Exciting news from VA Pride! 🌈🎉 Pridefest 2023, brought to you by OutRVA, is back on the calendar! 😝
We've rescheduled the event for Sunday, October 22, and we're shaking things up with a fresh location - the Bon Secours Training Center! Get ready for an amazing day filled with top-notch entertainment, fantastic vendors, mouthwatering food, and don't forget to check out the Allianz Youth Pride Pavilion! Stay tuned for more juicy details! 💃🏳️‍🌈 #VApride #Pridefest2023 #SaveTheDate
pridefest oct 22

vapridepostponed

Virginia Pride has made the difficult decision to postpone Pridefest 2023, scheduled for this Saturday, September 23rd on Brown's Island. Our decision comes after thoughtful consideration and consultation with meteorologists, event planning experts, and our valued stakeholders.

Weather forecasts currently available to us predict consistent, and at times heavy, rainfall, coupled with the potential for dangerous wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Such conditions would be both uncomfortable and dangerous for our attendees, vendors, entertainers, and dedicated volunteers.
 
We are actively exploring alternatives to reschedule Pridefest this year. We remain committed to bringing Greater Richmond together to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community with the enthusiasm it deserves. We are working with local venues to host some of our Pridefest entertainers on Saturday. Be sure to watch our social media and our website for up-to-date information on where you can enjoy these performances.
 
Despite this postponement, other Pride Weekend events are still happening:
 
Pride After Dark pre-Pride Party: Join us at Ember Music Hall on Friday night for an unforgettable pre-Pride party. Tickets are available for $15 in advance, $20 on the day of the event, and $25 at the door. Secure your spot here, and the doors will open at 8 pm.
 
The Pridefest Weekend closing concert with Tegan and Sara:  We are turning rain into rainbows and moving the Tegan and Sara concert to the National!   Doors will open at 6pm, and all tickets have already been transferred. Ticket holders: Please check your email for more information.  Tickets are also still available at https://bit.ly/TeganSara_National9-24
 
We are just as disappointed as you may be about this decision. In moments like this we show that we are stronger together. We are committed to finding ways for Greater Richmond to celebrate its LGBTQ+ community in the weeks ahead.  Please stay tuned to our social media and website for more information.
 
In community, 
Virginia Pride

 


0914DiversityBingo

DRAG BINGO returns Thursday, September 14th at 6pm with $950 in cold hard cash prizes! $20 admission gets you 9 games with $50 jackpots plus a $500 jackpot! Cash Only - ATM on premises. Proceeds benefit Diversity Richmond.Hosted by Grace Wetpants! Fun performances by Richmond's best drag artists.

No Smoking. All-ages welcome. Bring the whole family! The Diversity Richmond event hall is located at 1407 Sherwood Avenue, RVA 23220 (Door #4)

block party updated

 

 


Prom is one of those universal experiences that almost everyone has celebrated. But for so many LGTBQIA+ people, they have never had the chance to go to Prom or even dance with their partner. “Make It Last Forever Prom” gives people a chance to safely experience and re-experience that special moment with someone they love. (21 and older)
 
So, join us, you could be crowned our King or Queen! 
 
For additional information or questions contact: 
UGRC Adult Prom

Career Week Flyer

LGBTQ Career Week is June 12-15. Join Diversity Richmond and the Richmond LGBTQ Chamber for a professional development night, job fair featuring 22 equality-minded employers, and a night of networking. All events are free to attend and registration is available at richmondlgbtqchamber.org/careerweek.


 0608DiversityBingo

DRAG BINGO returns Thursday, June 8th with $950 in cold hard cash prizes! $20 admission gets you 9 games with $50 jackpots plus a $500 jackpot! Cash Only - ATM on premises. Proceeds benefit Diversity Richmond. Hosted by Grace Wetpants! Fun performances by Richmond's best drag artists: Tiffany Hunter-Monique, Milka Magnesia, and Alvion Davenport.


No Smoking. All-ages welcome. Bring the whole family! The Diversity Richmond event hall is located at 1407 Sherwood Avenue, RVA 23220 (Door #4)


Community Health Fair

hszw flier

Come jam out this Saturday in your coolest 80s fashions and help raise critical funds for He, She, Ze and We, an organization dedicated to providing resources, education and support to families of trans and queer youth!  DJ Ant Boogie will be spinning the hippest, hottest tunes from the 80s while hostess Michelle Livigne brings some glam.

