LGBTQ Atlanta Best Bets for April 27-May 10

FRIDAY, APRIL 27

Come network and unwind with LGBTQ business owners, corporate partners and supporters at the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth Friday event, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., The Westin Atlanta, Perimeter North, 7 Concourse Parkway N.E., Atlanta, GA 30328, www.atlantagaychamber.org

As part of the long-running and popular Master Distiller Series, “Whiskey Walk in the Garden” offers a unique and engaging opportunity to learn about (and enjoy) ASW Distillery, 18.21 Bitters and Reformation’s full line of spirits and brews, all while savoring perfectly paired, gourmet small bites from Southern Art and Bourbon Bar Chef de Cuisine David Bartlett, 7 – 9 p.m., Southern Art and Bourbon Bar, 3315 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30326, www.facebook.com/events/192594598184733

Miz Cracker from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 10 headlines Sprung, sponsored by WUSSY magazine, featuring Dotte Comm, Evah Destruction, Molly Rimswell, Alotta Wood, Kara Mel D’Ville and Zanny Ex with music by DJ NSA and JSPORT (Morph ATL), 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., Heretic Atlanta, 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/events/1743217575722196

SATURDAY, APRIL 28-29 

The LGBT Institute hosts its second annual symposium this weekend. In collaboration with research partner Georgia State University, the symposium will explore the findings of the LGBT Institute Southern Survey and lessons learned. Attendees will also have the opportunity to develop future strategies for survey outreach and design. This interactive symposium will be an ideal time for networking among academics and advocates. The symposium will focus on the three main areas of the LGBT Institute’s Southern Survey findings: education and employment; criminal justice and safety; and public health and wellness. The symposium will take place over two days with all participants engaging in an ongoing, interactive, plenary session. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Center for Civil and Human Rights, 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30313, www.facebook.com/events/1995579254092182

The Inman Park Spring Festival and Tour of Homes takes place in one of Atlanta’s oldest and most scenic neighborhoods, home to many historic homes and parks. The festival began in the early 1970s as a means to attract attention to gentrification efforts that sought to revitalize the community. Now celebrating its 47th anniversary, the festival offers something for everybody — three stages of live music, kids’ activities, a tour of homes, a marvelous street parade, an artists’ market and some of the city’s best people-watching, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., www.facebook.com/events/214877119070294

SATURDAY, APRIL 28

Have a blast at the Atlanta Chargers Jock Auction and Beer Bust today. There will be free shots with purchase of a bracelet. Highlights include all-you-can-drink beer, Jello shots, Jagermeister specials, raffles, Absolut cocktails and plenty of guys. Come bid on a date with one of the jocks, 5 – 9 p.m., Oscars Atlanta, 1510 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/events/368680110317004

Joining Hearts brings back its renowned Change of Seasons event with its This is Me edition, with special guest Peaches as the Bearded Lady. Attendees can dance to the beats of DJ Eddie Martinez and Atlanta’s own DJ Mike Pope. 8 p.m. – 3 a.m., Heretic Atlanta, 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road N.E.,
Atlanta, GA 30324, www.facebook.com/events/1669193599855312

For this month’s edition of LEWK, Chicago’s bearded beauty Lucy Stoole will be taking over My Sister’s Room for a night of music, performance and sickening queer energy. The event includes performances from Stoole and Brigitte Bidet, 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., 66 12th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/ events/376389319504502

Don’t miss the Queeriety Variety Show: Spring Fling edition tonight. The show will be jam-packed with improvisation, live sketch comedy, stand-up comedy, puppetry and drag performances, complete with all the campy costume changes and set designs you want to see in a fabulous, over-thetop variety show. Tonight’s special guest is Powell Mansfield, 11 p.m. – 12:30 a.m., The Village Theatre, 349 Decatur St. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30312, www.facebook.com/events/590740514622860

