The Sac Queens Agenda Oct 8

Last week we asked what you're going as for Halloween, and 24 of you answered. "A pop culture character I will explain all night long" won with 9 votes. Classic monsters took second with 6, and "something with a harness and a vague excuse for a theme" was right behind at 5. Three of you are going as a gay icon with a wig and a lot of confidence. And one brave soul is going as a sexy version of an object that has no business being sexy. Please send photos.

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and my first one in Sacramento taught me an unexpected lesson: a costume is only fun when people know who you are. I went as Krampus. It was, objectively, the best Krampus costume in the city. Nobody cared, because nobody could tell it was me, so I spent the night as a large, hairy stranger. And, it was also insanely hot in there. Learn from me. Pick something that still allows people to recognize you, and pick something you can breathe in.

But before Halloween, there's Saturday. Find the Redfin table out front of Teneral Cellars at the farmers market (10 AM to 1 PM) and spin the Wine Wheel for a chance to win:

Thomas and I will be stopping by after kickball that morning, so we might even see you there! We'll be a little sweaty, and we hope you don’t mind.

Now, a little ask. Maybe you're not ready to become a Sugar Daddy yet. That's okay. We're patient, and we're not going anywhere. But if you still want to help keep this newsletter going, there's an easy way: shop on Amazon through our link. Start with your Halloween costume, and get it today before the good ones sell out. Your price doesn't change at all, and Amazon sends us a tiny, teeny, itsy-bitsy commission that helps cover our website and email hosting.

Or grab one of these.

Now, what you’re really here for. Let’s get into the events.

-Tom

October 8 – 14.

English Breakfast at Fox & Goose
Thu, Oct 8, 9:15 to 11:15 AM, Fox and Goose (1001 R St)
Sacramento Gay Men's Events books a table every other Thursday morning for a proper fry-up. Seven people are already going, which is a solid number for anything that starts before ten. Read more

Karaoke Night at Teneral
Thu, Oct 8, 6:30 to 9:30 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St, Ste 110), 21+
Tock runs this on the first, second and fourth Thursdays, and Oct 8 is the second. Three hours at a queer- and women-owned wine lounge is a long time to keep pretending you will not sing. Read more

Halloween Trivia at the Queer Bookstore
Thu, Oct 8, doors 6:25 PM, trivia 6:30 to 8 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove), $6.24
Quizmaster Michelle runs ninety minutes on legends and villains, solo or in teams, with goth and spooky outfits encouraged. No outside food or drink, but the cafe is right there and the parking is free. Read more

Drag Bingo with Apple Adams
Thu, Oct 8, 7 PM, arrive by 6:45, Tipsy Putt (630 K St #120), $5
Five dollars covers every round and extra cards are a dollar each, first come and no reservations. Arriving at 6:45 means the drink, the cards and the dot marker are sorted before Apple starts calling. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: E.T.
Thu, Oct 8, check-in 6 PM, movie 7 PM, Old Sacramento State Historic Park (111 I St), $10 to $35
Not a queer show, but a small alien phoning home from a suburban closet is doing something. Sound comes through provided headphones and ten dollars buys a patch of lawn you bring your own blanket for. Read more

$2 Movie at The Crest: The Shining
Thu, Oct 8, doors 6 PM, movie 7 PM, Crest Theatre (1013 K St), $2
Sacramento Gay Men's Events takes over the two-dollar screening and opens Halloween month with Kubrick. Open seating, previews run to about 7:20, and two dollars is less than the parking. Read more

Ace/Aro Group
Thu, Oct 8, 7 to 8:30 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
Second Thursdays at the archive for people on the asexual and aromantic spectrum and anyone in the neighborhood of either. Ninety minutes where the explaining part is already done. Read more

K!NK or Treat
Thu, Oct 8, 7 PM, The Boardwalk (9426 Greenback Ln, Orangevale), ticketed
Plot Twist, Live! opens its Halloween season with burlesque and variety out past Citrus Heights. Orangevale is a drive, so settle the ride before the costume. Read more

Pride Week Drag Show with Raven
Thu, Oct 8, 7:30 PM, University Union Ballroom, Sacramento State (6000 Jed Smith Dr), free
Sacramento State's Pride Week books Raven from RuPaul's Drag Race alongside local favorite Taryn Thru-U. A free show with a Drag Race name on it fills a ballroom well before the start time. Read more

Jonathan Van Ness: Hot & Healed
Thu, Oct 8, doors 7 PM, show 8 PM, Channel 24 (1800 24th St), ticketed, 18+
Van Ness brings the Hot and Healed tour into Midtown for one night. Channel 24 checks physical ID at the door, which the phone wallet does not satisfy. Read more

Big Gay Halloween
Thu, Oct 8 through Sun, Oct 25, Thu and Fri 8 PM, Sat 7:30 and 10 PM, Sun 7 PM, Great Star Theater (636 Jackson St, San Francisco), ticketed
Road trip: three weekends of acrobats, ghouls, drag royalty and deadly dancers in North Beach, opening tonight. The two Saturday shows are what make a whole weekend schedulable. Read more

Faces Thursday: Song and Dance
Thu, Oct 8, 9 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St)
The biggest floor in Lavender Heights splits Thursday between the dancing side and the karaoke side. Four and a half hours is enough runway to pick one and then change your mind. Read more

SGMC Karaoke
Thu, Oct 8, 9:30 PM, Roscoe's upstairs (2007 K St)
Chorus rehearsal lets out and the Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus takes the upstairs mic. A room full of people who can actually sing, none of whom will make that your problem. Read more

Thirsty Thursdays: JVN Hot & Healed Afterparty
Thu, Oct 8, 11 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Badlands is hosting the official afterparty for Jonathan Van Ness's Hot & Healed show at Channel 24, with Suzette Veneti hosting the drag show and JVN hair products as prizes. The two featured cocktails are named after the tour: Love This Journey (tequila, peach schnapps, lime and soda) and Hot and Healed (Fireball, vanilla and Coke). You don't need a ticket to the show to come, so if you missed JVN, you can still leave with better hair products than you came in with. Read more

Las Vegas Pride Parade
Fri, Oct 9, Downtown Las Vegas
Road trip: the parade runs tonight and the festival waits until Oct 17 out at Desert Breeze. Eight days apart means Sacramento visitors pick one or book the whole week. Read more

Coffee Break
Fri, Oct 9, 9:45 to 11:45 AM, Temple Coffee (4201 H St)
Sacramento Gay Men's Events takes over a corner of East Sac for two hours of caffeine and talking. Ten people have said yes, the busiest thing on the calendar this week before noon. Read more

