Edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt
The Lavender Performing Arts Festival is back with Lavender Fest: Season Two—Celebrating Every Letter, running July 16–20 at Out Front Theatre Company and the Atlanta Eagle. The five-day festival amplifies LGBTQIA+ voices from across the U.S. and abroad through bold, original performances that highlight Southern queer storytelling.
“Queer theatre is here to stay, and Lavender Fest provides one of the few spaces in America for new, bold work to be featured,” says Ty Autry, Festival Director. “As the authors and protectors of our history, we aim to ignite multiple generations of storytellers, creators, and artists to experiment with LGBTQIA+ theatre.”
Attendees can expect everything from thought-provoking new works to outrageous comedy and drag, all celebrating the diverse experiences of LGBTQIA+ communities. The festival opens with a kickoff party at the Atlanta Eagle on July 16 at 7 PM, followed by Birdcage Bingo at 8 PM. Proceeds benefit Joining Hearts, an Atlanta-based nonprofit supporting people living with HIV/AIDS.
This year’s lineup reflects that mission with a diverse slate of productions that span genres and generations. Audiences can look forward to Yesterday is Dead by Maria Chryssopoulos, The Lily Show by Lily Kerrigan, Stuck by JJ Ivey, Bottle of Soup by CWK, Black Bastard by Jon Gentry, and One Morning At The Office by Vandy Beth Glenn. Also featured are Gracefully Stumbling Thru Beekeeping Age by Mark Orintas, I Thought I’d Be Famous By Now by David Cohn, With Love, Women by Hannah Marie Smith, and Conversations On How to Get Your Mom Laid by Ty Autry.
The festival concludes with a glamorous rooftop closing party at Moonlight at FORTH Atlanta on July 20 from 6 PM to 9 PM. The event includes DJ sets, drag performances, and the presentation of awards to standout shows and artists.
Tickets for Lavender Fest: Season Two—Celebrating Every Letter are available at lavender-fest.com/tickets or lavender-fest.eventbrite.com. For the full schedule and details on how to support the mission, visit lavender-fest.com.
Lavender Fest is presented by Qreative Voices, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Southern queer narratives through the performing arts. Major sponsors include FORTH Atlanta, Somerset Medical, and Breathe Images.