25+ awesome LGBTQ Memphis happenings for this early March event guide
Bi the Way is our biweekly event list where we share all the best local LGBTQ+ and queer-inclusive happenings in Memphis and the Midsouth in the next two weeks.
Now, march into this month with queer grand openings, a 5K, live music, drag brunch, banned books, and more!
Ongoing
Breaking the Rules: Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown | Dixon Gallery and Gardens | Through March 31st | All ages | Free | These two artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1940s and early 1950s, met and became a couple in 1952. Paul Wonner (1920 – 2008) and William “Theophilus” Brown (1919 – 2012) both began as practitioners of a style that came to be known as Bay Area Figuration.
DEFY | Arrow Creative | Through March 2nd | All ages | Free | This Black History Month gallery celebrates Black joy in all its forms. DEFY features work from 17 local artists, including queer visionaries like photographer Anthony Lorenzo, seamstress Cari’s Closet and multidisciplinary artist Tangela Mathis.
Monday Happy Hour Karaoke | DRUS Bar | 3-10pm | 21+ | No Cover | Pick your favorite tune and get ready to belt this Monday (or next!). Oh, and don’t forget to take advantage of DRUS drink specials.
Shantay You Play Drag Queen Bingo | Moxy | 7pm – 9pm | 21+ | Free | Every Thursday, join phenomenal rotating drag hosts Imogene Azengraber, Moth Moth Moth, and Brenda Newport for a fabulous night of bingo at the Moxy. Come for the singing, dancing and fun, and you might even win a prize!
School of Ool | Clough-Hanson Gallery (Rhodes College) | Through March 22nd | All ages | Free | Multimedia artist Coe Lapossy revisits artifacts of queerness wedged within a seemingly straight world in this poignant gallery show at Rhodes College.
Friday, March 1
Austin Lucas @ HiTone | 21+ | 8pm | $10 | Indiana-born country-punk “queerdo” Austin Lucas headlines at the HiTone, with local phenoms Pakistani hyperpop artist Suroor and experimental punk artist W1ND0W, open!
Friends for All Grand Opening | 1548 Poplar Ave. | All ages | Free | Friends for All continues its mission in preventing the spread of HIV and helping those affected by HIV/AIDS live well—now in a totally new building in the historic Evergreen District! Come celebrate with the team and other community members and leaders.
Soul | OUT Memphis, YEC | 5pm | ages 18-24 | Free | Queer folks 18-24 gather for a fun movie night at the Youth Emergency Center.
Saturday, March 2
Joshua’s Day of Hope | Court Square Park | All ages | Free | Joshua’s Hope weaves a tapestry of support in a 4-hour event full of with complimentary health services (HIV testing, free vaccines, narcan training, and more), the rhythm of local bands, local food, and free haircuts
Sunday, March 3
11th Annual TEP Gumbo Contest | Liberty Park | 4:30-7pm | All ages | Free | The Tennessee Equality Project annual celebration brings together teams from near and far to compete for the best gumbo in Memphis. Contestants will receive rewards from a panel of tasters—who will take home the prize?
Dicqbeats, Cel Shade, Whit3corset & Stained00 | HiTone, small room | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | 21+ | $10 | Get ready to vibe out with this awesome set of experimental, post punk and instrumental DJ artists, featuring our March cover artist, Cel Shade.
Leggs & Toasts Sunday Brunch | DRUS Bar | 12pm | 21+ | Starting at $25 | Let’s brunch! Join renowned drag queen Keleigh Klarke for a Celebrity Illusion Brunch you won’t soon forget.
Monday, March 4
Assassin’s Wildfire | Lamplighter Lounge | 8pm | 21+ | Free (bring cash for tips!) | On the last day in this wildly entertaining series see amazing drag performers Sairen Strange, Rusted Electra, Blanca, Fairy Spit, Hunny Blunt, and Vivica Vanity stun on stage.