Cook the Book Club
Fri, Oct 9, 5 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove)
Sophia and Bonnie run a book club where the assignment is a recipe. Reading is optional if the dish turns out. Read more

Liquid Therapy
Fri, Oct 9, 5:30 to 7 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
Outword's second-Friday happy hour comes back with cocktails and a prize drawing. Ninety minutes is the right length for a work week that is technically still happening. Read more

Faces Friday Happy Hour with Caloy
Fri, Oct 9, 6 to 8 PM, Faces (2000 K St)
Two hours at the front end of the night, before K Street gets any ideas. Caloy works the early shift, which is the easiest one to say yes to. Read more

Legislating Against Liberties with Harry Blain
Fri, Oct 9, 7 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove)
A guest lecture on how laws get written to take things away, at a queer bookstore in Elk Grove. The subject matter is most of the reason the venue makes sense. Read more

Sacramento Turn Verein Oktoberfest
Fri, Oct 9, doors 6 PM, and Sat, Oct 10, from 3 PM, both to 11:30 PM, Turner Hall (3349 J St), $25 advance, $30 door, $5 ages 12 and under
Not a queer event, but lederhosen have always been doing something: the 57th edition runs the Gruber Family Band and STV Harmonie in the Mainhalle, AKA Live in the Festhall and the Alpenmeisters out in the Biergarten. Food and drink tickets are two dollars each and sell online in blocks of twenty for forty. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: So I Married an Axe Murderer ***(Ticket Sales Ended)***
Fri, Oct 9, check-in 6 PM, movie 7 PM, Old Sacramento State Historic Park (111 I St), $10 to $35
Not a queer show, but Mike Myers spending ninety minutes wondering whether his new wife has a body count is a relatable Friday. Same headphones, same lawn, same ten dollars. Read more

llusions: The Drag Queen Show ***(Sold Out)***
Fri, Oct 9, 7 PM; Sat, Oct 10, 1:30 PM & 7 PM; Sun, Oct 11, 1:30 PM; Illusions (910 2nd St, Old Sacramento), ticketed, 21+
Old Sacramento's celebrity-impersonation room runs across the weekend. Despite the dinner-show branding it is drinks only, so eat somewhere first. Read more

Fridays Are a Drag
Fri, Oct 9, 8 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Taryn Thru-U and Mae Heffiman host Badlands' Friday drag show, with special guests Klaudia Banks, Ava Rice and Veneno. It's free, starts at 8, and leaves the rest of your Friday open for whatever comes after. Read more

So You Wanna Be A Bentley
Fri, Oct 9, 8 to 9 PM, Roscoe's (2007 K St), ticketed
Bijou Bentley auditions candidates for the Bentley name live, in front of the room. Roscoe's own copy promises she will demand glamour, beauty and wit, which is three more things than most auditions ask for. Read more

Electric Feels
Fri, Oct 9, 8 PM, Ace of Spades (1417 R St), ticketed, 18+
An indie and electronic night that in practice runs Daft Punk into MGMT into Charli XCX. Dress for a floor you will not be standing still on. Read more

Gaymer Night
Fri, Oct 9, 9 PM to midnight, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), free, 21+
Second Fridays, The Bolt puts video games up on its screens and never charges a cover. The flyer frames a controller with leather cuffs and a flogger, which describes the crowd accurately. Read more

Faces Friday: Btrixx, Starkilla & DJ Zay
Fri, Oct 9, 9 PM–1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), free before 10 PM, 21+
Faces fills its Friday with three DJs: Btrixx, Starkilla and DJ Zay. It's free if you get there before 10, which makes it worth showing up early to a nightclub for once. Read more

Blood
Fri, Oct 9, 9 PM to close, Radclyffe's (1330 H St), $5 suggested, 21+
LOLGBT Presents brings back its '80s and '90s goth night, with DJ Blix on the decks and Suzette Veneti hosting. The cover is a $5 suggestion, and nobody 21 or older gets turned away for not having it. The organizers say they've made some improvements to the atmosphere, and since the night is called Blood, that probably means more fog, not more lighting. Read more

DAM!: Fall Y'all
Fri, Oct 9, 9:30 PM, Faces (2000 K St), free before 10 PM, 21+
Rhonda Beaverhausen's monthly drag night has a fall theme this time, with Dixon Herr, Libra Longlengs and Julian Moonlight. The dress code is orange, whether you're a pumpkin-spice sweater diva or a Halloween scream queen. Rhonda admits it doesn't feel much like fall yet in this heat, but the theme is staying either way. Read more

Zodiac Party: Libra Edition
Fri, Oct 9, 10 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
Badlands celebrates Libra season with DJ Marcos and go-go dancers, and the invitation covers Libras and anyone who loves one. Libras are known for balance, charm and taking a long time to decide on anything, so a party where the main decision has already been made for them is probably a good fit. Read more

Sacramento FrontRunners & FrontWalkers
Sat, Oct 10, 9 AM, Guy West Bridge (945 University Ave), free
The standing five-mile Saturday loop, runners and walkers together, coffee somewhere nearby after. Oct 10 is a second Saturday, so the group brunch that follows the third one is not part of it. Read more

Brunchy Bites & Bottomless Mimosas
Sat, Oct 10, 10 AM to 1 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St, Ste 110), $25.00, 21+
Every Saturday through December, Teneral and Grub N Graze put out charcuterie boards with bottomless mimosas. It wraps at one, which leaves the whole afternoon for recovering from it. Read more

Coming Out Day Festival
Sat, Oct 10, 11 AM to 4 PM, Township 9 Park (611 Riverine Way), free, all ages
Local LGBTQ+ performers, vendors, a free photobooth, face painting and a sound bath out in the River District. Resource tables cover safer sex, harm reduction, mental health and gender-affirming care, so go early before the stage pulls everybody to one end of the park. Read more

Drag for Liberty
Sat, Oct 10, 2–5 PM, Davis Community Church Fellowship Hall (Davis), $10, all ages
Road trip: Davis Pride's all-ages drag show celebrates National Coming Out Day, with a lineup built around being exactly who you are, whether you came out decades ago, last week, or are there as an ally. It's ticketed but bring cash for tips anyway. A church fellowship hall is not where people usually expect a drag show, which is probably part of the point. Read more

Drink & Draw
Sat, Oct 10, 3 to 6 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), $10 suggested donation, 21+
Lady Bones hosts with live models, supplies included and proceeds going to a local charity. The flyer lists four dates for the entire year and this is the last of them, so the sketchbooks are well rested. Read more

Postcard Party with Authors Against Book Bans
Sat, Oct 10, 5 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove)
Sandra Proudman joins Authors Against Book Bans for an afternoon of writing to the people who pull books off shelves. Bring your handwriting and your worst opinion of a school board. Read more

