Gay Place

On the eve of Pride Weekend, I'm too busy being grateful for our amazing community, proud of my queertastic self and fabulous friends, and awed by the epic lineup of events happening now through Sunday to let the typical trash fire that is 2017 get me down (see "Protecting the LGBTQ Community When the State Attacks," Aug. 25). Now I suggest you do the same. This weekend, I think we all deserve to throw our middle fingers up – remember, the first Pride was a protest – and take to the streets in all our rainbow, glittery glory. In fact, that's exactly what Gay Place plans to do; look for us and our glowing glow sticks during Saturday's Pride Parade, because we're here, queer, and not going anywhere. But we couldn't have done this without: Seedlings Gardening (for the amazing truck/trailer combo and all the help!), Austin Chronicle marketing – we love y'all!, Gay Place writers/interns (Courtney Naquin, Iman Shah, Maddox Price, Dan Gray – thank you!), and to every single person getting on our float. An extra-special shout-out to Austin Pride for making the magic happen and to this year's parade Grand Marshals Fatima Mann (see "Fatima Mann Reigns Over Austin Pride," Aug. 25) and Sheldon McNeal. Y'all, I love being queer. I hope you do too.

GAYDAR

Guerrilla Queer Bar: 2 Years of Queer Celebrate GQB's second birthday, kick off Pride Weekend, and raise money for SAFE with frosé, unicorns, and rainbow cupcakes from Skull & Cakebones! Sparkle like it's hot! Thu., Aug. 24, 6-10pm. Kitty Cohen's, 2211 Webberville Rd. Free. www.fb.com/wherethegirlsgoatx.

WERK Fashion Show Get ready to Werk – or more correctly, watch yer fave queens werk yer fave Project Runway designers. Bianca Del Rio and Coco Peru host, with special performances by Drag Race's Shangela, Raja, Raven, and more! Thu., Aug. 24, 6-10pm. ACL Live at the Moody Theater, 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd. $20-125. www.austinpride.org.

Girls’ Night Out DJ Whatshername gets the grrrls into the groove. Cheap drinks, classy broads. Every other Thursday. Stonewall Warehouse, 141 E. Hopkins, San Marcos. www.fb.com/stonewallwarehouse.

Radio Free Saigon A DJ dance party with a Pride-themed cocktail. For every "Rainbow Road" bought, Ah Sing Den will donate $1 to the Trevor Project. Thu., Aug. 24, all night. Ah Sing Den, 1100 E. Sixth. www.ahsingden.com.

Amy L. Stone: Cornyation The author presents her book on one of Texas' oldest and most iconic LBGTQ celebrations, a controversial parody of local and national politics and culture. Thu., Aug. 24, 7pm. BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar.

undeRAGE Thursdays Highland's weekly college night. Get yer dance on to those EDM beats. 18 and up welcome. Thursdays, 9pm. Highland Lounge, 404 Colorado. $20. www.fb.com/highlandlounge.

HIV & Aging Conference Austin's seventh annual HIV & Aging Conference returns to bring community leaders together to improve the lives of older adults living with HIV. See website for details. Fri., Aug. 25, 8am-4pm. St. David's Episcopal Church, 301 E. Eighth. www.hivandagingconference.com.

Show Your Colors: A UO Pride Happy Hour Show off yer Pride colors with DJ GirlFriend, aura photos, tarot readings, and a live community mural – so come ready to paint! This is an all-ages event with a raffle benefiting OutYouth. Fri., Aug. 25, 6-9:30pm. Space 24 Twenty, 2420 Guadalupe. Free.

AFS Celebrates Pride: Bette vs. Joan AFS hosts a campy cocktail party for Pride. Catch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, plus an open bar, bites, and photo booth. Out Youth takes 10% of the proceeds. Fri., Aug. 25, 7pm. AFS Cinema, 6406 N. I-35 #3100. $50. www.austinfilm.org.

allgo Presents Tent Revival A three-day affair celebrating black LGBTQ queer arts with poetry, church, performance, gospel, and community building. This revival service unites "black queer operators and movers of the theopoetic, the theatrical, the scholarly, the creative, and the prophetic." See FB for complete schedule of events. Fri.-Sun., Aug. 25-27. allgo, 701 Tillery Ste. A-1. www.allgo.org.

Austin Pride Official Women’s Party Lesbutante & the Boss and special guest Sada Bettencourt (of The Real L Word) host a night of Pride celebrations. Elle G performs before DJ Rocabye takes the booth. Wanna feel fancy? Check the VIP options. Fri., Aug. 25, 8pm. Sellers Underground, 213 W. Fourth. $10-100. www.lesbutanteandtheboss.com.

Ocean – A Play by Ebony Stewart Join Ebony Stewart for the premiere of her newest play weaving together poetry and storytelling that shows "one woman is many; an affirmation that softness is not a weakness; and learning how to sink rather than drown." Fri.-Sun., Aug. 25-27, and Thu.-Mon., Aug. 31-Sept. 4, 8pm. The Vortex, 2307 Manor Rd. $15-35. www.ebpoetry.com.

