The Sac Queens Agenda Oct 29

Have you ever wanted to wear a thong to work?

Well, I have.

And today—I did.

It wasn’t any thong, it was Michael Jackson’s iconic thong from his Dangerous Tour. (Thong? Leotard? What do you call that thing?)

And that look you see above is how I won first place at Blue Diamond Grower’s Annual Halloween Costume Contest earlier today!

Halloween is now just two days away and we sincerely hope you find your own version of first-place-with-a-real-trophy thong… whatever that may be.

In last week’s poll, What Gets You on the Dance Floor?, 45 of you voted, and 47% picked dance and electronic: house, techno, disco, anything with a drop. Pop came in a close second with 36%. Country got two votes. And Latin got exactly one vote. Whoever you are, your hips have our full support.

This is one of the busiest weeks of the year. So many great events. Let’s get into it.

October 29 – November 4.

Karaoke Night at Teneral
Thu, Oct 29, 6:30 to 9:30 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St, Ste 110), 21+
Tock's bookable range for Teneral karaoke opens on this date, which makes it the one night the system will actually sell you. Three hours of it at a queer- and women-owned lounge. Read more

Drag Bingo with Apple Adams
Thu, Oct 29, 7 to 9 PM, arrive by 6:45, Tipsy Putt (630 K St #120), $5
Five dollars buys into every round and a dollar buys another card, first come, no list. Turn up at 6:45 and you will have a drink in hand before Apple calls the first number. Read more

Pillow Princess: Psycho Circus
Thu, Oct 29, 8 PM to 1:30 AM, Roscoe's (2007 K St), 21+
Pillow Princess turns one with a circus theme, two floors, two DJs and four go-go dancers, hosted by Dolly Romano and King Slayher. Creepy clowns, drag, burlesque, vendors and a costume contest across five and a half hours. Read more

Club A$tro: Sapphic Spooky Scorpio Halloween
Thu, Oct 29, 9 PM, Faces (2000 K St), ticketed, 21+
Club A$tro's party for the girls returns with performers, local vendors, a red carpet runway and drink specials. The ticket price climbs the longer you wait, much like everything else. Read more

Thirsty Thursday: Halloween Show
Thu, Oct 29, shows at 11 PM & midnight, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Liz hosts Badlands’ Halloween edition of Thirsty Thursday, with a large cast: Katana Rei, Kai Merra, Cydney Slay, Judahx, Mumzie Stems, Jeweliana Bentley, Eva Changing Envy and Suzette Venetti. Go-go dancers work all night. Power hour runs 11 to midnight with $3 wells, plus $5 Long Islands, $7 AMFs and $2 off beer, which explains why the first show starts at 11. Read more

Pickleball at Jonas Larkspur Park
Fri, Oct 30, 10 to 11:30 AM, Jonas Larkspur Park (1063 Jonas Ave), free
Sacramento Gay Men's Events brings spare paddles and balls, and beginners play alongside the people keeping score properly. Nothing is on their calendar for November, so this looks like the last session of the season. Read more

Last Stop: The Haunting of 28th Street
Fri, Oct 30, 5 to 9 PM, Blue Cue (1004 28th St), ticketed, $25 to $50, 21+
A Sigma Gamma Rho alumnae scholarship fundraiser with a best-costume contest, and the ticket rolls into Blue Cue's own party afterwards. Four hours on 28th Street for something other than a bar tab. Read more

Trip or Treat
Fri, Oct 30, 8 to 10 PM, Roscoe's (2007 K St), ticketed
A Halloween drag show with dinner, which makes it the one seated option on a night of standing around. Two hours and a special cast. Read more

Fridays Are a Drag: Halloween Edition
Fri, Oct 30, 8 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Dolly Romano and Bebe Gunn host the Halloween edition of the Friday drag show, with Xansidhe, Daddy Blade and Blossom BB. Staying put for Monster Ball at ten saves moving a costume between bars. Read more