The Velvet Room: A Drag Cabaret Dinner Show
Sat, Oct 10, seating 6:30 PM, show 7 PM, Roscoe's (2007 K St), $12.50,
Roscoe's dinner cabaret returns with Hellen Heels and Taryn Thru-U hosting Just Jennifer, Mae Heffiman and Polaris. Roscoe's is pitching it as a 10/10 show on 10/10, which sets the bar high, but the cast looks up to it. Tickets are already filling up, so it's better to reserve now than to hope someone cancels. Read more

Witches' Ball
Sat, Oct 10, music from 9 PM, Radclyffe's (1330 H St), $1 to $10 pay what you can, 21+
Heart Piece, Chiquita, Del and GRLBOI take the decks at Sacramento's lesbian bar for another Witches' Ball. Stoplight bracelets are on offer for saying what you want without having to say it. Read more

Man Candy
Sat, Oct 10, go-gos at 9 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
Badlands' go-go night with DJ Mario on the decks and the dancers starting at nine. The candy in question does not come wrapped and the flyer has never pretended otherwise. Read more

Accessible Yoga
Sun, Oct 11, 10:30 to 11:30 AM, Sacramento LGBT Community Center (2031 K St), free, all ages
A weekly hour built around the body you walked in with rather than the one in the video. No age limit and nothing to sign. Read more

Folsom Family Pride Festival
Sun, Oct 11, 10 AM to 3 PM, Folsom City Lions Park (403 Stafford St, Folsom), free
Folsom's Pride lands on National Coming Out Day with live music, speakers, food vendors, a picnic area and arts and crafts. Entertainer sign-ups closed in September, so the bill is set even if it is not published. Read more

Roscoe's Drag Brunch: Ghouls Just Want to Have Brunch
Sun, Oct 11, seatings 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM, Roscoe's upstairs (2007 K St), $12.50
This month's Halloween brunch has Apple Adams hosting Carmen Ceriyah Rosario, Diana Hole and Mumzie Stems, and the jack-o'-lanterns on the flyer are already in full costume. As usual, there are two seatings upstairs, an entree plus eighteen-dollar bottomless mimosas, and a two-hour clock somebody always argues with. Tickets are $12.50, so handle them before Sunday. Read more

Makeup & Mimosas Drag Brunch
Sun, Oct 11, doors 11 AM, show 12 PM, Punch Line (2100 Arden Way, Ste 225), ticketed
LOLGBT Presents brings its drag brunch back to Arden Way with a Halloween theme. The full billing is Drag Brunch with a Punch, which is also a fair description of the mimosas. Read more

LLACE Game Day
Sun, Oct 11, 12 to 2 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
Second Sundays, two hours of board games at the archive. Bring one to teach, or trust that somebody else remembered. Read more

California Freethought Day
Sun, Oct 11, 12 PM, California State Capitol west steps, free with registration
Not a queer show, but a day about free inquiry on the Capitol steps is adjacent by temperament. Assemblymember Alex Lee, biologist Forrest Valkai and singer Candi Carpenter are on the program, and the whole thing streams for anyone who cannot get downtown. Read more

SOMA Origins Walking Tour
Sun, Oct 11, 1 to 3 PM, meet at Ringold St at 9th, San Francisco, free
Road trip: David Hyman walks you through SoMa's leather-bar and bathhouse history across two free hours. It sits on the same day as Folsom Family Pride, so this Sunday is an either-or. Read more

Sunday Sessions with Ethan Fedors
Sun, Oct 11, 4 to 6 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St, Ste 110), 21+
Live jazz guitar in the garden at the queer- and women-owned wine lounge. Two hours of music quiet enough to talk over, which is rather the point. Read more

Horror Book Club
Sun, Oct 11, 5 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove)
Zoid hosts the horror book club at the queer bookstore, which in October is simply good scheduling. Come for the book, stay for the argument about the ending. Read more

Badlands Sunday Showcase
Sun, Oct 11, 8 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Rose Rowzay hosts Badlands' Sunday drag show, with Ultra Payne, Mentally Jill and Nyx Redacted in the cast. It's free, and it starts early enough that you can close out the weekend and still make it to work on Monday. Read more

Glow Party
Sun, Oct 11, 9 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), free, 21+
The Bolt switches on the blacklights for one dated Sunday glow party. Neon body paint counts as an outfit, and less fabric leaves more to glow. Read more

Sacramento FrontRunners Monday Run/Walk
Mon, Oct 12, 6:30 PM, Sacramento Running Company (2673 21st St), free
Three miles through Curtis Park on a Monday evening, running or walking, either counts. Oct 12 is the second Monday, so the club's business meeting follows it at the same address. Read more

Banned Book Club
Mon, Oct 12, 7 to 8 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
Second Mondays, working through the titles somebody tried to get pulled off a shelf. An hour of very well-organized spite. Read more

FrontRunners Monthly Business Meeting
Mon, Oct 12, 7:30 PM, Sacramento Running Company (2673 21st St)
The club's monthly business meeting follows the second-Monday run at the same address. Come for the three miles, stay if you want a say in them. Read more

Monday New Drag Showcase
Mondays, Oct 12, 9 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Badlands gives the stage to new drag talent every Monday. This week C-Yah Envy and Eva Changing Envy are hosting, and Dolly Romano is the special guest for the lip sync distraction. Cocktails are 30% off all night. It's a good chance to see performers before they're booked everywhere else, and possibly before their wigs are fully settled. Read more

Monday Night at Faces
Mon, Oct 12, 9 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), free, 21+
A DJ takes the dance floor and a karaoke jockey takes the mic, so the same room covers both moods. Monday is the one night nobody expects anything from you. Read more

Pickled Pink Beginners' Session
Tue, Oct 13, 4 to 6 PM, Southside Park, free, all ages
The LGBTQIA+ pickleball group runs a beginners' session every Tuesday with no equipment and no experience needed. Allies count as part of the plus, so bring the straight friend who keeps hinting. Read more

Crafternoon
Tue, Oct 13, 5 to 7 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove), free
Amanda hosts the casual second-Tuesday crafting session at the queer bookstore, free with an RSVP. The fourth-Friday edition is the serious one, which tells you what to expect from this one. Read more

Men's Group
Tue, Oct 13, 6 to 7:30 PM, Sacramento LGBT Community Center (2031 K St), free, 18+
A weekly drop-in for LGBTQ+ men to unload whatever the week produced. No sign-up, and nobody else in there has it sorted either. Read more

