GAYLETTER

4th of July is a very popular holiday, everyone goes crazy for it, it’s probably not as fun as NYC Gay Pride, but I’m sure all you patriotic queens love it. Being independent is a great thing, and it’s also a good excuse to party. The colorful and weekly party Catwalk, hosted by the nightlife legend who never ages Susanne Bartsch, gets extra bright this week with a neon-theme “indepen-dance” party. I think I saw lots of neon the last time I was there, so this time expect an explosion of neon. There will also be installations by One Half Nelson & Erickatoure (what’s new? those bitches always look like art installations), video art by Morgan Freeman and music is by DJ Christy Love (House of Stank). Also in attendance expect: The Kittens (Kindra & Laura Daughter of Devotion), The Avante Gardes (Marco Ovando, Paul Alexander, Johanna Constantine, Celso & Jamil Labeija) and a list of personalities that never ends. Wear neon and come alone.  —Abi

Guess what? This weekend is Gay Pride in NYC. Which means there’s going to be parties happening all over the fucking place, but none as important as ours. It’s at the Wythe Hotel in BK, and features a whole bunch of interesting stuff including performances by Amber Martin, Tyler Ashley, Merrie Cherry Jason Daniels and music by DJs Lauren Flax (Creep) and Amber Valentine (Misster, Scissor Sunday). The best part is you’ll be helping to raise money for an awesome organization just by getting drunk. The organization is called RIWW (Research Institute Without Walls) and they concern themselves with the mental health of LGBTQI refugees who’ve often come from places where they weren’t just bullied for being gay, but beaten and attacked on a daily basis. RIWW helps these people to seek asylum in America and also helps to change laws in their countries. On Saturday, every drink you buy will raise money for the group, and how about this? Your first couple of drinks are on us — between 8PM and 9PM there’s an open bar. Come enjoy the hotel’s beautiful outdoor space, and feel good about yourself for helping to bring a little more love and pride into the world.  —tom

This party is for Everybooty and I mean Everybooty. As the name implies it’s inclusive, especially for all you non-conformist queers; you can even go if you are under 21 (sorry, but no drinking.) This is probably the most accepting and diverse party you’ll attend during Pride week. It’s taking place at BAM and it’s curated by Spank, Hey Queen! and Earl Dax. You are in for a real treat with “a radical night of multi-arts mayhem.” These creative bitches are going to queer-the-hell-out of this place with soooo many performers we couldn’t list them all. Here are a couple of highlights: Penny Arcade (hi Mom), Steve Zetner, Erin Markey, Hard Ton, Horrorchata, House of Ladosha, Lee Soulja, Max Steele, Juliana Huxtable, Sam McKinniss, Sequinett... it just goes on and on. Expect visuals by Big Art Group, Dirty Looks NYC and Jeffrey Owen Ralston plus music by DJs Amber Martin, Average Jo, Kim Ann Foxman and Sean B. I think the organizers sum it up nicely when they say it’s about “celebrating pride, Brooklyn style.”  —Abi

This Friday is the longest day of the year, otherwise known as the summer solstice. While the days may be getting shorter from Friday onwards, don’t fret because we still have the whole Summer ahead of us. We’re big fans of garden parties, it’s very bougie of us, but getting drunk in a picturesque garden on a warm summer’s night is about as puss as it gets. Le Petit Versailles is one of those charming little community gardens in the LES run by old hippies and single women in their 40’s. It’s a cute space. And this Friday it will be filled with all sorts of cute people celebrating the longest day of the year. There’s going to be performances by Amber Martin, Justin Sayre and Bruno Tavares, music by DJ Dandylion, even floral libations (I guess that’s cocktails with flowers in them?). It’s part of Make Music New York, a festival that happens every year on the longest day of the year (it features over 1000 musical performances all over the city). Slip into some comfortable shoes (lots of uneven ground in community gardens) hide a hip flask of gin in your pocket, and make the most of all that late evening light.  —tom

We were debating whether to include this party or not — there’s too many straight people there all the time and it could be a bit of a shit show —  but then Abi said something very wise that made us rethink the whole thing: “that place (DL) is trashy, but then the summer is supposed to be trashy.” Ain’t that the true? Sometimes you just have to embrace trashiness in all it’s trashy glory. It’s just like in Spring Breakers, I mean those girls would never have had the chance to hear James Franco, sitting at that white piano, sing ‘Everytime’ by Britney had they not fully embraced their trashiness. But back to Wednesday’s party. It’s on a rooftop, which when it’s warm out, is everything. Gerry Visco and Leo Gugu are also going to be there, which for us is  reason alone to show up. I’m sure there will be plenty of dancing and slutting, shit, probably even  some bod shot...as I said, trashy. Just go with it, that’s how these things work — the trashier you are, the more fun you’ll have.  —tom

The biannual queer art magazine from Providence, Headmaster is having their New York launch party for issue No.5. We have been following this publication since the beginning and are really proud of how far they’ve come. Someone has to keep queer print alive, most of the “gay” publications are more boring than straight magazines. This issue contains work by Slava Mogutin, Ross Bleckner, Drasco Bogdanovic, Chris Bogia, Ben Kline, littlewhitehead, Aaron Peterman, Nathan Prouty and Dean Sameshina. This is a very low key event — perfect for Sunday, you can probably roll out of bed from the night before and go as you are — just wash your genitals and maybe brush your teeth. Apparently they are also celebrating Father’s Day, who can keep track of all these holidays? Here’s an idea, bring your father and you can both look for bfs together, or at least he can advise you on who to approach. He clearly has good taste, he made you!  —Abi