Freaky Friday Halloween Bash
Fri, Oct 30, 9 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), 21+
Faces starts Halloween weekend a night early, with four and a half hours of costumes before Saturday’s main event. It’s a chance to test your look in front of a crowd and fix what doesn’t work before Saturday. Read more

Vaquero Night: Día de los Muertos
Fri, Oct 30, 9 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), no cover, 21+
The Bolt marks Día de los Muertos with vendors, food and an outside bar pouring tequila, mezcal and Mexican beer. The flyer promises dancing until forever and the bar closes considerably earlier than that. Read more

Monster Ball
Fri, Oct 30, 10 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
Badlands opens Halloween weekend with a monster theme, go-go dancers and DJ Marv on the decks. Costumes are encouraged and not required, which makes it the right night to test-drive the one that did not make the final cut. Read more

FrontRunners Halloween Costume Run/Walk
Sat, Oct 31, 9 AM, Guy West Bridge (945 University Ave), free
The Saturday run gets a costume this week, two to six miles for runners and one to three for walkers. Coffee afterwards is at Boudin on Fair Oaks, where the outfits will read very differently in daylight. Read more

Silk & Syrup: Halloween
Sat, Oct 31, 11 AM to 3 PM, Roscoe's (2007 K St)
Roscoe's puts a costume theme on its Halloween brunch, four hours of R&B and daylight. Daytime is the only slot on Oct 31 where your costume gets looked at in good light. Read more

Win $1,000 in Your Halloween Costume
Sat, Oct 31, 5 PM to 2 AM, Roc & Sol Diner (1825 10th St), $10, 21+
BeBe Sweetbriar hosts, and the best costume of the night walks out a thousand dollars richer at midnight. The DJ keeps the party going until 2 AM, which is plenty of time to fix your wig. Read more

Bewitched: A Halloween Glow Party (SOLD OUT)
Sat, Oct 31, 7 to 11 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St, Ste 110), free with an advance ticket, 21+
DJ David Andersen runs a blacklight party in Teneral's garden, with prizes for best costume and a ten-dollar glow swag pack. Admission is free but it is one ticket per registration, and Tock expects it to sell out. Read more

Icons of Horror
Sat, Oct 31, 7 PM to 1 AM, Radclyffe’s (1330 H St, Ste 110), 21+
Radclyffe’s theme is Icons of Horror, with DJ Bishop Envy and a contest where only horror costumes count. That rules out the sexy cat and finally rewards whoever has been sitting on a slasher mask. Read more

Rocky Horror Halloween with Amber's Sweets
Sat, Oct 31, VIP 7:45 PM, GA 8:15 PM, show 9 PM, Historic Colonial Theatre (3522 Stockton Blvd), $32.99 general, $47.99 VIP
The shadowcast on the date the whole thing was built for, in a theatre on Stockton Boulevard with free parking and no refunds. One general admission ticket and ten VIP were left on Friday, so this is the one to buy first. Read more

Cirque Erotique: A Halloween Kinkshow
Sat, Oct 31, 8 PM to midnight, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), free entry, 21+
A circus-themed kink show with Leather Pride Sacramento, running contests, raffles, games, demos, a spanking booth and jello shots. There is jack-o-lantern judging, so bring a pumpkin you are willing to have assessed. Read more

Halloween at Faces
Sat, Oct 31, 8 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), ticketed, $44+, 21+
Faces spreads Halloween across three dance floors with three DJs, plus a $3,000 costume contest, and it recommends arriving early. Before you finish your costume, check the rules: no weapons, including replicas; nothing spiky or sharp; and the door staff must be able to match your face to your ID. Three thousand dollars is a lot to lose because of a prop machete. Read more

Halloween Costume Contest at The Merc
Sat, Oct 31, contests at 9, 10 & 11 PM, The Mercantile Saloon (1928 L St), free
The Merc runs three costume contests on Halloween, each with $100 cash for best costume, and no repeat winners. That makes it the best odds on Halloween night: three chances, one bar, and if you lose at 9 you can still win at 10 or 11. The flyer says to arrive early for judging. Read more