Youth Group (18 to 24)
Tue, Oct 13, 6 to 7:30 PM, Sacramento LGBT Community Center (2031 K St), free, ages 18 to 24
The Center's young-adult room, running opposite Thursday's group for teenagers. Those are the years this kind of room earns its keep. Read more

SIN Sacramento
Tue, Oct 13, 6 to 7:30 PM, Sacramento LGBT Community Center (2031 K St), free
The Center's second-Tuesday group, where SIN stands for Strength in Numbers. The name is the whole proposition. Read more

Trans Youth Group
Tue, Oct 13, 6 to 7:30 PM, Gender Health Center (3823 V St), ages 12 to 17
Second and fourth Tuesdays, run by mental health trainees under licensed supervision, masks required. One registration covers every youth and parent group the Center offers. Read more

Maxx Drag
Tue, Oct 13, doors 7:30 PM, show 8 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
Season nine of the Tuesday drag competition is a couple of weeks in and the cast is thinning. Early enough in the run to pick a favorite without having to defend it. Read more

Faces Karaoke Tuesday
Tue, Oct 13, 9 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St)
A full Tuesday of karaoke on the biggest stage on K Street. Four and a half hours leaves room for the song, the regret and the rematch. Read more

Show Tune Request Night
Tue, Oct 13, 9 PM, The Depot (2001 K St)
DJ Ryan takes requests, musicals only, and there is no appeals process. Put yours in early, because the Wicked window closes fast. Read more

Karaoke Tuesdays
Tue, Oct 13, 9:30 PM to close, Badlands (2003 K St), free
No cover and two dollars off every cocktail until the lights come up. It is half a block from the other karaoke night, so pick a lane or do both. Read more

Autistic Interest Book Club
Wed, Oct 14, 5 to 6 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove)
A chapter of Uniquely Human every second and fourth Wednesday, with the book bought from the store. One chapter a fortnight is a reading pace anybody can hold. Read more

Silver Social
Wed, Oct 14, 6 to 8 PM, Tri-County Diversity (201 D St Ste L, Marysville), free, ages 50 and up
Second Wednesdays in Marysville for LGBTQIA+ people over fifty, with peer support, board and card games, music and light refreshments. Veterans and allies are welcome, which is not a sentence every room up there would write. Read more

Gay Out the Vote 2026: Bricks & Ballots
Wed, Oct 14, 6 to 8 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
The Sacramento Stonewall Democrats gather for their 2026 endorsed candidates with Hellen Heels guest hosting. It lands three weeks before Election Day and it is RSVP only. Read more

Sacramento FrontRunners Wednesday Run
Wed, Oct 14, 6:30 PM, McKinley Park tennis courts (601 Alhambra Blvd), free
Three miles around McKinley Park, meeting at the tennis courts rather than the Alhambra frontage. Oct 14 is a second Wednesday, so this is the plain run and not the monthly social hour. Read more

Piano Bar & Karaoke
Wed, Oct 14, piano 6 to 9 PM, karaoke 9 PM to close, Roscoe's downstairs (2007 K St)
Live piano until nine and then the mic opens, downstairs, every Wednesday. Two rooms' worth of night without having to move. Read more

Bi+Pan Sacramento
Wed, Oct 14, 7 to 8 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
Second Wednesdays at the archive for bi and pan people and anyone who lands near there. The one room where the question does not come up. Read more

The Trivia Show
Wed, Oct 14, 8 PM, The Depot (2001 K St), free, 21+
Josh hosts, it is free to play, teams cap at six players and the top three take prizes. Recruit one sports person, one theater person and one person who reads footnotes for pleasure. Read more

Romeo: Hottieween
Wed, Oct 14, 10 PM to close, Faces (2000 K St), free, 21+
Romeo gives its Wednesday night at Faces a Halloween theme: hot boys, drink specials and a show, with no cover. The flyer is mostly red lighting, devil horns and someone on a pole, so expect more spooky-sexy than spooky. Read more

Latin Night with Besos
Wed, Oct 14, 10 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
DJ Adrian G runs the standing Wednesday Latin night with a Besos drag show layered on top at ten. Power hour is three-dollar wells from ten to eleven, plus four-dollar Corona and two off every tequila. Read more

Mike grew up in the Bay Area and now calls Sacramento home. He is a proud gay, biracial man and the owner of Sac Tech Buddies. He started the business doing home automation, then renamed it last year once the work had grown well beyond smart homes. These days he does tech support and training of almost every kind. For two years he also held a contract with Sacramento County teaching basic computer skills to seniors around town. Explaining the difference between a browser and the internet for the fortieth time takes real patience, and he clearly has it, along with the habit of showing up for people who need a hand. That habit extends to his seat on the board of directors of Golden Rule Services, which supports Sacramentans experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.

Mike is Head of Security for Leather Pride Sacramento. When a few hundred people in harnesses gather in one place, he's the one who has already thought about the exits. He has held titles with the United Courts of the Great Northwest Imperial Empire, and the leather community gave him the International Marcus Hernandez Leather Leadership Award for his service. Last year Sacramento Pride named him a Grand Marshal and singled out his tireless fundraising and advocacy for queer NorCal. Most people who get thanked that publicly would take the next year off. Mike kept going.

He is also Mr. October in the 2026 BareChest Calendar, so this happens to be the one month he is officially hanging on people's walls. Away from work and the volunteer shifts, he rides his motorcycle, games, walks his two dogs and goes to concerts and festivals. Someone with that list of hobbies could easily keep his weekends for himself, and Mike keeps giving them to everyone else. If you see him at a leather event this month, say thank you. Then turn the page, because November belongs to someone else.

www.sactechbuddies.com

Susan Stewart started Strapping Fit in 2016 as a gender-neutral clothing line, cut for people who wanted menswear but weren't built like the men it was designed for. "Strapping" usually describes a broad-shouldered man. Susan saw no reason the word should stay with him. In 2017, she and her wife Rachel opened a storefront on Broadway in Oak Park on April Fool's Day, and nine years in, the store has outlasted the joke.

The shop calls itself a place for rad gifts for rad people, and the shelves back that up. There's a whole section of California and Sacramento goods, along with mugs, socks, home decor, Jellycat plushies, Steiff collectibles, and a category on its website labeled, simply, "Silly Things." The card wall is the reason many regulars come back. You can find a sympathy card and a birthday card that roasts the recipient in the same aisle, and Strapping trusts you to know which is which. Gift wrap is free and dogs are welcome. Strapping also hosts potluck dinners and movie nights, and it collected food donations during the government shutdown. When the block across the street started to empty out in 2024, Susan opened an ice cream shop there to keep the corner going. Most landlords would call that a risk. Oak Park calls it a neighbor.