There’s food, a bar (including mocktails provided by Point 05) and lots of fun to be had.  Get your tickets now and come dance in support of trans and queer youth!

Diversity Richmond and VA Pride are proud sponsors of this event. Purchase tickets.


 

0309DiversityBingo

DRAG BINGO returns Thursday, March 9th with $950 in cold hard cash prizes!
$20 admission gets you 9 games with $50 jackpots plus a $500 jackpot!

Cash Only - ATM on premises. Proceeds benefit Diversity Richmond.

Hosted by @gracewetpants! Fun performances by Richmond's best drag artists: @tiffanihuntermonique @im.venetian and @milka.magnesia

Music by DJ Statistics.
Shakedown Eats will be on site with food for sale.
No Smoking. All-ages welcome. Bring the whole family!
The Diversity Richmond event hall is located at 1407 Sherwood Avenue, RVA 23220 (Door #4)


dragstravaganza feb 4 2023

*Pay-What-You-Can Ticket required for Entry!*
https://bit.ly/Dragstravaganza
Join us for a kid and family-friendly dragtastic celebration of LGBTQ+ LOVE, community, and art! Hosted by TransJam Events & MC’d by Michelle Livigne!
Enjoy tacos from Intergalactic Tacos! We’ll have an all LGBTQ+ mini makers market, drag performances and story time, music, a photobooth, crafts, face painting, and more!
Mini Maker Vendors:
Dayum Jam RVA
Fragment Jewelry Co.
Angry Black Grxl Art
Casha is Nervous
Burn with Cassie
HxcCrafts
Bra Full of Sawdust
Bud & Thorn
Petty’s Pastries
Haus Valtieri
M Brill Art
Pistil + Stamen
While you’re with us, be sure to visit with Community Partners He She Ze & We, Karnage Construction, and Seven Hills Family Medicine for crafts, fun, and info!
This is a family friendly event - tickets required for entry. Sliding scale in advance or $10 at the door!
https://bit.ly/Dragstravaganza
Special thanks to sponsor Diversity Richmond, ATW for security, and to the incredible volunteers helping to make this happen!

Dreaming Home flyer update

Dreaming Home, A Conversation for LGBTQ+ Elders will be held on Thursday, January 19th from 6pm to 8pm in the Diversity Richmond Event Hall, 1407 Sherwood Ave RVA 23220. Senior living options and your input on what you want for your own elder home will be discussed. Register by January 13th by calling 804.925.2660. Email IMG 6275

Queer trans author square ad

Transgender holiday dinner 2022 square


Scary Oke 2022 AD

Scary-Oke! A Costume and Karaoke Gaylalala benefitting Diversity Richmond

Friday, October 28 at 7 PM - 10 PM

Doors open at 6:30
Diversity Richmond
1407 Sherwood Ave. RVA 23220

$1,000 in cold hard CASH PRIZES!
$400 Costume Grand Prize!
Three $100 Costume Runner-ups!
Three $100 Karaoke drawings!

No singing talent required. Everyone who sings gets entered in the karaoke cash raffle. Singing starts at 7:00 sharp!
FREE Admission
Age 18+ welcomed
I.D. required for alcohol
Cash bar serving up craft beer, wine, and cocktails.
$7 Alcohol/ $2 Soft Drinks/Water.

Food for sale by Midnight’s Soul Food Catering.

COVID Safety Measures: Masks are strongly encouraged.

Dress up sexy, funny, politically (in)correct, come-as-you-might-have-been, or just as you are. Let's get Halloween weekend off to a great start and support the programs of Diversity Richmond!

Please Share This Event!


viva rva header 2022

VIVA RVA! Hispanic Music Festival October 1st

Enjoy authentic Hispanic music, food, interactive stations, dance lessons, drag show, children program and exhibitors. The Viva RVA! Hispanic Music Festival is FREE. Eventbrite ticket is required.