Halloween Costume Contest at Badlands
Sat, Oct 31, midnight, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
Bijou Bentley, Suzette Venetti and Liz host the costume contest with several cash prizes. Judging starts at midnight, late enough to spend the early part of the night elsewhere and still get back to compete. Read more

FrontRunners Sunday Long Run
Sun, Nov 1, 8 AM, Sociology Coffee Bar (705 Gold Lake Dr #390, Folsom), free
The rotating long run goes out to Folsom this week for the Johnny Cash Trail and the Lake Natoma loop. Clocks went back overnight, so the eight o'clock start comes with an hour of free sleep. Read more

Roscoe's Drag Brunch
Sun, Nov 1, seatings 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM, Roscoe's upstairs (2007 K St), ticketed, $12.50
Two seatings upstairs, eighteen-dollar bottomless mimosas with an entree, and a two-hour clock somebody always argues with. The cast is not named this week, which is part of the appeal and part of the gamble. Read more

Country Line Dancing with Johnny
Sun, Nov 1, 5 to 8 PM, Faces (2000 K St), free, 21+
Johnny teaches Sunday line dancing at Faces for free and at every skill level. Three hours is enough to stop apologising and start counting. Read more

Badlands Sunday Showcase
Sun, Nov 1, 8 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Manni Peddi and Roselia Valentine host Badlands’ Sunday drag show, with Kata Dreamz, Lola Luxee and Duke L’Amour. The flyer has a Day of the Dead theme. It starts at 8, so you can see this show and still get across K Street for Briar Blush at Faces at 10, keeping the Halloween weekend going one more night. Read more

Day of the Dead at Faces with Briar Blush
Sun, Nov 1, meet & greet 9 PM, show 10 PM, Faces (2000 K St), ticketed, $20, 21+
Briar Blush from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 headlines Faces’ Day of the Dead night, with a meet and greet at 9 and her show at 10. DJ Kevin Banger and karaoke run from 10 until 1:30 in another room. Costumes are encouraged but not required, so the night after Halloween you can show up in last night’s look or skip it entirely. Read more

FrontRunners Monday Run/Walk
Mon, Nov 2, 6:30 PM, Sacramento Running Company (2673 21st St), free
Three miles through Curtis Park, running or walking, both count the same. The monthly business meeting is on second Mondays, so this week is only the run. Read more

Monday Drag Showcase
Mon, Nov 2, 9 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), no cover, 21+
Apple Adams is the resident host, the co-host rotates, and drinks are thirty percent off all night. Monday is where a new performer gets their first real room. Read more

Faces Monday Night Dance Party and Karaoke
Mon, Nov 2, 9 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), free, 21+
A DJ and a karaoke host split the night on the biggest floor in Lavender Heights, free admission with drink specials. Four and a half hours of it on a Monday is either ambition or a cry for help. Read more

$2 Movie at The Crest: Death Becomes Her
Tue, Nov 3, doors 6 PM, movie 7 PM, Crest Theatre (1013 K St), $2
Two dollars for Death Becomes Her on K Street, open seating, previews running to about 7:20. Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn feuding over immortality is worth considerably more than two dollars. Read more

Faces Karaoke Tuesday
Tue, Nov 3, 9 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), 21+
Four and a half hours of karaoke on the biggest stage in Lavender Heights. The stage is large enough that a bad song choice reads as a bit. Read more

Karaoke Tuesdays
Tue, Nov 3, 9:30 PM to close, Badlands (2003 K St), no cover, 21+
No cover, two dollars off every cocktail, and it runs to close rather than to a set time. Half a block from the other karaoke night on the same street, which is a very Lavender Heights problem. Read more

Roscoe's Piano Bar and Karaoke
Wed, Nov 4, piano 6 to 9 PM, karaoke 9 PM to close, Roscoe's downstairs (2007 K St)
Live piano until nine and then the microphone opens, downstairs, every Wednesday. Two different nights in one room without having to move your drink. Read more