The holidays will arrive on schedule whether or not you've planned for them. A drugstore gift card is always available, but it says more about the drugstore than about you. Go to Broadway, bring the dog, and tell them Sac Queens sent you. If Oak Park isn't on your route, Strapping ships, and the shipping is free on orders over $49 with code SHIP49. Strapping sells digital gift cards too, which is the respectable version of the drugstore option.

3405 Broadway, Oak Park / shopstrapping.com

Golden Grounds: Senior Social
Thu, Oct 15, 1 to 2:30 PM, online, free, 55 and up
The Center runs its seniors group on first and third Thursdays over video, so nobody has to find parking on K Street. Ninety minutes with people who remember what this city used to make them hide. Read more

Ladies Nite at Teneral Cellars
Thu, Oct 15, 6:30–9 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St), $10 in advance, $15 at the door
Teneral's monthly ladies' night features DJ GRLBOI. The evening is meant for dancing, singing, laughing, and supporting a safe space for the community. The $5 you save by buying ahead is about the price of a glass of wine, which makes advance tickets an easy choice. Read more

Eclectic? Trash? Book Club
Thu, Oct 15, 6:30 to 8 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
The archive's original book club has been running more than twenty-five years, mostly on contemporary queer fiction. You do not have to have read the book, which may be the most welcoming sentence in Midtown. Read more

TransMasc & Non-Binary Support Group
Thu, Oct 15, 6 to 7:30 PM, Gender Health Center (3823 V St), 18+
First and third Thursdays, facilitated by community members, masks required and nothing to sign. The counterpart to last week's TransFemme group, one week over. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: Hocus Pocus ***(SOLD OUT)***
Thu, Oct 15, 7 PM, Old Sacramento Waterfront (111 I St), $10–$35, all ages
Not a queer show, but Bette Midler plays a witch two nights in a row: the outdoor movie series at Old Sacramento State Historic Park is showing Hocus Pocus on both Thursday and Friday, with sound through headphones. Seating runs from $10 for a spot on the lawn (bring a blanket) to $35 for a cozy seat with popcorn and a drink. Tickets are sold only through the official link. Read more

Critical Core Queer Gaming Group
Thu, Oct 15, 7:30 to 9:30 PM, Gender Health Center (3823 V St)
Sac Queer Gaymers run a tabletop night on third Thursdays with snacks handled and masks required. Bring a game or bring a character who owes somebody money. Read more

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day Celebration
Fri, Oct 16, 6–8 PM, Casa de Español (1101 R St), free
Sunburst Projects is marking National Latino AIDS Awareness Day with Latin food and music, local vendors and community partners. The evening also includes a screening of El Chakal de Mi Corazón, a novela from Reach LA about HIV stigma and PrEP. Golden Rule Services will offer free rapid HIV testing on site. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: Hocus Pocus ***(SOLD OUT)***
Fri, Oct 16, check-in 6 PM, movie 7 PM, Old Sacramento State Historic Park (111 I St), $10 to $35
The outdoor series gives Hocus Pocus both nights, which is either generous or an admission about demand. Same headphones, same lawn, two chances at the Sanderson sisters. Read more

Blazin' Saddles with Diplo, Dustin Lynch and Wuki
Fri, Oct 16, 4 to 11 PM, Hornet Heartbeat (3001 Ramona Ave), ticketed
Sac State's homecoming weekend puts country and dance music on the same stage entirely on purpose. Boots solve both halves of the bill. Read more

Bootblack & Leather Care with Rae
Fri, Oct 16, 8 to 11:30 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St)
Third Fridays, Rae runs boot and leather care at the bar that never charges a cover. Bring the gear you have been meaning to deal with since Folsom. Read more

Twilight: Forks and Poles
Fri, Oct 16, 9 PM, Radclyffe's (1330 H St), free, 21+
RQP's October show takes on Twilight, so come dressed as your favorite character and pick a side: Team Edward, Team Jacob, or Team Daddies, which the organizers have added and which may be the most popular choice. There's no cover but bring cash for tips. Expect the movies' mood exactly: hot, a little emotionally unstable, and very fond of vampires. Read more

Drag Not Bombs
Fri, Oct 16, 9 to 10 PM, STAB! Comedy Theater (1710 Broadway), $15, all ages
A third-Friday comedy and variety benefit for the Lebanon Solidarity Collective. No host is named anywhere on the listing, which is either an oversight or the bit. Read more

Pup Mosh
Sat, Oct 17, 2 to 6 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St)
Third Saturdays, four afternoon hours for pups and anyone who enjoys the energy. It finishes right as the leather bar crawl starts across town, which is either convenient or a warning. Read more

Fluff with Manni Peddi
Sat, Oct 17, seating 6:30 PM, show 7 to 9 PM, Roscoe's upstairs (2007 K St)
The third-Saturday counterpart to The Velvet Room, same upstairs room, entirely different host. Manni Peddi runs this one, with dinner and drinks part of the sitting. Read more

Sacramento Leather Invasion: Bar Crawl
Sat, Oct 17, from 7 PM, starting at The Mercantile Saloon (1928 L St)
Four bars in one night for The Trevor Project, opening at The Mercantile at seven and closing at The Bolt at ten, with Badlands and The Depot in between. The harness is optional and the pacing is not. Read more

Noche Caliente
Sat, Oct 17, 9 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
Badlands brings Noche Caliente back with DJ Freddo and go-go dancers working the room all night. The start time is not on the flyer yet, which is standard for a Badlands Saturday. Read more

Las Vegas Pride Festival
Sat, Oct 17, Desert Breeze Events Center, Las Vegas
Road trip: the festival half, eight days after the parade. Picking one is cheaper and picking both is a week off. Read more

Self-Defense Class for Women
Sun, Oct 18, 10 AM–1 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St), $40
Teneral Cellars is hosting a three-hour self-defense class for women, taught by self-defense expert Noah Willsmore. The class covers staying safe, spotting danger early, and simple physical moves for getting away from an attacker. It's designed for every fitness level, and you don't need any martial arts experience. Only 30 spots are available, so register early. Read more

Queer Crafternoon
Sun, Oct 18, 1 to 3 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
First and third Sundays at the archive, all materials provided, bring your own if you are particular. Two hours of busy hands and loose opinions. Read more

Tea Dance
Sun, Oct 18, 3–7 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), free, 21+
Disco Daddy Paul Curtis hosts an afternoon tea dance built on '70s disco divas, a nod to the original Sunday tea dances. DJ Ryan plays the music, there are go-go dancers, and drink specials include $1 off beer, $2 off cocktails and disco-themed drinks. It wraps up at 7, so you can be home by dark, or stay at Badlands for Dress Code at 8. Read more