Brown State of Mind: People of Pride Brown State of Mind celebrates Austin's QPOC communities this Pride with performances by Chay CEO, Polly Anna, Uché, and more. Fri., Aug. 25, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. www.fb.com/brownstateofmind.

Invocation of My Demon Sister If you're wondering what an "occult comedy hour" is – we suggest you find out in person. Look for Rebecca Havemeyer, Kerri Atwood, Erica Nix, and more getting creepy, crawly, and queer as sh*t. Fri., Aug. 25, 10pm-12mid. Museum of Human Achievement, Springdale & Lyons. Free.

Austin Pride Festival 2017 Get yer rainbows ready for a Pridetastic celebration! From tabling orgs to two stages of epic entertainment (Mykki Blanco, Betty Who, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, and more) it's gonna be hot – and we're not just talkin' temps. Sat., Aug. 26, 11am-6pm. Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia, 512/480-8318. $17. www.austinpride.org.

Pride Day Workout With Erica Nix Feel fit and fab for Pride with an early morning workout with the one and only Erica Nix. Workout fees benefit Out Youth! Sat., Aug. 26, 11:30am-12:30pm. HEAT Bootcamp & Personal Training, 2210-A S. First.

Storytime With Drag Queens An Austin Pride edition of drag storytime. Made with kids in mind! Sat., Aug. 26, noon-1pm. Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia.

Austin Pride Vinyasa Jam Austin Queer Yoga Collective presents drag yoga with Jackalin Paradise, the only drag queen yoga therapist on the planet. Raise cash to help send a member of the LGBTQ+ community to yoga teacher training. Sat., Aug. 26, 3-5pm. Yoga Yoga Westgate, 4477 S. Lamar #420. $15 suggested donation. www.yogayoga.com.

Austin Pride Parade 2017 Grand Marshals Fatima Mann and Sheldon McNeal lead the parade through Downtown. Congress is best for viewing; Fourth Street is best for joining! And don't forget to look for us, bbs! Sat., Aug. 26, 8pm. 12th & Congress, to Fourth Street. Free to $25. www.austinpride.org.

Pride on the Roof Pride (Parade) with a view. The Contemporary unites with the Q Austin, Kind Clinic, and EQTX for creative artmaking, music from Mouthfeel, complimentary food, signature drinks, and lots of glitter. All ages welcome. Sat., Aug. 26, 8-11pm. The Contemporary Austin, 700 Congress. Free.

Fifth Annual ATX Women’s Pride Party LezzDance returns for lez-filled Pride night with the Susan Arbuckle Band. Sat., Aug. 26, 8pm-12mid. One-2-One Bar, 1509 S. Lamar. $10-15. www.susanarbuckle.com.

FEA, Those Damn Eyes, Skyline Tough ladies, queer women. Consider this a Pride alternative. Sat., Aug. 26, 9pm. Stubb's, 801 Red River. $10, $12 at the door.

POP! Sellers’ Cherry Sellers' first Pride. Call it cute, call it sexy, call it queer. Sat., Aug. 26, 9pm. Sellers Underground, 213 W. Fourth. Free.

Queer Up Charlies Pride AfterParty Join this motley crew for an xxxtra special Pride afterparty. Sweat off yer glitter with DJs Dylan Reece, Cap'n Tits, Mouthfeel, and Lolo, plus special guest appearance by Pittsburgh bathhouse DJ Clark Price. Ruby Knight and Hentaii break out a midnight disco drag special. Sat., Aug. 26, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. $5 suggested donation.

Over the Rainbow: After Hours With Phamstar & Friends Shhh ... it's a midsummer night's rave in the name of Pride, hosted by Jennifer Phamstar and Nymble Digitz. See the Face for deets, but keep it secret. Keep it safe. Sat., Aug. 26, 10pm-5am. See FB for location. $10 before midnight, $20 after.

Brodie Park CrossFit Pride These CrossFitters are raising money for Out Youth to celebrate Pride. So break a sweat and build a "healthy community where everyone is welcome and supported." Sun., Aug. 27, 10am-noon. Brodie Park CrossFit, 9001 Brodie Ste. C-9. $30 suggested donation (includes T-shirt). www.brodieparkcrossfit.com.

Burger Brunch Cure yer post-Pride cravings with brunch and a Broadway sing-along with Capital City Men's Chorus, Mela Daily, and more. Show tunes trivia pits Daily and Chron Arts Editor Robert Faires against Lisa Scheps and Nicole Shiro, plus music by DJ Wolf. Sun., Aug. 27, 11am-4pm. El Sapo Botanas y Burgers, 900 W. 10th. www.elsapoatx.com.

Bear Beer Bust Iron Bear's beer bust brings all the boys to the bar. Sundays, 2pm. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth. www.theironbear.com.

Family Equality Pool Party A queer, fam-friendly pool party for parents and kids to celebrate Pride Sunday. Meet on the lawn at the shallow end of the pool, in front of the large wall mural. Sun., Aug. 27, 2-5pm. Deep Eddy Pool, 401 Deep Eddy Ave.