Tuesday, March 5
Line Dancing with Q | DRUS Bar | 6-9PM | 21+ | No Cover | Tuesdays are for line dancing! Join the one and only Q or for helpful instructions, and a down right good time.
Wednesday, March 6
How to Have Sex (2023) | Malco Studio on the Square | 7PM | $12 | This startlingly realistic coming-of-age drama is director Molly Manning Walker’s feature-length debut and was nominated for the Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival.
Thursday, March 7
Rainbow Book Bus | Cooper Community Center | 4-6PM | All ages | Free | This Rainbow Book Bus stops in Memphis in honor of LGBTQ+ storytelling and literature. Come for bundles of banned LGBTQ+ books for free, plus food, resources, and community.
Friday, March 8
Writers in the Round | Hernando’s Hide-a-Way | 7PM | Indie rock singer-songwriter Rachel Maxann performs original music in an intimate setting.
Saturday, March 9
Memphis Roller Derby Double Header | The Pipkin | 4pm-8pm | All ages | $15 Adult, $5 Kids under 13 | Get pumped for a Home Team Double Header as the Ghost River Ghouls take on the Memphis Minions. Enjoy food and goods from local vendors in between the game!
Mid-South Pride Rainbow Dash 5K | Starting point, Midtown near Overton Park | All ages |Entry with T-shirt :$30.00 | The 4th Annual Rainbow Dash 5K celebrates diversity and community spirit with a run, walk, or dash or in vibrant colors, embracing every hue of the rainbow.
Rainbow Rumble Dinosaur Disco | Black Lodge | Doors 8pm, show 9pm | Tickets starting at $15 | This round of Rainbow Rumble season 4 takes you where disco balls meet dinosaur scales in this dino-themed Mesozoic era drag competition. Follow Rainbow Rumble for updates!
What’s Your Favorite Color | TONE Gallery | 4-7PM | All ages | Free to all | TONE kicks off their 5-year anniversary with a queer-inclusive exhibit highlighting Black artists across various mediums to explore how color shapes culture, pride, identity and perspectives.
Sunday, March 10
LA Spa Bruncheon | 4384 Stage Rd | 2-5pm | Walk-ins welcome!| You deserve self-care. Here’s a self-care and wellness celebration of National Women’s HIV and AIDS Awareness Day with spa-worthy events just for you. Text SPA to 901.310.5628 to reserve a spot now!
Sapphic Sunday | DRUS | 2-8pm | 21+ | Various costs (see link for more) | Sapphics of all genders get ready for a day full femme-tastic events. Make sure to RSVP for Speed Dating with Reverend Love at 2pm, then check out vendors or grab the mic for karaoke at 4pm. Stick around for a variety show at 6pm, but make sure to bring a $10 cover charge to support the performers!
Thursday, March 14
LGBTv Night: Moonlight | Black Lodge | 7pm | 18+ | Free | Film buff Mars Mckay hosts LGBTv: QUEER CINEMA NIGHT, a monthly showcase highlighting the greatest LGBTQ+ movies from across time and around the globe! This month, Barry Jenkins’ brilliant Moonlight (2016).
Friday, March 15
Tima Likes Music’s Old School 90s Dance Party | Growlers | Doors 7pm, Show 8pm | $15 | NYC-based musician, DJ and queer heartthrob TimaLikesMusic hosts an iconic night of dance-worthy, live funk, hip hop and R&B jams, featuring Tima and her band. Plus, live performances of bops from TimaLikesMusic’s EP, Love, Daddy Princess.
Zanna Don’t: A Fairy Tale Musical | Theatreworks | March 15- 24 | Friday, Saturdays at 8pm & Sunday matinees at 2pm | $25 | Set in a colorful high school in Heartsville, USA, Zanna, Don’t is an upbeat campy musical comedy that takes place in a fictional world where being homosexual is the norm and being heterosexual is considered taboo.
Want your event included, too? Tell us about it, and we’ll track it for next time! Follow us at @focusmidsouth for more.