The Ghouls are Calling
Sun, Oct 18, 4:30 to 7:30 PM, Radclyffe's (1330 H St)
Radclyffe's runs an early-evening Halloween hang with paintable pumpkins, craft kits while supplies last and a costume contest at seven. There is a free clothing and costume swap too, so the costume you swore you would wear again can become somebody else's promise. Read more

$2 Movies at The Crest
Sun, Oct 18, Tue, Oct 27 and Wed, Oct 28, doors 6 PM, movie 7 PM, Crest Theatre (1013 K St), $2
Sacramento Gay Men's Events keeps the two-dollar screenings running all month with Beetlejuice, The Craft and Halloween. Three horror classics for six dollars total, which is less than one ticket almost anywhere else. Read more

Dress Code: Pokémon
Sun, Oct 18, 8 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), 21+
This month, Bijou Bentley's Dress Code at Badlands has a Pokémon theme. Bring your cards to trade, battle anyone who's up for it, and stay for the drag. Tag the friend who still has a binder of holographic Charizards, because this is their night to show it off. Read more

Queer Magic Monday
Mon, Oct 19, 7 to 8:30 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
Third Mondays at the archive, ninety minutes on queer magical practice. It runs once a month, so missing it costs four weeks. Read more

Velvet Collars Speed Friending
Tue, Oct 20, 7–10 PM, Radclyffe's (1330 H St), ticketed
Velvet Collars brings back speed friending at Radclyffe's: three hours of meeting people with none of the pressure that comes with speed dating. If you've lived in Sacramento for years and still know only your coworkers and your bartender, this is the low-stakes fix. Read more

Club 55
Wed, Oct 21, 4 to 5:30 PM, Sacramento LGBT Community Center (2031 K St), free, seniors
The Center's monthly social for LGBTQ+ seniors, ninety minutes and free. The room with the longest memory in the building. Read more

Board Game Night
Wed, Oct 21, 5 to 7 PM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove), free with RSVP
Two hours of board games at the Elk Grove bookstore, run by nonprofit volunteers and free with a registration. More than a dozen people came to the last one, which in board game terms is enough for a real argument about the rules. Read more

Library AF Book Group
Wed, Oct 21, 6:30 to 7:30 PM, Sacramento LGBT Community Center (2031 K St), free
Sacramento Public Library's queer YA group meets at the Center, and October's book is Gods of Jade and Shadow. Twenty-seven people are going, which is a lot of opinions about one novel. Read more

Wildcard! Open Mic Story Swap
Wed, Oct 21, doors 6 PM, show 7 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St, Ste 110), $15, 21+
A third-Wednesday story swap at the wine lounge, open mic format, fifteen dollars. Bring something true or something you can sell as true. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: Halloweentown ***(SOLD OUT)***
Thu, Oct 22, 7 PM, Old Sacramento Waterfront (111 I St), $10–$35, all ages
Not a queer show, but Debbie Reynolds plays a witch grandmother: the outdoor movie series at Old Sacramento State Historic Park is showing the Disney Channel classic Halloweentown, with sound through headphones. Seating runs from $10 for a spot on the lawn (bring a blanket) to $35 for a cozy seat with popcorn and a drink. Tickets are sold only through the official link. Read more

Latine Queer Group
Thu, Oct 22, 7 to 8:30 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
Fourth Thursdays at the archive, built around nights where members present on where they come from. The table has not once been full. Read more

Boas & Bow Ties Gala
Thu, Oct 22, 6 to 9 PM, Hilton Arden West (2200 Harvard St)
The Rainbow Chamber's annual scholarship gala, this year honoring departing director Fred Palmer. Register now and work out what to wear later. Read more

Trivia Night
Fri, Oct 23, 6 to 8 PM, Tri-County Diversity (201 D St Ste L, Marysville), family friendly
Fourth Fridays up in Marysville, with minors welcome alongside an adult. Recruit somebody smarter than you for the drive. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: Knives Out
Fri, Oct 23, 7 PM, Old Sacramento Waterfront (111 I St), $10–$35, all ages
Not a queer show, but Chris Evans's cable-knit sweater has its own fan base: the outdoor movie series at Old Sacramento State Historic Park is showing Knives Out, with sound through headphones. Seating runs from $10 for a spot on the lawn (bring a blanket) to $35 for a cozy seat with popcorn and a drink. Tickets are sold only through the official link. Read more

Nevermore Gorelesque: Cabaret Macabre
Fri, Oct 23, 8:30 PM, Historic Colonial Theatre (3522 Stockton Blvd), ticketed, 21+
Burlesque, drag and horror on one bill with Rob Roberts hosting and a VIP meet and greet available. Fake blood is a real possibility, so dress like it. Read more

The Rocky Horror Tribute Show
Fri, Oct 23, 9 PM, Faces (2000 K St), free before 10 PM, 21+
Julianna Budgett presents a drag tribute for Rocky Horror's 51st year. Bring your crew and a look inspired by the film. It's free before 10, which gives you a good reason to put on the fishnets early. Read more

Honeypot
Sat, Oct 24, doors 6 PM, Badlands (2003 K St), $5 before 9 PM, 21+
Badlands' bear and leather community night reaches its twenty-first volume, with go-gos all night and two dollars off cocktails for anyone in leather or gear. A 6 PM start means the harness goes on before dinner and still catches the discount. Read more

Rocky Horror with Amber's Sweets ***(SOLD OUT)***
Sat, Oct 24, VIP entry 7:45 PM, GA 8:15 PM, show 9 PM, Historic Colonial Theatre (3522 Stockton Blvd), $25.49 GA, $36.99 VIP
The first of two Amber's Sweets shadowcast nights this month, and the one you can still get into. VIP buys a prop kit and an onstage photo with the cast. Read more

Two Dykes and a Mic: Soaking Wet Tour
Sat, Oct 24, 3 PM, Punch Line (2100 Arden Way, Ste 225), ticketed
The lesbian comedy podcast brings its live tour to Arden Way. Meet-and-greet packages come with a signed poster for a wall of your choosing. Read more

#STFU! Drag Lip-Sync & Stand-Up
Sat, Oct 24, 9 PM, STAB! Comedy Theater (1710 Broadway), $10 in person or $5 virtual
Fourth Saturdays, lolgbt+ puts comics and drag queens on one bill and makes each attempt the other's job. The failures are the show. Read more

Bear Claw
Sat, Oct 24, 9 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), free, 21+
Fourth Saturdays, the monthly bear night, open to otters, cubs, bears and anyone who admires the category. The Bolt never charges a cover, which leaves the entire budget for the bartender. Read more

