What’s Happening at OutFest 2013

Photo courtesy of George Widman for GPTMC

There are some who believe OutFest, the annual celebration to mark National Coming Out Day, is the ultimate Philly Pride celebration. Why? Well, unlike other major LGBT events, like Pride or Equality Forum, this one takes place right in the heart of our Gayborhood. It’s also one of the season’s last block parties, where, as Alexander Kacala explains in our Big Gay Fall Guide, “The fiercest of Philadelphia drag queens are represented by performances all day … while cruising becomes an Olympic event in the Bike Stop’s back parking lot, where cheap beers are chilled and the boys treat 12th Street like a runway.”

To help you make the most of your festivities, I’ve rounded up some of the day’s must-do events — from Philly’s largest-ever outdoor drag show to the two lesbian parties that seek to keep the wayward Sisters crowd bumping all day long. Happy Coming Out Day!

WIG OUT
We might as well start with the biggest she-bang, which is being touted as “the largest outdoor drag show in Philadelphia history.” Hosted by local drag stalwarts Brittany Lynn and Mimi Imfurst, the party is going from noon to 6:30, and will feature 50 queens from a handful of popular drag shows around the city, like Cleo Phatra’s “Eat It” and The Goddess Isis’s long-running “Sinful Sundays.”

It’s going to be a huge, crazy good time, but Lynn tells me that, after all the drama this week between Mimi Imfurst and Philly Pride’s Franny Price (click here for a good rundown), the event has become more than just a day of drag shenanigans, it’s a statement about solidarity for the drag community. “We are not the town’s jesters. We are part of the life blood of the community,” she says. So expect the girl power to be on overdrive. Noon-6:30 p.m., free, Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St. 

DANCE PARTY @ TABU
Not to be outshone, Philly Mag’s choice for Best Gay Bar 2013 will be throwing a bash at its front door, too. Javascript and Paulie Paul will be spinning all day for your outdoor-boogie-time pleasures, and, quick tip, if you’re looking for a mid-day boost, this is the place to be. Red Bull will be there handing out free energy drinks throughout the afternoon. Get those wings, girls. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar, 200 S. 12th St. 

THE OFFICIAL OUTFEST WOMEN’S/QUEER BLOCK PARTY
Stimulus just might rock Sisters back to life at this major rager that’s taking place right outside the defunct lesbian bar’s hollowed digs. The section of Chancellor Street will be pulsing with tunes from DJ NiiLo, beer pong tournaments, go-go dancers and all kinds of other girl-on-girl good times. Be sure to follow the crowd later, when it heads to Voyeur for Stimulus’s subsequent “Ultimate OutFest Party.” Block party: noon to 6 p.m., 1300 block of Chancellor St; After-party, 4 p.m. to midnight, Voyeur, 1221 Saint. James St. 

BAZAAR ON QUINCE
Philly’s answer to San Francisco’s fetish party on Dore Alley, Bazaar on Quince brings together Philly’s leather community and the people who love them for an afternoon of bulge-in-your-face performances, games and, well, bulges in your face. Chaps, straps and cock rings strongly encouraged. Noon to 6 p.m., 200 block of South Quince St. 

LICKR: GIRL PARTY
In August, Lickr organizer Crystal Fox told me that this bash was born after the closing of Sisters, as a way to keep the lesbian social scene going strong in Philly. She and her co-hort, former Sisters employee Natalie Nuzzi, have taken to social media with a vengeance to build interest, and the momentum got so big for this inaugural event that they had to move it from its original location, Valanni, to Tabu, where you’ll find lots of dancing, drink specials and performances by the sexy Sisters Sirens. 3 p.m.-10 p.m., Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar.