The Debut

Welcome to Sac Queens — a weekly queer Sacramento newsletter. We are Tom Tran and Thomas Kazmierski. We made this because the events calendar in our group chat was becoming unmanageable, and someone may as well organize it.

Every Thursday you’ll get: the queer Sacramento week ahead, a Person of the Week, a queer-owned business worth your money, callouts straight from the inbox, and zero coverage of Tahoe. That’s not this newsletter.

Issue one. This week: the Big Day of Giving bingo is tonight (and probably already sold out), Sasha Colby is at Badlands Saturday (yes, that Sasha Colby), Crystal Envy is Sunday (Mother’s Day, pace accordingly), and we’re kicking off Person of the Week. Let’s go.

May 7–10.

Big Day of Giving Drag Queen Bingo — Thu May 7, 6–9 PM · Mango’s, 1930 K St · Rainbow Chamber of Commerce

Tonight — and likely sold out, fair warning. This is the monthly first-Thursday bingo and the Big Day of Giving edition is the one everyone shows up for. Eight games for $20, cash only. Rainbow Chamber’s running it with proceeds going to queer orgs doing real work. If you didn’t reserve, walk over and try the door, or pencil in the next first Thursday. Read More

Liquid Therapy with Outword Magazine — Fri May 8, 5:30–7 PM · Badlands, 2003 K St

Outword’s monthly happy hour at Badlands. BOGO drinks for $1 until 9 PM. The networking version of the queer Sac group chat — drinks, hellos, the people you’ve been meaning to meet. Walk to Concerts in the Park after if you’ve got a blanket. Read More

Concerts in the Park — Fri May 8, 5–9 PM · Cesar Chavez Plaza, 9th & J St · free

Sac’s free Friday-night concert series, every Friday May through July. Not queer-specific, but it’s the kind of overlap event where everyone’s downtown anyway and you’ll see your friends. Bring a blanket, food trucks on site, queue at the bar opens early. Read More

Sacramento Gay Brunch — Sat May 9, 10:30 AM · Midtown/Downtown (check Meetup)

Community brunch on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month. Venue gets posted on Meetup the week-of, so RSVP there to find out where. Look for the queer table. You’ll know. Read More

Sasha Colby LIVE at Badlands — Sat May 9 · Doors 6 PM, Show 8 PM, M&G after · 2003 K St

RPDR S15 winner, the Sasha Colby, in Sacramento with a local cast. Arrive early — Badlands is intimate and the good views go fast. GA and limited Meet & Greet tickets available; cash only at the door. Buy now or read about it on Sunday. Read More

Roscoe’s Drag Brunch — Mother’s Day — Sun May 10, 10:30 AM or 1:30 PM · 2007 K St (upstairs)

Bring your actual mother, bring your chosen mother, bring yourself. $10 entry, $18 bottomless mimosas with an entrée. Online tickets close an hour before showtime. Tip like the show depends on it — because it does. Read More

Crystal Envy at Faces — Sun May 10, 9 PM (Meet & Greet 8 PM) · 2000 K St · $20 VIP presale + door · 21+

RPDR S17 Miss Congeniality, working the room, Mother’s Day night edition. Call your mom in the morning. Spend the evening with Crystal. Limited VIP tickets on Eventbrite, door admission separate. Read More

May 12–17, plus what’s queued for Pride.

Sac State Lavender Graduation — Tue May 12, 4–6 PM · Sac State Pride Center

Annual lavender ceremony for graduating LGBTQIA+ Sac State students. Open to community. If you know a queer Sac State grad, this is the warm thing to do. Read More

Bi+Pan Sacramento — Wed May 13, 7–8:30 PM · Lavender Library, 1414 21st St

Monthly meetup at the Lavender Library — 2nd Wednesday of every month. Bi, pan, fluid, exploring — anyone for whom the binary doesn’t fit. Walk in, sit down. Read More

Asexual / Aromantic Spectrum Social — Thu May 14, 7–8:30 PM · Lavender Library, 1414 21st St

Monthly Ace/Aro social — 2nd Thursday of every month at the library. No reading required, no script — just a room of folks who get it. Read More

FoodieLand Night Market — Fri–Sun May 15–17 · Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd

Asian-style night food market at Cal Expo. Not queer-specific, but it’s the weekend everyone’s there. Eat your way through the lanterns. Read More

Tea Dance at Badlands — Sun May 17 · Badlands, 2003 K St · hosted by Paul + Colin

Sunday afternoon dance party at Badlands. Tea Dance is a classic gay tradition — the original “where do you go after brunch.” Paul and Colin on the booth. Read More

Sacramento Pride — Sat–Sun June 13–14 · Capitol Mall · March from Southside Park, Sun 11 AM

Sacramento’s main Pride weekend, five weeks out. Festival on Capitol Mall, March from Southside Park Sunday June 14, 11 AM. Full coverage in coming issues — start your group chat now. Read More

We're officially taking nominations for our Person of the Week — the column where we celebrate someone in the Sacramento queer community who's doing something awesome. Maybe they organized a fundraiser, opened a space that feels like home, showed up for a friend in a big way, or just radiates the kind of energy that makes this city better. Big or small, loud or quiet — if someone comes to mind, hit reply and tell us who they are and what they did. We read every email, and your nominee might just be next week's feature.

We’re starting on the K Street strip. Badlands has been Sacramento’s queer nightlife anchor for decades. Dance floor, drag stage, patio, one of the last places in Sac where a Monday can get legs if it wants to. And yes, they booked Sasha Colby this Saturday.

Go for the drag nights. Stay for the patio. Bring a friend who’s never been. This is a starter bar and a forever bar.

2003 K St, Midtown. @badlandssac.

Straight from the inbox.

Three things before we go:

See you next Thursday.

— Thomas & Tom

Sac Queens is a weekly queer Sacramento newsletter. Written and edited by Tom Tran and Thomas Kazmierski. Reply with anything — nominations, corrections, jokes. / Issue 1 — debut, May 7, 2026.