Happy week before Valentine\u2019s Day, Reader! Maybe you have a sweetheart or several at once; maybe you\u2019re single but still want to mingle; or maybe you just want to have a nice time despite the horrors \u2013 whatever the situation may be, the time to plan a stellar V-Day is now. Next week, eh, that\u2019ll narrow the options for a romantic dinner down to Whataburger. (Not that the right person wouldn\u2019t be down for two patty melts and a couple\u2019s beef-induced coma session, I suppose\u2026)<\/p>\n
Austin\u2019s got a good selection of queer-owned restaurants to take your sweeties \u2013 helping support your community as well as satiate your hunger. South Lamar\u2019s Spanish spot El Raval \u2013 headed up by chef Laila Bazahm \u2013 has a special Valentine\u2019s Day-only, five-course meal<\/a> featuring Ib\u00e9rico ham, lobster, spicy tomato sauce, wagyu short rib stew, and plenty of potatoes made fancy. Looking to enjoy a chicken heart yakitori with the one who holds your heart? Stop by Kazu Fukumoto\u2019s self-titled izakaya<\/a> on Sixth and Medina, where delicious and elevated Japanese-style bar staples will leave you satisfied. Or maybe, since V-Day falls on a Saturday this year, you can enjoy a romantic brunch at the new outpost of biscuit haven Lynny\u2019s<\/a> over on 12th. Coffee, crispy edged fried eggs, and carbs worth ruining your new year\u2019s diet for await. (Plus, they\u2019re open Mondays now, just in case you lost track of time locking lips all weekend.)<\/p>\n Hmmmm, what else, what else. Oh! Parade and festival registration for this year\u2019s Austin Pride have opened up. The org\u2019s Insta post warns that \u201csponsors and vendors are already claiming prime placements\u201d so if you want to get a good spot, I suppose you ought to hurry on up.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hard to think about June already! Let\u2019s try to get through these next six weeks of winter. Stay aware, stay safe, and stay open to love.<\/p>\n Austin Vogue Nights\u00a0<\/p>\n Thursday 5, Swan Dive<\/p>\n Kick off February with this monthly mini-ball. Ms. Girl6, aka Mother Natalie Lepore, emcees with DJ BabiDoll at the decks. Check @centraltxkikiscene for a rundown of this month\u2019s category requirements. 10pm.<\/p>\n Mistress Madness<\/p>\n Thursday 5, Highland Lounge<\/p>\n She\u2019s fired up the Drag Race fans, now Mistress Isabelle Brooks lights up Austin with this competitive drag blowout featuring 10 queens vying for the top title. Audience participation expected, as are chaos and kooky behavior. 9pm.<\/p>\n Stampede<\/p>\n Friday 6, the Highball<\/p>\n Don\u2019t get caught underfoot of this line dance party, because this Neon Rainbows boot-stompin\u2019 ain\u2019t no joke. All levels are welcome with Country Fried Dance teaching beginner lessons and two-stepping in between. 8pm.<\/p>\n Loverboy Anthems Only<\/p>\n Friday 6, Cheer Up Charlies<\/p>\n If that hockey show\u2019s got you all warmed up, skate on over to this all-gay-anthem DJ night themed to the Canadian TV sensation. On deck are DJs Ryan McClure, Lidia Beatz, and Scam Likely \u2013 plus Aira Juliet hosts a Hollander & Rozanov look-alike contest. 10pm.<\/p>\n First Fridays<\/p>\n Friday 6, Oilcan\u2019s<\/p>\n The grrrls \u2013 RIOTGIRL and Titty Androgynous \u2013 are having a sleepover and you\u2019re invited! Join the hosts of this queer and trans celebration for a nostalgic night featuring Y2K tunes and a pajama dress code. 11pm.<\/p>\n Walk-In Day<\/p>\n Saturday 7, Queer Audacity<\/p>\n Get fresh ink right as February starts from one of the talented tattoo artists situated in Springdale General. Flash sets avails, but it\u2019s all first come, first served, so arrive early to secure your spot. 11am.<\/p>\n Hot Yoga<\/p>\n Saturday 7, Pure Yoga Texas North & Downtown Austin<\/p>\n Cheer Austin continues their fundraising efforts for local queer orgs with this hot-yoga class benefiting Rainbow Connections ATX. Attend a 90-minute session at either their Burnet Road or Oakland Avenue locations, and your $15 minimum donation will help support LGBTQ eldercare. 10am.\u00a0<\/p>\n Black Queer Renaissance<\/p>\n Saturday 7, Carver Museum<\/p>\n As part of the Carver Museum\u2019s Black History Month kick-off, TribRelations, writer Marzetta McClung, and Pride in Black ATX lead a kiki ball themed to the Harlem Renaissance. 