HIGHLIGHTS

11:30 a.m. Opening Ceremony

1:45 a.m. Quatro Na Bossa

12:15 p.m. Latino Entrepreneur Academy Presentation

12:30 p.m. Quatro Na Bossa

1:00 p.m. Tradición Dance Company and Salsa Lessons

1:40 p.m. Serenata

2:30 p.m. Tony Tunes - Children's Musical Program

3:00 p.m. Presentation of Commemorative El Abrazo

3:15 p.m. Kadencia4:00 p.m. Kendra Ferretti & Friends - Family-Friendly Latino Drag Show

4:30 p.m. Kadencia

5:15 p.m. Closing Remarks

Follow us on Facebook for more updates:https://www.facebook.com/VivaRVA

GENERAL INFORMATION

RAIN DATE Viva RVA! will happen rain or shine! If there is rain forecasted on the day of the event, we will move the performance stage to the Event Hall that holds 500 people. Food trucks and vendors will remain outdoors.

FOOD & BEVERAGES Several local Hispanic Food trucks/vendors will be on-site with food and beverages for purchase. There will also be beer and wine available for purchase. You must be 21+ with a valid ID to purchase alcohol tickets. Wristbands for alcohol will be issued for all attendees 21+ that have a valid ID.NO

COOLERS ALLOWED Coolers with beverages/food from outside the festival are NOT permitted. Please come and enjoy the amazing Hispanic food and beverages from the festival. No alcoholic beverages of any kind may be brought to the event.

DOOR PRIZES All attendees are eligible for entry in the door prize drawings. Please pick up your Door Prize ticket at the Viva RVA! Welcome Table. Door Prizes will be announced during each of the breaks. You must be present to win a door prize.

WHAT NOT TO BRING• Coolers, large backpacks• Alcohol• Bottles/glass containers• Contraband (drugs and weapons)• Laser pointers• Bikes, skateboards, inline skates• Bikes may be parked outside the festival area• Flying objects (drones, kites, frisbees, footballs, etc.)

CASH & CREDIT CARDS Admission and parking to Viva RVA! Music Festival are FREE. Food, beverages, and vendor goods can be purchased with cash or if the vendor accepts debit/credit cards. There is an ATM inside Diveristy Richmond's Event Hall.

PARKING Parking is FREE. The festival will be outdoors in the Diversity Richmond parking lot. You can park in available spaces in the Diversity Richmond lot off of Cummings Drive, or you can park in the streets surrounding Diversity Richmond.

RESTROOMS Restrooms are available inside the Event Hall at the Diversity Richmond building.

PETS Pets are allowed in the outdoor areas only of the Music Festival. No pets will be allowed inside Diversity Richmond. Remember that restrooms and alcohol will be inside the Event Hall. Also, please be mindful of cleaning up after your pet.

SECURITY There will be on site security to support the festival activities.

SEATING Outdoor seating will be available near the food vendors. Indoor seating will be available in the Event Hall. Bring your lawn chairs and set up near the stage to enjoy the music and dancing performances.

LOST AND FOUND Viva RVA! is not responsible for lost or stolen items. However, any lost items can be requested at the Viva RVA! Welcome Table.

ACCESSIBILITY Viva RVA! is wheelchair accessible.Your Presence is Your Permission: Special photographers and videographers have been hired by festival organizers to document the event. Some images may be used in later promotional materials. Your presence at the event is seen as your permission for such promotional use by the non-profit organizers.

Follow us on Facebook for more updates:https://www.facebook.com/VivaRVA


 

va pride big ad

VA Pridefest returns to Brown's Island after three year hiatus!

VA Pridefest, presented by the Virginia Lottery, and one of the largest celebrations of the LGBTQ community in Virginia, will return to Brown’s Island from Noon-8:00 pm this Saturday, September 24 for what organizers expect to be the most well-attended event in its four-decade history. The free event will feature entertainment on two stages, 10 food trucks and more than 120 non-profit and merchandise vendors.

Headline entertainment on the Truist Main Stage includes the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia, Leikeli47, a rap artist with ties to Virginia and Celebrity Drag Queen, Rosé from RuPaul’s Drag Race. The jam-packed line-up includes local bands and regional acts, DJs, drag performances and much, much more. The CarMax Youth Pride Pavilion will offer a full day of entertainment, activities and vendors for LGBTQ and allied youth and their families from a second stage.
 
