Gay Place

Founder and artistic director of OUTsider Fest, Curran Nault (Photo by Masashi Niwano)

Last night, the third annual OUTsider Fest "Into the Wilds" kicked off in glittery glory. As the first fully funded sans crowdsourcing year, this international multimedia queer arts festival isn't pausing to pat itself on the back. Instead, they're retreating to the woods to build a bigger and queerer resistance. Curran Nault, OUTsider's founder and artistic director, chose the woodsy theme intentionally. For him, nature is a place to gather, collaborate, and "emerge ready to fight," he told the Chronicle earlier this week. As for the importance of LGBTQ community in today's world, Asher Ford, the festival's PR director, said, "Being queer has always been about much more than who we sleep with – I can't think of a better way to see the kaleidoscope of queer existence." From witchy gender benders to transgender icon Sandy Stone – and an array of national and international artists – OUTsider creates an empowering space to nurture and strengthen our gorgeous community. Ford said it best: Because #TheResistance is about more than queer survival, it's also about queer life. (See austinchronicle.com for more coverage.)

GAYDAR

OUTSider Festival OUTsider, the queerest art fest in the U.S., invites you to get wild and embrace nature. See website for full sched. Through Feb. 19. The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd., 512/478-5282. $40-75. www.outsiderfest.org.

OUTsider: Conference(s) on the Couch Badge holders are invited to attend morning artists' dialogues. See website for details. Thu.: Into the Wilds of Art Activism. Fri.: "The Empire Strikes Back" 30th anniversary with Sandy Stone. Sat.: Taking the Temp of Queer Publishing. Thu.-Sat., Feb. 16-18. OUThouse, 3702 Robinson. www.outsiderfest.org.

Moonlight Screening Catch Moonlight tonight! The critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated, QPOC film plays at 6 and 9pm. Star (and UT alum) Trevante Rhodes gives a "fireside chat" between screenings. Thu., Feb. 16, 6-11pm. Hogg Auditorium, West 24th & Whitis, UT campus, 512/475-7964. www.utcee.org.

Queerbomb Organizational Meeting Queerbomb: making queer dreams come true. Be part of the planning and create some magic. Every other Thursday 'til June. Q Austin, 2906 Medical Arts, 512/420-8557. www.fb.com/qbatx.

Devendra Banhart With Saakred Queer musician and recent Austin transplant Saakred opens for LGBTQ ally Devendra. Thu., Feb. 16, 8pm. Emo's, 2015 E. Riverside, 888/512-7469. $25. www.saakred.com.

Die Felicia Presents My Bloody Valentine "Roses are red/ Violets are blue/ This Valentine's Day/ Will be bloody for you!" Louisianna Purchase and Zane Zena screen the film, present the drag, and give out prizes. 18 and up welcome. Thu., Feb. 16, 9pm. Elysium, 705 Red River, 512/478-8385. $5. www.fb.com/diefelicia.

OUTsider: Witch Camp Amber Martin and Nath Ann Carrera lead a witchy journey with special guest seer Paul Soileau. Thu., Feb. 16, 10pm. The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd., 512/478-5282. $10-75. www.outsiderfest.org.

OUTsider: Shaboom!! Too Release some queer art fire at the afterparty to end all afterparties. These OUTsider peeps aren't clowning around ... or are they? Fri. & Sat., Feb. 17 & 18. Location TBA. www.outsiderfest.org.

OUTsider: Greetings, From Queer Mountain Micheal Foulk and Ralphie Hardesty host a special OUTsider edition with Sweet Gwendolyn, Jesus Valles, and more! Sat., Feb. 18, 8-11pm. The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd., 512/478-5282. $10-75. www.outsiderfest.org.

Happy Seventh Birthday, Cheer Ups! Say HBD to our fave alt-queer bar with ATX's gayest music makers Mouthfeel, GirlFriend, and Cap'n Tits. Shows by Intertia & Kinetic Menrgy, Ruby Knight, and more. Sat., Feb. 18, 10pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River, 512/431-2133. Free. www.cheerupcharlies.com.

Tying People to Objects Jake Wing returns with another class on rope bondage. We're talkin' tying consenting partners to chairs, stairs, trees, pillars, etc. Be prepared: This class is considered hands-on. Sun., Feb. 19, 6:30pm. Q Toys, 6800 Burnet Rd., 512/772-1614. $15. www.partywithqtoys.com.

Hospital Ships, Sun June, & Cowboy Crisis A chill Monday night with music brought to you by the Nothing Song. Mon., Feb. 20, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River, 512/431-2133. Free.

LGBTQ SXSW Community Meetup The peeps of SXSW are gearing up for the Fest and they want the queers to know they care. Swing by their LGBTQmmunity meetup, network, chillax, and collaborate. Tue., Feb. 21, 6:30-8:30pm. Dropbox Austin, 501 Congress, fifth floor. Free. www.sxsw.com.

Greetings, From Queer Mountain Ep. 46: Love/Hate Awards 2017 is already vying for Biggest Dumpster Fire, but Queer Mountain storytellers wanna focus on the fighters. An awards show of sorts to honor the good and the bad. Wed., Feb. 22, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River, 512/431-2133. Free. www.fb.com/greetingsfromqueermountain.

Noche Latina Go "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" to the very best of Latin pop, brought to you by DJ Robert Michael and the Boys of ATX. Wednesdays. Highland Lounge, 404 Colorado, 512/649-1212. Free. www.highlandlounge.com.

Cake: A Rihanna-Themed Them//They It's Rihanna's 29th and GirlFriend knows you wanna lick the icing off. So come and put your name on it. Wednesdays. Volstead Lounge, 1500 E. Sixth, 512/680-0532. www.girlfriendatx.co.

Queer Dance Freakout at the Governor’s Mansion Viva la resist-DANCE. Austin's qmmunity dances in protest of Texas politicians' trans- and homophobic laws. "We say no to bathroom bills. We say no to marriage equality limitations. We say yes to sweating in the streets!" Thu., Feb. 23, 6-9pm. Governor's Mansion, 1010 Colorado, 512/463-0063.

Jo’s Drag Queen Bingo Louisianna Purchase hosts a new monthly bingo game complete with drag and prizes. Thursdays. Jo's Coffee Downtown, 242 W. Second, 512/469-9003. Free. www.fb.com/downtownjos.