DC high heel race kicks off gay Halloween


Post by GayCities Washington, DC, editor Scott Wallis

The gay Halloween party season officially kicks off with that DC institution: the annual High Heel Race. On Tuesday evening, October 26, the city closes down 17th Street NW, from R to Church Streets, and thousands of onlookers–gay and straight alike–flock to the madness Dupont Circle becomes, rain or shine, to cheer on dozens of  drag queens who parade up and down the street prior to the 9:00pm race. The winner takes home a shiny trophy and a $50 bar tab at J.R.’s Bar & Grill.

Can’t make it to Dupont Circle for all the fun? Don’t despair Dale and I and the whole Swish Edition team will be on the scene broadcasting LIVE streaming video from 8:00 – 9:30pm Eastern Standard Time on the 26th. We’ll be talking to Washington, DC, mayor Adrian Fenty, among other notables, and of course we’ll bring you some of the nights’ more colorful characters. If you miss the live Swish TV broadcast, we’ll post the archive video starting on Wednesday.

Besides race night, DC is serving up a cornucopia of scary fun. Check out super hot DJ Drew G as he spins away the night both after the race on October 26 and again on Friday, October 29 at Cobalt/30 Degrees. Outrageous drag performer Sherry Vine will also stop by Cobalt’s Level One restaurant on the 29th for a one-of-a-kind Halloween dinner show.

Over at Ziegfeld’s/Secrets–our naughty, nude dancer bar–party in the dark at Blackout on Friday, October 29. Think glow sticks and a lot of bumping…and grinding. Trick or Treat your way over to Town Danceboutique on Saturday, October 30 for Ghostown, and see if you can win the coveted $1,000 grand prize for best costume. Or try Apex‘s Nightmare on P Street on the 30th for with a costume contest, natch, and hot tunes all night long.

And if you haven’t had your fill of drag just yet, check out Episode 103 of the Swish Edition, including our chat with nationally known female impressionist Christopher Peterson (seen above as Carol Channing) and tales from our naughty adventures in Las Vegas last week.

Check out nationwide Halloween highlights on GayCities

High Heel Race photos by Scott Wallis. Christopher Peterson photo by Christopher Peterson.

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