FrontRunners Wednesday Run/Walk
Wed, Nov 4, 6:30 PM, McKinley Park (601 Alhambra Blvd), free
McKinley is back after the fourth-Wednesday social hour took last week out to West Sacramento. Meet at the tennis courts, run or walk, nobody is timing you. Read more

The Trivia Show
Wed, Nov 4, 8 PM, The Depot (2001 K St), free, 21+
Josh hosts, teams cap at six, prizes go to the top three, and it is free to play. The drink specials rotate through the rounds, which is the only part of trivia night that improves as you lose. Read more

Latin Night/ Besos!
Wed, Nov 4, show 10 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free entry, 21+
Adrian G plays, power hour runs 10 to 11 with three-dollar wells and five-dollar margaritas, and entry is free. Four-dollar Coronas and two dollars off tequila fill out the rest of the menu. Read more

Jack has held the title of Pumpkin King for decades without a single challenger, a contested vote or a term limit, and frankly most elected officials could learn something. He has no muscle, no fat and no skin, and he still gets more attention at the party than some of us. Every man in Lavender Heights is chasing a waistline Jack achieved by dying.

His one public scandal was the year he got bored with Halloween and tried to take over Christmas. It’s the most relatable thing he’s ever done. Every gay man has hit a point where he wanted to burn his whole life down and start over in a new town with a new look, and most of us at least waited for a free weekend. Jack did it in a borrowed sleigh, got shot down by the military and still came home with a girlfriend. We’ve had worse Decembers.

That girlfriend is Sally, a rag doll who has escaped her creator, poisoned him with soup and stitched herself back together on her own, which is more personal growth than most of us manage in therapy. He also has Zero, a ghost dog with a glowing nose who never needs to be walked, fed or boarded when you travel. A tall man in pinstripes with a low-maintenance dog and a partner handy with a needle. Ladies and gentlemen, the bar has been set. It’s also very thin.

Know someone who deserves this spot? Next week’s Person of the Week will have a pulse, and we need your help finding them. The drag queen who outraised the gala, the bartender who knows your order and your business, the volunteer who has stacked chairs at every event since 2009. Reply with a name and a sentence about why. Self-nominations are allowed. We won’t tell.

Join Mark Guiducci for a series of wide-ranging conversations with cultural leaders from the worlds of Hollywood, Politics, Style, Silicon Valley, and beyond. 

On every episode, Vanity Fair pulls back the curtain on how some of the most interesting and powerful minds in our society work – and where they see us going. On Fair Game from Vanity Fair, no subject is off limits.

Watch on YouTube, listen anywhere.

Sunburst Projects has outlasted most of Midtown’s brunch spots, and unlike them, it has never served a sad hollandaise. Dr. Geri De La Rosa started it as a summer camp for kids with cancer. When children with HIV showed up with nowhere else to go, the camp simply made room. In the ’80s, that put it ahead of most hospitals, churches, and one entire presidential administration. In 1988, Camp Sunburst became the country’s first therapeutic summer camp for kids living with HIV and their families, and it still runs every summer. Ronald Reagan, meanwhile, is still dead.

Today Sunburst also serves men and the wider Sacramento HIV community, and it runs a full mental health clinic, because the world is a lot. Clients get case managers, therapists, support groups, food bags, a clothing closet, and help with housing and medication costs. Sunburst says it’s the only provider in the area that hands out childcare vouchers, so parents can actually make it to the doctor instead of rescheduling for the fourth time. Some of the staff are HIV-positive, which means clients get someone who understands instead of someone with a clipboard and a pamphlet from 1997.