“After three long and challenging years, we are so excited to be back on Brown’s Island for Pridefest,” said James Millner, Director of Virginia Pride. “Our team has been hard at work for months to plan and organize an event of which our community and this city can be proud and that truly celebrates diversity, inclusion and kindness.” VA Pridefest is supported by a record 35 corporate and business partners this year including the Virginia Lottery which signed on as the presenting sponsor in 2021. Other supporters include Tito’s Handmade Vodka and some of the Richmond region’s largest employers such as Capital One, Truist, CarMax, Bank of America, Altria and Amazon.
 
“There is simply no way we could do what we do were it not for the support of our corporate partners and those that work for them,” Millner explained. “They’re the reason Pridefest is free. And while we use Pridefest to thank our sponsors, the partnership we have with them endures 365 days a year and goes far beyond a financial donation. We are beyond grateful.”
 
What to Expect:
• VA Pridefest is one of the largest outdoor festivals in the Richmond region. It features local, regional and local entertainment acts on two stages, one of which is for youth and families.
• The event is free to attend with food, drinks (including alcohol for those 21 or over), and merchandise for purchase.
• The McShinn Foundation will host a safe, sober, alcohol-free lounge for those who are in recovery or that do not consume alcohol.
• ASL interpretation will be available on the Main Stage throughout the day.
• The event will begin at Noon, Saturday, September 24, and end promptly at 8:00 pm.
• Parking is a challenge, and we encourage attendees to rideshare or carpool, especially if you plan to consume alcohol.
• Attendees are allowed to bring two unopened bottles or one refillable container of water with them into the event. Bags are subject to search by security.
• More information is available at www.vapride.org or on VA Pride’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
 
VA Pride is a program of Diversity Richmond

 

 DR celebrates header 2022 ad

Please join us for Diversity Richmond Celebrates, an event honoring individuals and organizations for their meaningful contributions to Richmond’s LGBTQ community.

Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 7PM

Diversity Richmond Event Hall

1407 Sherwood Avenue, Richmond, Virginia 23220

Refreshments will be served. ID required for alcohol. Doors open at 6:30


drag bingo AUg 11 2022

Spread the word and grab your dabber! Drag BINGO! returns Thursday, August 11th in our Event Hall, 1407 Sherwood Ave, RVA 23220.  $20 admission gets you 10 games with $50 jackpots plus a $500 jackpot! Fun drag performances by Tiffani Hunter-Monique, Monica Darling, Blake Deadly, and your hostess Grace Wetpants! Music by DJ Statistics. Shakedown Eats will be on site with food for sale.This is a non-smoking, all-ages, way fun event. Door open at 6PM. Proceeds benefit the programs of Diversity Richmond.


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August 12 - October 8, 2022

Opening Reception August 12 7-9pm

The Iridian Gallery at Diversity Richmond is excited to present two new exhibitions opening August 12, 2022. “A Wolf in Sheep’s Skin” by Richmond sculptor William Lenard and “A Long Time” by jewelers Andy Lowrie and Robert Thomas Mullen will run concurrently through October 8. Our opening reception is August 12 from 7-9pm with light refreshments and a cash bar. Iridian Gallery’s hours of operation are Mon-Sun 9am-5pm with entrance through Diversity Thrift if gallery doors are not open. Throughout the ongoing pandemics, the use of face masks is strongly encouraged. 

A Long Time postcard

Andy Lowrie (AUS), and Robert Thomas Mullen (US) are two queer art jewelers connected by the experience of working for the same artist at different times in Estonia. Since making this connection, they have discovered a shared creative interest in the evidence of life in the materials around us, which as jewelers, they harness in objects made for wearing. For Iridian Gallery, Lowrie and Mullen have created a two-person exhibition of art jewelry called “A Long Time”. This show is  an exploration of time, material and change, realised in objects of adornment using natural and human-manipulated materials and processes.

A Wolf In Sheeps Skin

William Lenard is a sculptor originally from New England. Lenard explores their identity as a queer person and their familial connection to natural landscapes while breaking down the institutionalized connotations of brutalist architecture. They turn towards styles such as minimalism and brutalism to explore their idea of masculinity. As a queer person working with similar forms, they question what contributes as masculine art. Lenard primarily uses concrete and hardwood to materially bridge the unnatural with the natural. Concrete connects their interest with brutalism while critiquing the political connotations of this style. Lenard writes poetry to accompany their sculptural installations as further insight to the work.