SUNDAY, APRIL 29

The 3rd Annual Food Truck festival in Historic Fourth Ward Park hosts food trucks from all over the Southeast, craft beers/cocktails, local arts and crafts and live music. 11 a.m., Atlanta Beltline at Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park, www.facebook.com/events/926733807491761

Join Atlanta favorites Joe Gauthreaux and Mike Pope today for Sunday Deck Party, a fun afternoon of great music, good food and drinks and lots of fun, rain or shine. 3 – 8:30 p.m., Midtown Tavern, 554 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/events/1752294158160041

MONDAY, APRIL 30

Join Charis for a very special National Poetry Month Celebration: “From Her to Her to Her: A Matriarchal Poetic Lineage” featuring poets L Marilyn Kallet, Karen Head and Sarah O. Oso, 7:30 – 9 p.m., Charis Books and More, 1189 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.facebook.com/ events/2038582229799718

The Bleux Stockings Society is a monthly live literature show featuring cis/ trans women and non-binary people. The theme is announced in advance and the pieces that best fit the theme are chosen. Each performer gets 5–7 minutes to read their piece. A portion of the proceeds will go to charity. The theme this month is Identity, 8:30 – 10:30 p.m., Highland Inn & Ballroom Lounge, 644 N. Highland Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30306, www.facebook.com/events/348792348943702

TUESDAY, MAY 1

Make your lunch break a networking opportunity and connect with business professionals, small business owners and community sponsors to expand your circle of influence and grow your business at Connecting Atlanta, a networking lunch by Metro Atlanta Association of Professionals. Join MAAP at Egg Harbor Café the first Tuesday of every month from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a networking lunch. The event is limited to 20 participants. Please pre-register by emailing harborlunch@maapatl.org, 1820 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.maapatl.org

Spelman College and Out On Film present an encore screening of the documentary “Chavela” — about musician Chavela Vargas — with a Q&A with codirector Daresha Kyi, 6:30 – 9 p.m., Spelman College Science Bldg., Room 134, Atlanta, GA 30314

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2

Enjoy free pool tonight and beats by rotating DJs at Bulldogs, 893 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA, 30308

THURSDAY, MAY 3

Building on the activist tradition of consciousness-raising groups, each month Charis Books and More invites community members to join The Personal Is Political: Feminist Vent, to talk about personal issues or societal issues they are trying to deconstruct. The group will use intersectional feminist strategies as tools to talk through these issues. 7:30 – 9 p.m., 1189 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.charisbooksandmore.com Out Front Theatre Company opens Del Shores’ cult classic play “Sordid Lives” tonight at 8 p.m., running through May 20, 999 Brady Ave., Atlanta GA 30318, www.outfronttheatre.com

FRIDAY, MAY 4

The acclaimed, lesbian-themed “Disobedience,” starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams, opens in TBD area theaters today.

EVENT SPOTLIGHT: FRIDAY, MAY 4

7 Stages’ “Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again” — written by Alice Birch — finds theatrical exhilaration in a puckish, yet deadly serious meditation on how language molds our experience of sex and gender. It has a way of making you question everything you say when it comes to discussing women and their relationships with men, one another and a world in a state of unending upheaval. 8 p.m. tonight, running through May 13, 1105 Euclid Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.7stages.org

SATURDAY, MAY 5

Atlanta Prime Timers meets today at 3 p.m., Phillip Rush Center Annex, 1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.rushcenteratl.org

Grab your friends and join the Cinco de Mayo Pub Crawl on the BeltLine, featuring a number of favorite bars and restaurants. Tickets Include: five complimentary Cinco-themed items from partner bars (beer, margarita, taco, chips and guac, etc.), a souvenir Cinco de Mayo Pub Crawl koozie and a map of participating bars with food and drink specials, 12 – 4 p.m., Atlanta Sport and Social Club, 260 Howard St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30317, www.facebook.com/events/551514231890976