They also throw a good party. Sunburst hosts an Open House every summer, and this fall it celebrated National Latino AIDS Awareness Day with food, music, and free testing, which is the most productive thing anyone has done at a party. On Friday, November 20, Sunburst hosts the second annual Pour It Forward in West Sacramento. Fifty dollars gets you a welcome cocktail, charcuterie, and a blind tasting of six bourbons or six local beers, and then everyone votes on a favorite. Someone at your table will swear the cheapest bottle is the best. Let them. It’s for charity. The address is private and arrives with your ticket confirmation, so put down Google Maps and act like you’ve been invited somewhere fancy before. All the details are in Upcoming Events below.

If bourbon isn’t your thing, Operation Gift Card is open until December 5. Donations buy grocery gift cards so client families can cook their own holiday dinner, which is a lot more useful than the candle you were about to regift. Donate, drink, or do both, and tell them Sac Queens sent you.

2143 Hurley Way, Suite 240 / sunburstprojects.org

Drag Queen Bingo
Thu, Nov 5, 7 to 9 PM, Mango's (1930 K St), $20 cash only
The Rainbow Chamber's first-Thursday bingo is hosted by DoMe Moore, who does comedy between calling numbers. Twenty dollars buys eight games and the room is cash only. Read more

Thirsty Thursday: Hotties Edition
Thu, Nov 5, shows at 11 PM & midnight, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
C-Yah Envy hosts with Miss Lita Taylor, Unieke Moore, Jerby and Clive Maxx. Go-go dancers work all night, and power hour from 11 to midnight has $3 wells. Drag Queen Bingo at Mango’s ends at 9, a block down K Street, so you can go from daubing numbers to tipping queens with time to spare. Read more

The STAB! Show
Fri, Nov 6, 7–8 PM sharp, STAB! Comedy Theater (1710 Broadway), $6 in person, free to stream
Not a queer show, but it’s the comedy theater that hosts #STFU! and Drag Not Bombs. Owner Jesse Jones gives comics, improvisers and writers 24 to 48 hours to write brand-new material from random prompts, then they perform it live for the first and usually only time. It’s free with a ticket to the 8 PM show, and free to stream if Broadway is too far on a Friday, though they do encourage donations. Read more

So You Wanna Be A Bentley
Fri, Nov 6, 8 to 10 PM, Roscoe's (2007 K St), ticketed, $12.50
Bijou Bentley auditions a new drag child in public, demanding glamour, beauty and wit. A drag family adding a member live is better casting than most casting. Read more

Climb On!
Sat, Nov 7, 1 to 3 PM, UC Davis ARC Rock Wall (Davis)
The Davis resource center takes queer climbers to the campus rock wall for two hours. No experience and no gear of your own required. Read more

Black, Brown and Kinky: Sac Town Edition
Sat, Nov 7, 3 to 7 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), 21+
Onyx Northwest brings its Black and Brown kink social to the Bolt for four afternoon hours. Starting at three makes it the rare leather event you can attend and still have an evening. Read more

BLUF SF Cuero: November Edition
Sat, Nov 7, 9 PM–midnight, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), free, 21+
The last Cuero of the year comes to The Bolt, with Bootblack Zander on duty, a cigar and gear sale, and a raffle auction benefiting Sunburst Projects. There won’t be another one until 2027, so this is your last chance this year to get your boots shined and buy a cigar for a good cause. Read more

OutLoud Sacramento Winter Bowling ***(Registration 8 Nov - 8 Dec)***
Wednesdays, Dec 9 to Jan 27, 7–10 PM, Bowlero North Sacramento, $12.50 registration plus $160 for the season, 21+
OutLoud’s eight-week bowling league for all skill levels starts in December. You can sign up with a team or as a free agent. The season costs $160, which works out to $20 a week, cheaper than most people’s Wednesday bar tab. It runs right through the holidays, including Dec 23 and Dec 30, so a Wednesday night of bowling might be a nice break from family. Read more