5pm.<\/p>\n Mi Casa Es Su Teatro<\/p>\n Saturday 7, Mishpocha Woods Artist Compound<\/p>\n Self-described as \u201ca dangerously DIY domestic fringe fest,\u201d this theatrical gathering supported by Hyde Park Theatre and FronteraFest features over 20 experiments in short plays, installations, spaces, and clowns. Plus, beer, food, zines, and plenty of cool peeps to share your time with. 11am.\u00a0<\/p>\n Slide Into the DMs<\/p>\n Saturday 7, Fallout Theater<\/p>\n Fall in love for the first time with this social media inbox-inspired comedy show. Angelina Martin hosts as comics take real-life romantic horror stories and spin \u2019em into improv gold. Make sure to laugh really loud; this is their first Valentine\u2019s Day taping! 10pm.<\/p>\n Big Tits Bigger Dreams<\/p>\n Saturday 7, Oilcan\u2019s<\/p>\n Brigitte Bandit hosts this non-competitive drag open mic for alllll the budding performers out there who just need a welcoming space to bloom \u2013 and get professional pics taken. Sign-ups open on Thursday through the @bigtitsbiggerdreams Insta. 7pm.<\/p>\n Queer Mic<\/p>\n Sunday 8, the Vortex<\/p>\n From the folks who brought you Try Hard Mic and Anybody but Tony, a new LGBTQ stand-up showcase emerges. Sign up for what DEI comedy says is a queer open mic where \u201cwe curate this space to keep out the riffraff,\u201d aka jerks. 8:30pm.<\/p>\n Score<\/p>\n Sunday 8, AFS Cinema<\/p>\n Radley Metzger\u2019s raunchy little romance based on an off-Broadway play finds bisexual marrieds Jack and Elvira (extremely bi-coded names) challenging each other to woo a couple naive newlyweds. Apparently there\u2019s softcore and hardcore versions, but I\u2019ll let you guess which one\u2019s screening this weekend with an opening from programmer Elizabeth Purchell. No, really: Your guess is as good as mine\u2026 3:45pm.<\/p>\n Beyond Gravity<\/p>\n Sunday 8, We Luv Video<\/p>\n To counteract recent sour events, SunGays gives us something sweet. This New Zealand-made short film from the late Eighties follows an anxious man pursued by a brash loverboy with expectedly cute results. 7pm.<\/p>\n Super Bowl Watch Party<\/p>\n Sunday 8, RSVP for location<\/p>\n OutWellness hosts a watch party for that big football game happening during the Bad Bunny concert. All you gotta do is RSVP via DM and bring a football-themed snack. 5:30pm.<\/p>\n Perreo Club Super Bowl Party<\/p>\n Sunday 8, Coconut Club<\/p>\n Watch the Bad Bunny concert-slash-football game with your Perreo Club pals. Starting at 11am with Rebekah\u2019s RITMO fitness class and leading right into Chef Jose Vega\u2019s Lechon a la Vara \u2013 whole roasted pig \u2013 this\u2019ll be an all-day party soundtracked by DJs Suxxy Puxxy and Soularreal. 11am.<\/p>\n Bad Bunny Super Bowl Watch Party<\/p>\n Sunday 8, Cheer Up Charlies<\/p>\n Enjoy the football game \u2013 or Benito Bowl, as CUC calls it \u2013 with free burger, hot dog, and salad stations, spins from DJ Scam Likely, and post-game Latinx karaoke. 7pm.<\/p>\n Queer Cuties Market<\/p>\n Sunday 8, the Little Gay Shop<\/p>\n Fill your heart with objects and items made by local queer vendors at this TLGS-curated market. Plus, a Rainbow Connections ATX-helmed station to make cute Valentine\u2019s cards for queer elders. 11am.\u00a0<\/p>\n 100 Years of Dyke<\/p>\n Sunday 8, Ani\u2019s Day & Night<\/p>\n You\u2019ve waited 100 years for this sapphic panel. What\u2019s a week? Thawed out from the previous freeze, Austin Dyke March\u2019s dyke table talk and lesbian variety show returns with collaborators TribRelations and Futch Fetish in tow. Damiana Divine, Hurricane Short King, BeeBee Blvnt, and Venus Rising host. 12pm.<\/p>\n Vanjie<\/p>\n Thursday 12, Oilcan\u2019s<\/p>\n Icon of the Drag Race oeuvre, Vanessa Vanjie dazzles on the Oilcan stage with host Celia Light and local cast members Brigitte Bandit, Casady Milan, Lawrie Bird, Harlott, and Ryan. Grab your tickets soon, because these\u2019ll sell out quick \u2013 if they haven\u2019t already! 10pm.<\/p>\n Tunnel Vision<\/p>\n Thursday 12, Elysium<\/p>\n Set sights to sickening for this returning show from host Solovino, featuring performances by Flex Brojas, Franky La\u2019Mour, Demavoid, Basura, Dante Picante, Liz Dexia, and Slaylem Cholula Cuntress. Plus a vendor market. 10pm.<\/p>\n