Have those credit cards ready! For 31 years, HRC Atlanta’s Gala Dinner & Auction has grown to be one of the largest fundraisers in the country for the Human Rights Campaign. The event, which includes a live and silent auction and black-tie dinner, celebrates excellence in the LGBTQ movement, successes in our pursuit of equality and refocuses us for the fight ahead. The theme for this year’s gala is “Impossible to Ignore.” It reflects the reality that our diverse LGBTQ and ally community is fully engaged in the fight for equality. It places importance on speaking out, being visible, standing up and standing together as we face adversity, hostile legislation and a threatening presidential administration. The theme serves as a reminder that our voices will not fade. 6 p.m. – midnight, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, 265 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30303, www.facebook.com/events/383729522060382

SUGGESTIONS FOR SATURDAY CINCO DE MAYO HOT SPOTS:

Agave, 242 Boulevard S.E., Atlanta, GA 30312, www.agaverestaurant.com
Babalu, 33 Peachtree Place N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.eatbabalu.com/location/atlanta
Cactus House, 1020 Piedmont Ave. N.E. B, Atlanta, GA 30309, www.facebook.com/chtacos
FROGS Cantina, 931 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.frogsmidtown.com
La Hacienda, 900 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.facebook.com/lahaciendamidtown
Las Margaritas, 1842 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30324, www.lasmargaritasmidtown.com
Moe’s Southwest Grill, various locations, www.moes.com/find-a-moes/georgia/atlanta
Pure Taqueria, various locations, www.puretaqueria.com
Superica, various locations, www.superica.com
Tacos & Tequila, various locations, www.tandtatlanta.com
Zocalo, 187 10th St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.eatzocalo.com

SUNDAY, MAY 6

My Sister’s Room presents a day party from 2 – 6 p.m. and then Brigitte Bidet hosts Tossed Salad from 7:30 p.m. – midnight, 66 12th Street, Atlanta, GA 30309, www.mysistersroom.com

MONDAY, MAY 7

Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender and aspiring allies, providing a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues. 7 – 8:30 p.m., Charis Books and More, 1189 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.charisbooksandmore.com

The PFLAG support group for parents and families of LGBTQ children meets today from 7:30 – 9 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, 1605 Interstate 85/Frontage Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, www.uuca.org

TUESDAY, MAY 8

Play Let’s Make a Deal with host Ken tonight from 6 – 10 p.m. at Friends Neighborhood Bar, 736 Ponce de Leon Ave,, Atlanta, GA 30306, www.friendsonponce-atl.com

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9

Museum of Design Atlanta’s original exhibition, Designing Playful Cities, takes visitors through interactive installations that present a strong case for designing play into urban environments. This exhibition is on view through May 13, 12 – 6 p.m., 1315 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309, www.museumofdesign.org

THURSDAY, MAY 10

SAGE Atlanta’s bi-monthly meetings occur from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, Phillip Rush Center Annex, 1530 DeKalb Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307, www.rushcenteratl.org

Southern Fried Queer Pride presents TRANS PWR, a music show featuring local Atlanta trans/non-binary musicians across genres. Come out for this all-ages show tonight at The Bakery Atlanta to hear sounds by Monte Qarlo, Løvelace, Yancey Ballard, Haint and Love, doors at 9 p.m., music begins at 9:30 p.m., 825 Warner St. S.E., Atlanta, GA 30310, www.facebook. com/events/438068073299795

UPCOMING

FRIDAY, MAY 11

Like great drag, don’t miss Doraku in Drag tonight in Buckhead, 11 p.m. – 2 a.m., Doraku Sushi, 267 East Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta Ga 30305

TUESDAY, MAY 22

It’s likely to be the theater event of the year — “Hamilton” finally opens in the ATL tonight at 7:30 p.m. courtesy of Broadway in Atlanta, running through June 10 at the Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E, Atlanta, GA 30308, www.foxtheatre.org