Beep beep beep: That’s the sound of your Qmmunity Updates Alert, which means I’m gonna review a few items that’ve passed across my humble gay desk. Ready, set, read!
DIFFERENT BUT NOT DOWN Our annual August org Austin Pride (who actually swings by all year round for various drag brunches, bingos, and more) announced last week that 2025’s festival will be free to attend. Previous years saw ticket prices around $20 or so with headliner guests from out of town, but this year’s major shifts in rainbow capitalism had Austin Pride “going back to our roots,” as they wrote in their Instagram statement. Guess they’re living up to the expectations of their old-school theme, “Silence=Death,” which recalls the iconic Eighties AIDS activist group of the same name. AP also says their lineup will feature all local performers, though who’ll be on the bill is still unannounced.
FUND THE FEST July heat brings August lack-of-funding announcements – or maybe I’m remembering a different turn of phrase. In any case, it was Aug. 1 when Austin International Drag Festival declared their desperate need for financial support as a major grant fell through. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit usually turns out a convention featuring hundreds of drag artists from across the fame spectrum – local heroes, TV queens, first-timers, etc. – but in a PR statement, AIDF says if they can’t cover this funding loss soon, the fest may be off entirely. Yikes! In an effort to keep the lights on, the fest has launched a GoFundMe and is also seeking business and community org partnerships, so if you can help, well. Help ’em!
JUMP-START THE ART In more money news, local grassroots trans and intersex art org Gender Unbound kicked off their donor drive this weekend. Their mission to build “a Texas where trans and intersex people can live, create, and feel at home” needs the support of about 10 new donors, according to their Insta post. During the drive, those who sign up at $15 a month or more get a package of local trans & intersex art items such as zines, stickers, prints, and more. If you’ve enjoyed a Community Sing, the Trans Day of Visibility picnic, or used the Austin Trans Pink Pages to find a friendly service, think about dropping a little dough GU’s way.
First Thursday
Thursday 7, Top Drawer Thrift
Shop the gayest thrift store in town after hours to find the coolest scores and have a little wine spritzer. This week, TDT beneficiary Project Transitions will be crafting decor to get Austin Pride parade-ready and you’re invited to help ’em. 5:30pm.
Gayme Night
Thursday 7, Red Horn Brewery, Cedar Park
Roll the dice with Leander and Cedar Park Pride at this low-key social. Bring your own games or use the brewery-provided boards while socializing with your queer peers. 7pm.
ATX Vogue Night
Thursday 7, Swan Dive
Here again is House of Lepore’s monthly mini-ball, emceed by Mother Natalie Lepore and DJ’d by BabiDoll. Category winners this month get a free ticket to mini-ball/party Freaknik Pt. 2, happening Aug. 22. 10pm.
Queer to Tell: Tales of Pride
Friday 8, Captain Quack’s
In their own words, local queer storytellers bring their Pride memories to the Soundspace stage. Performers include Eddie Hollis Edwards, Eman, Tiffany Epiphany, Michelle Gorski, Seth Solovino, and your host Chitah Daniels Kennedy. 7pm.
Glamelot
Friday 8, Tiny Minotaur Tavern
Raise a sword at this queer chivalric costume night, where nonbinary knights, trans royalty, and gay people are invited to get down to James Hooke’s tunes. This here’s a “real nail polish and chainmail type of party,” so dress accordingly – or don’t! I’m not your mom. 7pm.
Hunky-Tonk
Friday 8, Chess Club
Ten-gallons and well-shined boots make these hunks hard to miss, so head on over to Red River to see Alexander the Great, Bobby Pudrido, and Travis Randy Travis at this country saloon-style party. DJ Boi Orbison spins. 8pm.
Carabiner Club: Vegas in Space
Friday 8, Hyperreal Film Club
HFC partners with Sapphic Singles to screen this silly sci-fi musical featuring drag queens in space. Come for da movie; stay for a performance by drag artist Karabiner. 7:30pm.
SC3N3 Qu33ns & MySpace Things
Friday 8, Cheer Up Charlies
Break out the fingerless gloves and neon hair extensions for DJ Turito’s night of pop-punk, emo, and scene tunes. Brigitte Bandit, Lavender Thug, Jenna Talia, Ryan, Sissa Muerta, Bat Widow, and Mars Morningstar provide drag delights.
Freak Chic
Friday 8 – Saturday 9, Sterling Stage Austin
Shea Butter Babies Productions fit so much party into this celebration of Black Southern excellence that it had to spill over into two days of music, movement, vendor markets, burlesque, drinks, dancing, and more.
