While many people are making their annual pilgrimage down to Palm Springs this weekend for White Party, there's still plenty to keep you busy at home, including a big film festival, plenty of drag queens and an epic two-night bar closing party that you should consider checking out.
As we noted yesterday, the 58th Annual San Francisco International Film Festival has kicked off at the Castro Theatre. Film programming continues throughout the weekend and into next week. Tonight you can catch "54: The Director's Cut", a revival of the failed '98 film that's since become a gay cult favorite (actor Ryan Phillipe will be in attendance). Tomorrow, Guillermo del Toro will be presented with the Irving M. Levin Directing Award followed by a screening of his film "The Devil's Backbone," and on Sunday, Richard Gere will be in-house for an interview and to receive the Peter J. Owens Award. Clips from his acting career will be shown followed by a screening of his 2014 performance in "Time Out of Mind." Find info on all that and more SFIFF screenings in the Castro here.
Outrageous superstar comedy queen and Rupaul's Drag Race Season 6 winner Bianca Del Rio will be in town tonight for a one-night-only performance at The Lookout that's not be missed. Get up close and personal at the intimate venue (VIP meet & greet tickets have already sold out, so if you plan on getting in make sure you're there early). The event begins at 8pm, but if you can't make it tonight, don't worry: Bianca del Rio will be back next month at Sasha Soprano's The Drag Queens of Comedy at the Castro Theatre hosted by Michelle Visage.
With the Lexington Club's closure set for next Thursday, the bar is planning on saying goodbye in style with two nights of "celebration, mysticism, merrymaking and remembrance." Venture to the Mission for "We Belong: Lex Forever! The Final Parties" on either Friday or Saturday night this weekend. There will be a commemorative giveaway along with tons of good music, hosts, dancers and nostalgia.
Tomorrow night, head over to Mission High School, where The Queens of the Castro will be hosting their 4th Annual "High School is a Drag: But It Doesn't Have To Be" to "raise awareness about the differences between gender and sexuality in high schools." The event will be hosted by Rupaul's Drag Race Season 4 contestant Phi Phi O'Hara and promises plenty of drag performances along with a silent auction benefiting LGBT Youth. The Queens of the Castro "work closely with youth by organizing and implementing drag shows in various high schools and universities." Afterwards, the crew will be heading over to Oasis for "Mother: High School Confidential."
If you haven't had your fill of drag come Sunday night, head on over to Beaux for "Big Top Sunday" for a Puerto Rican invasion hosted by Au Jus and Nancy Sriracha, with special guest RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6 Contestant April Carrion.
Looking ahead to next week, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's 15th Annual Dining Out For Life is this Tuesday. Restaurants all around the Castro and throughout the city and Bay Area will be participating by donating 25 percent of the day's proceeds to support free and local prevention and support services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Make sure you plan ahead and take a look at the list of restaurants participating (there are many options in the Castro) and make a reservation today before they fill up.
Any events that we missed? Feel free to let us know in the comments below, and have a good weekend!
