CT PRIDE GUIDE 2011: Get your pride on all day, all night

Nick Bonadies
Spectrum Editor

It’s that time of year again: With Mother Nature about to change out her wardrobe, Virginia’s annual gay pride festival PrideFest returns to Kanawha Plaza on South Eighth Street this Saturday, Sept. 24.

PrideFest runs from noon to 8 p.m. and features multitudinous Virginia drag performers, a Mr. VA Pride pageant with competitors from across the state (including athletic and swimwear categories), guest DJs and others.

Look out for Martha Wash headlining the main event – that’s Martha Wash of “It’s Raining Men” fame with The Weathergirls, she who belted “Everybody Dance Now” in the now-iconic C&C Music Factory dance track.

The To The Bottom & Back Bus will run a special festival route between Shockoe and Carytown between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Any PrideFest regular knows, however, that the real party is in the after-party: Richmond’s clubs, bars and venues will keep the pride pumping well into the night with dancing, music and ubiquitous revelry to suit any taste.

Peruse the CT’s handy post-Pride event schedule with your Saturday cohorts to plan a night to (ideally) remember. Each of these events are placed conveniently along the “Rainbow Route,” To The Bottom & Back’s special PrideFest shuttle, which will run until 3 a.m.

1 – NACHO MAMA’S CARYTOWN | 3449 W. Cary St.
$3 House Frozen Margaritas, Bottle Beers & Shooters until 10 p.m. No cover, 21+

2 – BABES OF CARYTOWN | 3166 W. Cary St.
After-Pride cookout and dance party until 2 a.m. $5 cover. 21+.

3 – SECCO WINE BAR | 2933 W. Cary St.
“Design Your Own Bubbly Flight”: Pick any three by-the-glass sparkling wines and get a custom flight for $12. 21+.

4 – THE EMPRESS | 2043 W. Broad St.
“Pride on the Patio” with dinner, desserts and drinks until 12 a.m. No cover. 18+.
Also: 10% off Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Put a little PRIDE in your Walk of Shame!!!”

5 – BALLICEAUX | 203 N. Lombardy St.
DJ Mixie and Sister Goldenhaze starting at 10:30 p.m. No cover. 21+.

6 – CLUB COLOURS | 534 N. Harrison St.
“Richmond’s hottest weekly urban nightlife party celebrates Pride in style” until 3 a.m. $10 cover. 18+.

7 – BARCODE | 6 E. Grace St.
Code 54 Pride party with DJ Elbert until 2 a.m. No cover. 21+.

8 – GODFREY’S | 308 E. Grace St.
“It’s Raining Men” Pride after-party with sexy swimwear contest starting at 10 p.m. $5 cover before 11 p.m., $10 after. 18+.

9 – CAPITAL ALE HOUSE | 623 E. Main St.
Pat McGee with Deep River in Capital Ale House’s Downtown Music Hall starting at 9 p.m. $20 advance, $25 door. 21+.

10 – KANAWHA PLAZA | South Eighth Street
PrideFest 2011 main event. Food, vendors, local organizations and a main stage featuring drag acts, Mr. VA Pride pageant, DJs and others. Special guests Narissa Bond, Tom Goss and Martha Wash perform. 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free. All ages.

11 – CURRENT RESTAURANT | 140 Virginia St.
Joe Tanning performing. $3 rail drinks until 2 a.m. 21+.

12 – CHA-CHA’S CANTINA | 1419 E. Cary St.
Live DJ. Pride specials starting at 10 p.m. No cover. 21+.

13 – MARS BAR | 115 N. 18th St.
“Platinum Dance Party: Pride Edition featuring the hottest from the ’80s, ’90s and today” until 2 a.m. No cover. 18+.