Queer Full Moon Circle
Friday 8, the Pilates Apothecary
Transmute the energy you’re done with and celebrate what you’re still rockin’ at this ritual led by Ashley of Pilates Apothecary. 6:30pm.
Everything’s Bigger Cabaret
Saturday 9, Show Pony at Jackalope South Shore
Hosted by May Buzzetti, this “show for good people during bad times” invites an all-queer lineup to celebrate Austin Pride early, including Frankie Branca, Kelsi Creek, Rose Goldfish, and No. 1 gay ally the Show Pony’s air-conditioning unit. 6pm.
UHauler Room Austin
Saturday 9, Cheer Up Charlies
DC party-planners Alphabet Soup Events come truckin’ into Bat City with DJ sets all played inside that sapphic chariot: a U-Haul. Truckbed spinners include Dragonnqueen, Jos tha DJ, DJ Rosez, and DJ AJ. 9pm.
Sapphic + Trans Boat Party
Saturday 9, Highland Lakes Marina
Sail the lake waters with Local Queer on their official ATX Pride boat party featuring games, drag, THC sips, and more. Focus is on the sapphic folks among us, but all LGBTQ peeps are welcome. 10am.
Community Swap – Share Your Spare
Sunday 10, First Baptist Church of Austin
To help raise funds for Shawn Shimazu – whose advanced kidney disease puts her in need of a transplant – friends are throwing a bi-ig swap where you can bring what you don’t need, find something you do, and learn about the Paired Donation Program. 1pm.
Bat City Boot Lab
Sunday 10, the Austin Eagle
Learn all about leather work, from new techniques to tips on how to solve your most difficult problems. Batcity Bootblack Brigade, Austin’s leather care experts, lead the way at this all-skill-levels workshop. 12pm.
Austin Pride Family Friendly Double Feature
Sunday 10, Central Library
Queer art is for everyone, so families of all shapes and sizes can celebrate the ATX Pride season at the library with two great animated flix featuring LGBTQ characters: Pixar’s Strange World and the Netflix film The Mitchells vs. the Machines. 12:30pm.
Chained Girls
Sunday 10, AFS Cinema
Partnered with aGLIFF and featuring a pre-film intro by programmer Elizabeth Purchell, AFS screens this Sixties exploitation “exposé” about the horror, the terror, the social crisis of lesbianism. Careful: I hear once you pop, you just can’t stop! 4:45pm.
Splash Dance With Erica Nix
Sunday 10, Austin Motel
Workout queen Erica Nix throws the wettest water aerobics class every Sunday, with hot tunes and even hotter moves to make you sweat while making a splash. 10am.
Jo’s Drag Brunch & Bubbles: Disco Divas
Sunday 10, Jo’s Downtown
Get your coffee and champers fix while watching disco-themed drag by Venus Rising, Lilith Azazel, and host Lawrie Bird. 12pm.
Pet Play Fundamentals
Sunday 10, the Austin Eagle
Want to wear the cowl but aren’t sure how to start? Pup Collin plays teacher for this pet-play beginners workshop welcome to kinksters of all experience levels, with a post-learning gear swap. 1pm.
Hello Darlings
Monday 11, the Iron Bear
Gleek out with host Hilda Dixon at this show themed to the goofiest, cringiest, and gayest show of the 2010s. DJ Mike spins showtunes, and Glee club members Yvonna F Mei, Zgi Zgi, and Cassie Opeia perform. 9:30pm.
Amaging
Monday 11, Central Library
Hear stories from LGBTQ elders, including Masha Leah, Glenna Sue, aka Sparkle, Anna Nguyen, Rev. Babs Miller, Richard Rollin Gartner, and director World Famous *BOB*. 7pm.
Aura
Tuesday 12, Cheer Up Charlies
Calling all sapphics, lesbians, woman-lovers, etc. to this every-other-Tuesday tribute to sapphic women, femmes, and thems. Featuring open decks, DJ sets by Dragonnqueen and Jasmin Porter, and “space for connection, dancing, flirting.” 10pm.
Greetings From Queer Mountain
Wednesday 13, Cheer Up Charlies
Hosted by Ellie DeCaprio, this month’s edition of queer storytelling centers the lyrical format – so bring your sonnets, haikus, and dirty limericks to read on the CUC stage. 8pm.
Country Fried Dance Lesson
Wednesday 13, Yarborough Branch Library
Learn to line dance at Austin Public Library with Nico of Country Fried Dance at this free event open to LGBTQ (and ally) dancers of all skill levels. 6:45pm.
This article appears in August 8 • 2025.
