more information.
— Tomorrow (March 28) marks the return of “Lassos and Lariats” at Pure Nightclub, 1221 St. James St., from 4-11 p.m. It’s the 14th year for what has become one of the city’s most popular charitable events. A celebration of country-dance styles, “Lassos and Lariats” will feature performances by The DC Cowboys and The Manhattan Prairie Dogs. If you have a thing for tight jeans, 10-gallon hats and cowboy boots, then you’ll be in heaven. Admission is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Proceeds from ticket sales, as well as the 50/50 drawing and raffle baskets, benefit the The Attic Youth Center and the AIDS Coalition of Southern New Jersey. Visit www.lassoandlariats.com to purchase advance tickets.
— If you’re into ballet and lyrical dance instead of two-stepping, don’t sit at home alone tomorrow night. The gays will be out in droves for the 17th annual performance of “Shut Up and Dance.” Kicking off at 8 p.m., this one-night-only celebration features a range of special performances by members of the Pennsylvania Ballet and is hosted by WXPN’s Michaela Majoun. Advance tickets range from $50-$100, which may be a bit pricey for some of us, but “Shut Up and Dance” is worth the investment. First off, the proceeds benefit MANNA. Second, the dancers and choreographers present jaw-dropping performances that keep people talking for months. Lastly, there’s the after-party, “Shout with Sole,” at SoleFood Restaurant in the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, 1200 Market St. Get more info and tickets atwww.mannapa.org or by calling (215) 496-2662 ext. 136.
— For those of us who have fallen in love with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on the Logo Network, there’s a great chance to catch some real-life queens up close and personal. Tomorrow at the Memorial Hall, Christiana Fire Company, 2 E. Main St., Christiana, Del., is the Miss Gay Delaware America 2009 competition. The winner will represent Delaware in the Miss Gay America Pageant, so expect contestants to pull out all the stops, and maybe even a competitor’s weave. Visit www.missgaydelawareamerica.com for all the dirty details.
— Though it’s scheduled on April Fool’s Day, The Fags and Hags Comedy Show, 10 p.m. April 1 at Stir, 1705 Chancellor St., is no joke. Host Katie Kohler welcomes queer comedians Neil McGarry, Joanne Filan and Janice Kamalski. I’m so glad one of our local bars is embracing stand-up as an alternative to traditional nightclub entertainment. Cover is only $5, and more details are available on www.stirphilly.com.
Before I sign off for the week, I want to leave you with a quick reminder that Mr. Gay Philadelphia 2009 is coming up on April 18 at Pure. We’ve already secured many celebrity judges and a number of amazing contestants from prelims held at Bump Lounge, Woody’s, Pure and Shampoo. In the next couple of weeks, we’ll pick representatives from Stir (10 p.m. March 28), 101 (7 p.m. March 29) and Tavern on Camac (8 p.m. April 2). Anyone interested in vying for the title on April 18 is encouraged to participate in one of the remaining preliminary contests. If your schedule doesn’t permit and you’d like to compete in the main event, contact me.
Despite all the ground covered in this column, I’d be remiss not to thank everyone who attended Nightlifegay.com’s Pink Pub Crawl last Saturday. I’m already strategizing for the next Pink Pub Crawl, which will likely take place on Thanksgiving Eve. I plan for this twice-yearly promotion to become a Philly staple, and I sincerely thank all of you who helped put it on the map.
’Til next time, get offline and see what your community has to offer!
If you have comments or information on upcoming events, e-mail [email protected], reference Offline.