Gay Place: All Thumbs

Not unlike SF's 2013 GaymerX convention, Texas' HavenCon aims to create a soft cushy nest of welcoming comfort for gay fans of the game. The safe gaymer haven happens all weekend at the Holiday Inn Midtown.

ON OUR GAYDAR

Show Tunes Happy Hour OK, Ethel Merman, here's your lucky break. Third Thursdays, 5-9pm. Rain on 4th, 217 W. Fourth. Free. www.fb.com/rainon4th.

Gina Chavez Day Yes! An entire day for Austin Music Awards Musician of the Year (and "Gay Place" fave). Thu., April 2, 5:30pm. Austin City Hall, 301 W. Second. Streamable live, online; Time Warner Cable and Grande Comm channel 6; AT&T U'verse, channel 99. Free. www.atxn.tv, www.ginachavez.com.

Any One of Us: Words from Prison Orange is the new awful ... or redemptive? Play written by more than 50 incarcerated/formerly incarcerated women in the U.S. Benefits Conspire Theatre & Empower Art. Thu.-Sat., April 2-4, 7:30pm. Dougherty Arts Center, 1110 Barton Springs Rd. $10. www.fb.com/conspiretheatre.

Patrice Pike Take a hike, and see the Pike. Thursdays, 8-10pm. Saxon Pub, 1320 S. Lamar. www.fb.com/patricepikeband.

Stripper Circus Go ahead. Step right up, and hum "I'm in Love With a Stripper" all the way home. Thursdays, 10pm-3am. Oilcan Harry's, 211 W. Fourth.

Free HIV/STD Testing Keep it clean, fellas! Stay safe. Play safe. Tuesdays, 1-4pm & 8-11pm & Fridays 1-4pm. Midtowne Spa, 5815 Airport, 512/302-9696. www.midtowne.com.

First Friday Ladies' Night It's the first First Friday of the year! Lesbutante & the Boss present this Warehouse District eve for the grrrlz. First Fridays, 9pm-1am. Highland Lounge, 404 Colorado. www.fb.com/thelesbutanteandtheboss.

BAILE ESTA CUMBIA SELENA TRIBUTE Cumbia beats courtesy of ILIMA and Selena trivia and activities with Treasure City sweetie Raquel R. Fri., April 3, 5-9pm. Los Comales, 2136 E. Seventh. Free and open to the public. All ages.

HavenCon Hey gaymer geeks, here's your safe haven. Come together for gaming and to schmooze with industry professionals and local talent. All ages welcome. Children 10 and under get in free (under 18 must be accompanied by an adult). Portion of proceeds benefit Out Youth. Sat.-Sun., April 4-5, 10am-6pm. Holiday Inn Austin Midtown, 6000 Middle Fiskville, 512/451-5757. $25 per day (discounts for under 18 and multiday). www.havencontx.com.

DJ C-Rail's Beargasm: Bunny Basket D'awwww! Look what's in that basket! Cuuuuute! Oh, shizzzz, those aren't EGGS!!! This is also an Easter goodie drive for kids, so keep it clean and bring new plastic eggs, bags of wrapped candies/goodies, pre-filled baskets, etc., to benefit a local school. Sat., April 4, 10pm-2am. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth.

Pack the Saxon for Ginger Do it for Ginger Leigh Band. Do it! Sat., April 4, 10pm. Saxon Pub, 1320 S. Lamar. www.fb.com/gingerleighaustin.

Stonewall Comedy w/ Jade Esteban Estrada With Maggie Chriss and Clayton Blackstone. Sat., April 4, 10pm. Stonewall Warehouse, 141 E. Hopkins, San Marcos, 866/620-6667. $10, $7 in advance. www.stonewallwarehouse.com, www.getjaded.com.

Easter Circus Big Dipper, Netherfriends, and many more bunny it up to benefit Equality Texas. Sun., April 5, 2pm-2am. Maggie Mae's, 323 E. Sixth.

Art Erotica Pre-Party The Octopusssies hope to get you all warmed up for the big event coming next weekend. Sun., April 5, 6-8pm. Rain on 4th, 217 W. Fourth. [email protected], www.octopusclub.org.

Babtist Women: GospelFest It's their 28th annual. That's the same number of support hose those babes go through in one show. Show your support. Praise the lard, and pass the geriatricians! Sun., April 5, 7pm. Bout Time II, 6607 N. I-35. $5. www.babtistwomen.com.

Super Sunday Divas w/ Trixie Mattel Ru queen Trixie joins the gang at Super Sunday Divas. Sun., April 5, 9pm-2am. Oilcan Harry's, 211 W. Fourth, 512/320-8823. Free. [email protected], www.trixiemattel.com.

Planet Fabulous Karaoke Karaoke's grand dame is back. Sundays, 9pm. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth. Free.

Swans Featuring Paul Walfisch on keyboards. Mon., April 6, 9pm. Parish, 214 E. Sixth.

TuezGayz Dependably fruitastic: Austin's legendary weekly weekday gay night on Red River. Tuesdays, 9pm. Barbarella, 615 Red River. www.fb.com/barbarellaatx.

Gearaoke Don we now our gayest leather, pick a song, and sing! Joe Stacy hosts. Tuesdays. Chain Drive, 84 East Ave. Free. www.fb.com/chaindriveatx.

Stonewall Democrats Happy Hour Mix and mingle with the Dems and other politically curious creatures. Second Wednesdays, 6-8:30pm. Brass House, 115-B San Jacinto www.stonewallaustin.org.

THE Austin International Poetry Festival The meeting of the minds, words, and stanzas, in a variety of local venues, and featuring special guest, the most brilliant Nikki Giovanni on April 11. Thu.-Sun. April 9-12. Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez. $20-60. www.aipf.org.

Bobcat Pride's 5th B-day Bash Come celebrate Bobcat diversity at Texas State University and wish Bobcat Pride a happy five years with one complimentary cocktail, yummy nosh from the Root Cellar, and birthday cake from Pennington's. Thu., April 9, 5-8pm. Stonewall Warehouse, 141 E. Hopkins, San Marcos, 866/620-6667. $10 donation. www.bobcatpridescholarship.com/donate.htm.

PFLAG South Monthly Meeting Family is nice; allied family is love. PFLAG represents the best of our community. Second Thursdays, 6:30-9pm. Faith Presbyterian Church, 1314 E. Oltorf, 512/444-1314. Free.

HO-RIZON

FIESTA DE LA FLOR The Selena festival we've been waiting for (two decades, actually), with enough Grammy winners to be heard in heaven. Fri.-Sat., April 17-18. Corpus Christi. $5, seriously, $5; $2 ages 5-12; under 5 are free. www.fiestadelaflor.com.

Texas' Largest Gay Beach Party: Splash-SPI Head to the (almost) border for Texas' annual big gay beach bash: Splash, featuring guest of honor Lance Bass at Splash's HQ, Louie's Back Yard. Thu.-Sun., April 23-26. South Padre Island, Texas, 956/761-7711. www.splashsouthpadre.com.

Austin International Drag Festival Three days of dolled-up diva-inity featuring some of the jiggliest names in the biz. Keep checking the URL for updates. Fri.-Sun., May 1-3. A variety of Downtown venues. $99-198. www.austindragfest.org.