Hotties & Hops
Sun, Oct 25, 3 to 6 PM, At Ease Brewing (1825 I St), $10 suggested donation
The October edition of the monthly craft social for women, trans and nonbinary folks. All-gender restrooms, supplies to borrow, low-key by design. Read more

Q-Prom: Camp Heebie Jeebies
Sun, Oct 25, doors 5:30 PM, 6 to 9 PM, Ace of Spades (1417 R St), free, ages 13 to 20
A substance-free queer prom for teenagers who did not get one, or got a bad one. Camp theme, free entry, and a second attempt at the dance. Read more

Big Gay Halloween closes
Sun, Oct 25, 7 PM, Great Star Theater (636 Jackson St, San Francisco), ticketed
Road trip: the last night of the three-weekend run that opens this Thursday. If you were going to make the drive, this is the end of the window. Read more

Midlife Queers Club
Wed, Oct 28, 6 to 8 PM, Tri-County Diversity (201 D St Ste L, Marysville), ages 30+
Fourth Wednesdays in Marysville for queers over thirty. A room where nobody has to explain a reference from 2003. Read more

Queer Writers Salon
Wed, Oct 28, 6 to 8 PM, Lavender Library (1414 21st St)
Fourth Wednesdays at the archive, two hours for queer writers working on something. Bring pages or bring an excuse. Read more

Rocky Horror at Drake's: The Barn
Wed, Oct 28, doors 7 PM, movie 7:15 PM, Drake's: The Barn (West Sacramento), ticketed, 18+
Drake's marks five years of screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show with a Barnflix night and a live shadow cast from Erotic Nightmares and the Rocky Horror Club at UC Davis. Costumes, callbacks and chaos are all expected. It's on a Wednesday, which is a good time to do the Time Warp, since nobody has anywhere important to be on a Thursday morning. Read more

Orville Peck: Man Turned Mule Tour
Wed, Oct 28, doors 7 PM, show 8 PM, Channel 24 (1800 24th St), ticketed
The masked cowboy brings Man Turned Mule to Midtown. Physical ID at the door, so the fringe is not the only thing to remember. Read more

Drag Queen Karaoke with Miss Lita Taylor
Wed, Oct 28, 8 PM, Bear & Crown (1022 2nd St, Old Sacramento)
Last Wednesdays only, out in Old Sacramento, with Miss Lita Taylor running the mic. Monthly means one shot, so the song you have been saving has a deadline. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Thu, Oct 29, 7 PM, Old Sacramento Waterfront (111 I St), $10–$35, all ages
Not a queer show, but it's about someone who won't stay in the holiday he was assigned: the outdoor movie series at Old Sacramento State Historic Park is showing The Nightmare Before Christmas, with sound through headphones. Seating runs from $10 for a spot on the lawn (bring a blanket) to $35 for a cozy seat with popcorn and a drink. Tickets are sold only through the official link. Read more

Club A$tro: Sapphic Spooky Scorpio Halloween
Thu, Oct 29, 10 PM to close, Faces (2000 K St), 21+, $10 and rising closer to the date
Club A$tro's party for the girls returns with performers, local vendors, a red carpet runway and drink specials. The ticket price goes up the longer you wait, much like everything else. Read more

Movies Under the Stars: A Quiet Place
Fri, Oct 30, 7 PM, Old Sacramento Waterfront (111 I St), $10–$35, all ages
Not a queer show, but the headphones finally make sense: the outdoor movie series at Old Sacramento State Historic Park ends October with A Quiet Place, a horror movie where making any noise gets you killed, shown to an audience that's already listening in silence. Seating runs from $10 for a spot on the lawn (bring a blanket) to $35 for a cozy seat with popcorn and a drink. Tickets are sold only through the official link. Read more

Last Stop: The Haunting of 28th Street
Fri, Oct 30, 5 to 9 PM, Blue Cue (1004 28th St), $25 to $50, 21+
Sigma Gamma Rho's alumnae chapter throws a Halloween scholarship fundraiser with a best costume contest. The ticket carries into Blue Cue's own event straight after, so nine o'clock is not the end of it. Read more

Vaquero Night: Día de los Muertos
Fri, Oct 30, 9 PM, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), free, 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 Bolt 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-themed night, go-go dancers and DJ Marv on the decks. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Since this is the night before Halloween, it's a good chance to test-drive your costume before Saturday, or to wear the one that didn't make the final cut. Read more

Freaky Friday Halloween Bash
Fri, Oct 30, 9 PM–1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), [cover], 21+
Faces starts Halloween weekend a night early, with four and a half hours of costumes and dancing before Saturday's main event. It's a chance to try out your look in front of a crowd and fix the parts that don't work before the $3,000 contest the next night. Read more

Pumpkin Pedal
Sat, Oct 31, check-in 9 AM, ride 9:30 AM, Touchstone Brewing Co. (116 N 16th St, Suite 100), $50
NorCal AIDS Cycle's Halloween ride leaves Touchstone for either a 28-mile or a 50-mile route up the American River Parkway, with SAG support and stocked rest stops. Fifty dollars includes a thirty-dollar food and drink voucher for afterward, so the real cost is twenty. Read more

OUT! at the Movies: Clue Halloween Potluck
Sat, Oct 31, 4 PM, Tri-County Diversity (201 D St Ste L, Marysville), free
The queer film night screens Clue as a Halloween potluck. Bring a dish and a theory. Read more

Clue Murder Mystery Dinner on the Delta King
Sat, Oct 31, doors 6 PM, Delta King (Old Sacramento), $100 plus tax and gratuity
Not a queer show, but it's a costume party on a riverboat: the Delta King's Halloween dinner is a Clue-themed murder mystery with a three-course meal. Each table of 10 to 12 works as a team, and one of the suspects is seated at every table, so watch who passes you the bread. Water and coffee are included, but cocktails cost extra. Once the killer is revealed, a DJ takes over the dance floor. Old Sacramento parking on a Halloween Saturday will be its own mystery, so leave early. Read more

Bewitched: A Glowy Ghoulish Halloween Party
Sat, Oct 31, 7 to 11 PM, Teneral Cellars (1050 20th St, Ste 110), no cover, 21+
DJ David Andersen runs a blacklight Halloween dance party in Teneral's garden with no cover at all. Anything that glows will do more work than anything that does not. Read more

Icons of Horror
Sat, Oct 31, 7 PM to 1 AM, Radclyffe's (1330 H St), free, 21+
Radclyffe's Halloween theme is Icons of Horror, with DJ Bishop Envy and a costume 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

