Gay pool party, gay writers, gay bar news, oh my!

Billed as the longest-running HIV/AIDS fundraiser in Atlanta, the main Joining Hearts party was launched in 1987 by a group of a dozen friends, who held the event at the Golden Key Club and raised $10,000.

After several incarnations, the pool party is the largest yearly event for the Joining Hearts organization, a non-profit dedicated to helping provide housing for people with HIV. Over the last 25 years, Joining Hearts has donated almost $1.6 million to beneficiaries Jerusalem House and AID Atlanta.

Decatur Book Fest lineup includes gay inaugural poet

Gay poet Richard Blanco, selected to read at President Obama’s second inauguration in January 2013, will be among the writers attending the AJC-Decatur Book Festival over Labor Day Weekend.

Festival organizers released the lineup late last month. Civil rights legend and LGBT ally U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) will be the keynote speaker, discussing his graphic novel, “March: Book One.”

Other authors scheduled to appear at the festival in the LGBT track include Skyy, Alysia Abbott, Stacy Braukman, Jim Elledge, Linda Hirshman, Wayne Koestenbaum, David McConnell, Carl Phillips, Christal Presley, Daniel Rivers, Robert Sherer, Manil Suri, Megan Volpert and Fiona Zedde.

Philip Rafshoon, who owned Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse until the LGBT shop closed in 2011, now serves as programming director for the festival.

““Our mission is to encourage a love of reading and writing for people from all walks of life, and this year’s lineup exemplifies our commitment to that mission,” Rafshoon said.

Lady Bunny to join ‘The Other Show’ at Jungle Atlanta this month

The Other Show, the popular Friday night drag show hosted by Edie Cheezburger at Jungle, will now expand once each month to be The Other Show XXXL — featuring drag performers from around the nation.

The first edition of the new “supersized” show is set for 9:30 p.m. July 26 with Lady Bunny.

“This show has a very loyal following,” said Richard Cherskov, Jungle’s managing owner.  “We want to reward that following by bringing in exciting talents, such as Lady Bunny, that will vibe well with the shows main premise of being different from any show in Atlanta.”

Admission is $10. Other upcoming XXXL shows include Amanda Lepore on Aug. 23 and Alaska Thunderfuck on Sept. 20.

(Photo by Brent Corcoran.)