Everyone likes a party, and no one throws a better bash, soirée or fête than LA’s LGBT community. From the urban streets of Downtown to the red carpets of Hollywood, every day in LA is cause for celebration. So put on your party hat, kick up your heels and let the fun begin.
March
The leather community, arguably the most organized cohort of LGBTs, chooses Mr. LA Leather every year at LA Leather Weekend. A mostly male crowd packs a slew of events for a week leading up to the crowning moment. A stop at The Eagle LA, The Faultline, or one of the many other participating establishments will open up a world of possibilities. www.laleatherweekend.com
Outfest presents FUSION: The Los Angeles LGBT People of Color Film Festival, March 4-5. The always-memorable opening night program and reception kicks off a fun and thought-provoking weekend of films curated for their contributions to the growing catalog of LGBT people of color cinema. www.outfest.org/fusion.html
April
The annual GLAAD Media Awards, which takes place each April, honors individuals and projects in the media and entertainment industries for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. www.glaad.orgAn Evening with Women, April 6 is one of the premier social and awards nights for lesbians, bisexual women and their partners. Held in the beautifully restored, historic Music Box Theatre, it’s wall-to-wall women honoring their own in a fundraiser for Women’s service at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center. www.laglc.org
June
It’s the party of all parties during Gay Pride Month in Los Angeles. From family days at the beach and motorcycle-riding Dyke Marches to the crowning of Mr. Gay Prince and Ms. Lesbian Princess, it’s all good during the month of June. The 2011 LA Pride weekend is scheduled for June 10 - 12 with a veritable city of pavilions for folks of all persuasions along with the Friday night Dyke March and epic Sunday parade down Santa Monica Boulevard. www.lapride.org
If a relaxing day in the park is more to your fancy check out LA’s annual Dyke Day L.A. A day in the park for all self-identified dykes and allies, including gay families, transgender dykes, and dykes of all ages. Bringing together the past, present, and future of the dyke community.
The Hollywood Bowl is a great time any night of the year, but don’t miss the annual Grease Sing-A-Long, June 24, where you can come in costume and strut your stuff in the parade or just sing along.
July
For more than a quarter century, Outfest has screened some 4,200 movies. There are more than 100 public programs, including outdoor screenings, family-friendly gatherings, parties, live performances, music, celebrities and panel discussions. The 2011 film festival is slated roll July 7 – 17. Be sure to keep your eyes on the schedule for the very special Legacy Project Anniversary Series with selections from the Outfest Legacy Project Collection. www.outfest.org
Dolly Parton at the Hollywood Bowl July 22 and 23. Big hair, big heart, big fun. A show not to missed. www.hollywoodbowl.com
August
In the heart of LA’s oldest gay community, the annual Sunset Junction Street Fair August 27 and 28 offers a vibe as diverse as the neighborhood. The fair includes an ensemble of stages, games, rides, arts and, of course, plenty of food. This year’s line-up TBA. www.sunsetjunction.org
Uncork a bottle or two and toast the evening at Simply diVine! Wine Tasting & Auction sponsored by the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center. Savor bouquets of wine and plates of food presented by an array of vintners and restaurants, and bid on some incredible items during the auction. www.laglc.com
August 28 brings the first annual Trans/Giving Film Festival to the LA Gay and Lesbian Center’s Renberg Theater. Programming includes short films by transgender, genderqueer and intersex filmmakers that entertain as they burst open contemporary definitions of gender, sex and identity. www.transgiving.com
On August 7 at the Hollywood Bowl take in the Musical inspired by John Waters’ classic Hairspray.
September
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Leadership Awards brunch pays tribute to community leaders, allies and organizations that fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through their leadership, advocacy and action. www.thetaskforce.org
The Hollywood Bowl is a great time any night of the year, but don’t miss the Sound of Music Sing-A-Long September 24. Come in costume for the pre-show parade, bring a picnic and enjoy a legendary night of song under the stars of Hollywood at the world’s largest movie theater. www.hollywoodbowl.com
The Autry National Center hosts One Man’s Journey: A conversation with George Takei as part of its Out West series, exploring the Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) community’s contributions to the American West. September 19. www.theautry.org/series/out-west
October
Held at the backlot of CBS Studio Center in Studio City, LA/Valley Pride GLBT Awareness Festival features a mix of kitsch held on such famed streets as Gilligan’s Island Road and Mary Tyler Moore Avenue. There are plenty of worthy exhibitors, entertainment and a little Country Western dancing for those who like to two-step. www.lavalleypride.org
A party with a purpose, the star studded Legacy Awards is a gala to benefit Outfest's landmark program, The Outfest Legacy Project For LGBT Film Preservation. Join them this year on October 21 to honor Writer, Director, Producer Roldand Emmerich, (2010, Day After Tomorrow, The Patriot, Independence Day) and Fox Entertainment Group. The tribute with highligh selections from the Project’s collection. The Legacy Project, a collaboration between Outfest and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, is dedicated to preserving LGBT moving media.
Aid For AIDS holds its annual Best In Drag Show October 24 at the historic Orpheum Theater Downtown. The event is to be hosted by Stand-Up comedian Jason Dudey among others. Celebrity judges of this high camp fest include Jayma Mays (GLEE) and John C. Reilly (Talladega Nights, Chicago).
The queen of all Halloween celebrations, not to mention the largest street party in the United States, the West Hollywood Carnaval is not to be missed. The night belongs to the wildest of the wild while daytime events include a drag race, doggie costume contest, pageant and youth carnival. www.weho.org
Butch Voices, a weekend long conference focused on all types of, well butch identified voices, comes to LA October 8-10. This regional conference seeks to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of self-identified butches by providing activities and programs that build community and empower individuals to advocate for their whole selves inclusive of and beyond their gender identity and sexual orientation. It may sounds a little heady, but there’s also a whole lot of fun to be had with art shows and after parties galore. www.butchvoices.com
November
Ryka De La Cruz founded Trans/Giving as an artist series with a mission. She realized if others have the opportunity to experience the art of transgendered people — to share a joke, to become angry, to lose their breath — then great change is possible. In 2003, she won a California State Senate Award for the event Trans/Giving and it only continues to grow, now as a small committee-run collective. Don’t miss their annual November show and check their website for other offerings through-out the year. www.transgiving.com
The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center’s 40th Anniversary Gala. The benefit includes one of the largest silent auctions in the City of Los Angeles providing guests an opportunity to bid on more than 400 quality products, luxury trips, jewelry, fine dining, spa treatments, designer items and items on the wild side. www.laglc.org
December
Autry National Center launched its new “Out West” series exploring the LGBT community’s contributions to the American West. The series will be ongoing.
