Following up on Friday’s entry about a gay couple who was kicked out of the Rite Aid at 13th and U Streets NW, the New Gay is organizing a hug-in set to take place at the store tomorrow night at 7 p.m., just before the annual 17th Street High Heel Race. If you plan to go, be sure to pledge your attendance via evite. The New Gay asks two things for everyone participating in…

Last night a few of us made our way to Nellie’s Sports Bar, where the Washington Blade was giving out its Best of Gay D.C. awards. We were honored to pick up the prize for Best Local Blog, with their kind description:When D.C. residents need to keep up on local events, art, sports, restaurants or pretty much anything else related to life in the District, they head to DCist.com… The blog is truly a community…

>> DAM! Fest kicks of with its first night of shows featuring a dozen different bands at three venues, including New York’s A Place to Bury Strangers (don’t miss our interview with the band) and Dirty on Purpose at the Rock and Roll Hotel, Vandaveer and Julie Ocean at the Red and The Black, and Foreign Islands at DC9, among many others. Check out our guide to the DAM! highlights. >> Two film festivals open…

Today is National Coming Out Day, a day when gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are encouraged to be open about who they are. The annual observance began on October 11, 1988, exactly one year after the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. (The first one was held October 14, 1979.) While there aren’t usually major events to commemorate the day, there are a couple of local events that coincide with…