High Heel Race — Save the Date

For the uninitiated, the annual drag high heel race on 17th Street is held on the Tuesday before Halloween, the 28th this year. Along the 17th Street route between P and S Streets, festivities start early. Between about 7 and 9 p.m. outrageous queens dance, strut, and roller skate up and down the blocks in a perpetual looping parade, usually livened up by a rolling speaker stack. By race time, the spectator lines are at least six rows deep from the curb. Get there early to claim a prime viewing spot for yourself. Another option is dining on one of the local bar patios. Be forewarned, however, that management will not allow fans on the sidewalk or from indoor seating to pour onto their patios and decks at race time; several local businesses have had ABRA fire marshal enforcement issues from such pile-ons. I hope to see the same incredible turn-out this year as in years past. There's just such a good vibe along 17th Street and all day in Dupont as queens start walking toward the race. Please just remember to leave your dog at home. There is a lot of noise and small animals can be nearly invisible to the thousands of pairs of feet in a crowd.

If you've missed the event in past years, check out this You Tube compilation of images and videos.