Halloween Kink Show: Cirque Erotique
Sat, Oct 31, 8 PM to midnight, The Bolt (2560 Boxwood St), free, 21+
A circus-themed Halloween kink show with contests, raffles, games, jello shots and a spanking booth. The costume contest has Classic, Kinky and Couples categories, costs ten dollars to enter and closes registration at ten. Read more

Halloween at Faces
Sat, Oct 31, 8 PM to 1:30 AM, Faces (2000 K St), ticketed, 21+
Faces spreads Halloween across all three dance rooms, with a three-thousand-dollar costume contest split into Sexiest, Most Creative and Best Group. Halloween is on a Saturday this year, so buying at the door is a bold strategy. Read more

Rocky Horror Halloween with Amber's Sweets
Sat, Oct 31, doors 8:30 PM, show 9 to 11:30 PM, Historic Colonial Theatre (3522 Stockton Blvd), $26.99 GA, $41.99 VIP, 18+
The second shadowcast night, on the date the entire thing was built for. Free parking, no refunds, fishnets strongly encouraged. Read more

Finish Your D*mn Novel Month: Midnight Kick-Off
Sat, Oct 31, 11:30 PM–Sun, Nov 1, 1 AM, A Seat at the Table Books (9257 Laguna Springs Dr #130, Elk Grove), ticketed
The bookstore starts its November novel-writing month the moment the clock strikes midnight, with 90 minutes of writing alongside other writers after hours. There are plenty of outlets, background music, and treats from the café, and the ticket includes a custom drink. It's the only Halloween-night event in this issue where the main goal is 50,000 words instead of a costume prize, although nobody will stop you from writing in costume. Read more

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

Day of the Dead at Faces
Sun, Nov 1, contest registration 8–9:30 PM, Faces (2000 K St), 21+
Faces follows Halloween with a Day of the Dead night and another $3,000 costume contest, this time in Sexiest, Scariest and Most Creative categories. Contestants register between 8 and 9:30. It's the night after Faces' Halloween party, which also has a $3,000 contest, so a costume that came up short on Saturday has a second chance on Sunday. Read more

Drag Queen Bingo
Thu, Nov 5, doors 6 PM, bingo 7–9 PM, Mango's (1930 K St), $20 cash only
The Sacramento Rainbow Chamber's monthly drag bingo is hosted by the fabulous DoMe Moore, and this month's proceeds go to Chalk It Up. $20 gets you eight games, cash only, so stop at an ATM before you go. Doors open an hour early, which is plenty of time to find a seat and decide which dauber is luckiest. Read more

Camp Gender Bender: A Slasher Ball
Fri, Nov 13, time TBD, Camp Pollock, free or $25 suggested donation
The Gender Health Center's Black Utopians Program is taking over Camp Pollock on Friday the 13th for a slasher-themed ball that raises money for trans care. A free ticket is available to anyone who needs it, and those who can are asked to donate $25. Either way, they want you there. Categories and other details are still to come, so for now, save the date and decide who you're bringing. In a slasher movie, a summer camp is the worst place to be. This one is the exception. Read more

Palm Springs Pride
Fri, Nov 6 through Sun, Nov 8, Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, free
Road trip: the fortieth Palm Springs Pride runs on the theme Be Included, with the parade Sunday at 10 AM. It is nine hours of driving, so this one is a flight or a genuine commitment. Read more

Kathy Griffin: New Face, New Tour
Sat, Nov 14, 7 PM, Crest Theatre (1013 K St), ticketed
Griffin brings New Face, New Tour to the Crest. Decades of documented grievances, performed live and by name. Read more

Rainbow Chamber Community Networking Mixer
Tue, Nov 17, 6–7:30 PM, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento, Kumi Event Center (3317 Forty Mile Rd, Wheatland), free with registration, 21+
Road trip: the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce is holding a networking mixer at Hard Rock's Fire Mountain property, with appetizers from Chef Chio Saelee and a cash bar. It's free for members and non-members, and everyone is welcome, whether you run a business or just want to meet new people. It's a casino, so only the networking is guaranteed to pay off. Read more

Pour It Forward: A Blind Beer and Bourbon Tasting
Fri, Nov 20, 6 to 8 PM, private West Sacramento address sent with your confirmation, $50, 21+
Sunburst Projects' second annual blind tasting, six bourbons or six local beers alongside a welcome cocktail and charcuterie. Proceeds support local people and families affected by HIV and AIDS, which makes the drinking the point rather than the excuse. 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
The annual community memorial for those killed because of their gender identity or expression, co-sponsored by PFLAG Sacramento, TransFamilies Sacramento and Trinity Cathedral. Open to people of all traditions and streamed for anyone who cannot be in the room. Read more

Run to Feed the Hungry with Team SFR
Thu, Nov 26, 10K at 8:15 AM, 5K at 9 AM, J St just west of Sacramento State
Sacramento FrontRunners are running it again on Thanksgiving morning and have opened the fundraiser to anyone, with a thousand-dollar goal for Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. Running, cheering and donating all count as taking part, and only one of them involves getting up early. Read more

DOCO Makers Market
Sat, Dec 5, 11 AM to 4 PM, Downtown Commons west plaza, free, all ages
Not a queer event, but choosing small makers over Amazon is a position: jewelry, candles, art, bath and body and plants across the west plaza, with DJ Valleyghoul on the decks. A December date puts it squarely in gift-buying season, which is either convenient or dangerous. 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), ticketed
Two shows in one day, subtitled Slay Bells and Sequins, which tells you roughly where the sincerity stops. Buy through the box office at (916) 808-5181 to skip the fees. Read more

Naughty & Nice Holiday Mixer
Wed, Dec 9, 6–7:30 PM, Hilton Arden West (2200 Harvard St), free for members, $10 for non-members
The Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce wraps up the year with a holiday mixer: 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

A Drag Queen Christmas
Wed, Dec 9, doors 6:30 PM, show 7:30 PM, Channel 24 (1800 24th St), ticketed, 18+
The touring Drag Race holiday show is already on sale. Buying now is a gift to December you. Read more

Sacramento Ballet: The Nutcracker
Tue, Dec 22, 2 PM, SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (1301 L St), ticketed
Not a queer show, but a Sugar Plum Fairy and that many men in tights qualify on a technicality. Sort downtown parking before a December matinee rather than during one. 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 next year and expects more than ten thousand athletes across a weekend of competition and social events. The host hotel room block is already open, and ten thousand athletes is a reason to use it. Read more

Dreams Come True: A Tribute to GLEE
Sacramento Lavender Chorus, ongoing fundraiser
The Lavender Chorus is raising three thousand dollars to license the music for its winter GLEE tribute. Sheet music, as it turns out, is not free. Read more

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See you next Thursday.

Thomas & Tom

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