Bunny Bingo Miss Bunny "Boom Boom" LeRouqe hosts a ball-filled night of Bingo. Sunday nights, 7-9pm. Stonewall Warehouse, 141 E. Hopkins, San Marcos. www.fb.com/stonewallwarehouse.

Martini Ranch Presents: QueerTowne Extravaganza An hourlong Pride show featuring queer and trans* stand-up, short-form improv, sketch comedy, magic, and more. First-come, first-served, so get there early for Keep Austin Queer swag, a photo booth, and a donation box for Out Youth. Sun., Aug. 27, 7-8pm. ColdTowne Theater, 4803-B Airport. www.fb.com/martiniranchatx.

Dirty Birdie Drag Queen Chicken Sh*t Bingo + Karaoke Who says Sunday nights are for winding down? Come for bingo with Lady Grackle Birdbreath and Fajita the Chicken, stay for the late-night karaoke pajama party sing-along with rotating hosts Simone and Colleen DeForrest. Sundays, 7:30pm. Highland Lounge, 404 Colorado. www.fb.com/highlandlounge.

Pleasure Venom, Brother Wives, Semihelix, Dregs Sunday kinda punks close out an epic weekend with epic sounds. Sun., Aug. 27, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. Free. www.fb.com/planetclairepresents.

Musical Mondays Celebrate the best of Broadway and belt out some show tunes with yer host, Horton. Mondays. The Iron Bear, 121 W. Eighth. www.fb.com/theironbearatx.

AGLCC Toastmasters Overcome yer fear of public speaking with this quirky queer group. Second and fourth Mondays, 6-8pm. 812 San Antonio St. www.aglcc.org/toastmasters.

Let’s Talk: Polyamory – Love, Integrity, Jealousy, and Liberation A conversation for Austin QTPOC communities. This month allgo is talking polyamory, open relationships, and nonmonogamy, and making space to acknowledge and honor all the various ways QPOC practice nonmonogamy. Tue., Aug. 29, 6pm. allgo, 701 Tillery Ste. A-1. Free. www.allgo.org.

Get Schooled Chitah Daniels Kennedy hosts a weekly drag show and lip sync battle. Tuesdays, 9pm. Stonewall Warehouse, 141 E. Hopkins, San Marcos. www.fb.com/stonewallwarehouse.

Scenery, TIME, Silent Land Time Machine, DJ Dreem Chaen The Nothing Song presents a night of experimental and synth-pop sets. Tue., Aug. 29, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. $3 suggested donation.

Carry Illinois, Stereo RV, and Mussel Fun, friends, and Stereo RV is here from Portland. Wed., Aug. 30, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. Free.

Greetings, From Queer Mountain 52: Goodbyes GFQM returns with a very special show on the beauty, heartbreak, and growth that comes from saying goodbye. Co-host and founder Micheal Foulk is moving to New York next month and everyone's having feels. Carina Magyar, Tutu Apple, Jesus Valles, and more share their farewell stories. Wed., Aug. 30, 9pm. Cheer Up Charlies, 900 Red River. Free.

Jo’s Drag Queen Bingo Louisianna Purchase hosts a night of free bingo, drag performances, and prizes! Last Thursdays. Jo's Coffee Downtown, 242 W. Second.

GAYLY AHEAD

Splash Days Give in to that Texas heat with a splash. A dude-filled weekend that supports the LGBTQ community. This year the boyz are raising cash for ASA, Kind Clinic, and Care Communities. Fri.-Mon., Sept. 1-4. Various locations. $20-160 (ranging from individual tix to weekend passes to VIP). www.splashdays.com.

Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival 30th Anniversary Celebrate 30 years of queer film with aGLIFF. With four days, 39 feature films, and 54 shorts, there's surely something for everyone. See the lineup online. Thu.-Sun., Sept. 7-10. Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar, 1120 S. Lamar. www.agliff.org.

Rebecca Havemeyer Presents: Justin Vivian Bond! Trans-genre artist Mx Justin Vivian Bond is an award-winning performer, film star, visual artist, and an all-around Viv of all trades. Music, mayhem, and lots of laughs, plus yer host Rebecca Havemeyer. An all-ages, queer comedy event. Fri., Sept. 8, 8pm. The North Door, 502 Brushy. $20-25. www.justinvivianbond.com.

Central Texas Transgender Health Conference An educational conference for medical and mental health providers in Central Texas on helping, supporting, and providing affirming care to trans, GNC, and nonbinary patients. Fri,-Sat., Sept. 15-16, 8am-4pm. Austin Community College Eastview Campus, 3401 Webberville Rd. $35-175. www.texastransgenderhealth.org.

Plezzure Island Year 2 The plezzure krew is back for round two. Close out yer summer with a leztastic beach weekend complete with celezbian entertainers, games, and gals. Thu.-Sun., Sept. 28-Oct. 1. South Padre Island. $40-300. www.plezzureislandtexas.com.