Blood: Suzette’s Dead
Fri, Nov 13, 9 PM to close, Radclyffe’s (1330 H St), $5 suggested, 21+
LOLGBT Presents’ ’80s and ’90s goth night holds a faux funeral for its regular host. Suzette is fine, the organizers say, she just isn’t going to be there. Dixon Herr hosts the mourning and DJ Bryan Hawk returns on the decks. The dress code is to dress in theme, whatever that means to you, which at a funeral for someone who isn’t dead leaves a lot of room. The cover is a $5 suggestion, and nobody gets turned away for not having it. Read more

Rainbow Chamber Community Networking Mixer
Tue, Nov 17, 6 to 7:30 PM, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento, Kumi Event Center (3317 Forty Mile Rd, Wheatland), free, registration required, 21+
Road trip: the chamber’s mixer moves out to Hard Rock with appetizers from Chef Chio Saelee and a cash bar. It’s free for members and non-members, but you need to register online first. It’s a casino, so only the networking is guaranteed to pay off. Read more

Queer Crush Climbing at Pipeworks
Fri, Nov 20, 6–9 PM, Sacramento Pipeworks (116 N 16th St), free for Touchstone members, $20 day pass, all levels
Queer Crush takes over the climbing walls on the third Friday of every month, with free gear rentals, including shoes and harnesses, for anyone who comes. The $20 day pass is a third off the usual price. Arrive early for the intro circle, because meeting people is more of the point than the climbing. Read more

Pup Mosh
Sat, Nov 21, 2 to 6 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), 21+
Four afternoon hours of pups and the people who come to watch, third Saturdays at the Bolt. A two o'clock start makes it the rare leather event that leaves your evening intact. Read more

Transgender Day of Remembrance Candlelight Vigil
Sat, Nov 21, 6:30 to 9 PM, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (2620 Capitol Ave), free, all ages
PFLAG Sacramento, TransFamilies Sacramento and Trinity Cathedral co-host the vigil, with guest speakers and a stream for anyone who cannot be in the room. Free, all ages, and open across traditions. Read more

Makeup & Mimosas Drag Brunch
Sun, Nov 29, doors 11 AM, show 12 PM, Punch Line (2100 Arden Way, Ste 225), from $21+, 13+
LOLGBT Presents’ drag brunch comes back to Punch Line on Thanksgiving weekend. Apple Adams and Dixon Herr host, with Princess B, Juicy G Punani and C-Yah Envy. The organizers promise you’ll burn off the stuffing by dancing and singing along, which is optimistic. There’s a two-drink minimum per person. Read more

Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus: Holiday HITS! with a Splash of Sass
Sat, Dec 5, 2 PM and 7 PM, Sacramento Memorial Auditorium (1515 J St), $35 to $55
Two shows in one day of holiday songs you already know, delivered with what the chorus calls just the right amount of sass. Tickets go through the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts District box office on (916) 808-5181, and there is no lift or ramp to the balconies. Read more

A Drag Queen Christmas
Wed, Dec 9, doors 6:30 PM, show 7:30 PM, Channel 24 (1800 24th St), ticketed, $40+
Nina West hosts, with Myki Meeks, Nini Coco and Crystal Methyd on the posted lineup. Buying in October is a gift to December you. Read more

Naughty & Nice Holiday Mixer
Wed, Dec 9, 6 to 7:30 PM, Hilton Arden West (2200 Harvard St), free for members, $10 for non-members, registration required
The Rainbow Chamber wraps up the year with hosted appetizers, a cash bar and a room full of people you’ll want to remember next year. You need to register online, and showing up unannounced probably puts you on the naughty list. Read more

Sacramento Ballet: The Nutcracker
Sat, Dec 12 through Tue, Dec 22, various times, SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (1301 L St), ticketed
Not a queer show, but the matinees are the civilized slot and the costume department is not amateur. Ten days of performances leaves very little room for an excuse. Read more

Sin City Classic
Thu, Jan 14 through Mon, Jan 18, 2027, Las Vegas
Road trip, and a long way out. The Sin City Classic turns twenty with twenty-four sports and more than ten thousand athletes expected, and the host hotel room block is already open. Read more

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