“Gives me a little sense of euphoria.”įans of disco balls also suspect that a resurgence of 1970s pop culture, fashion and music has led to this moment. “It definitely gives me a burst of energy to be like, ‘Oh yeah, the sun is out.
She works from home and her disco balls usually catch light around 4 p.m., as her work day is ending.
“Oftentimes queer and trans people are kind of the creative pavers of what’s on-trend, and it just sometimes takes everyone else a little bit longer to catch up.”Ĭreating joy at home led Christine Obiamalu, a communications professional by day and musician by night, to purchase two disco balls for her Brooklyn apartment. “Being in the queer community, disco balls have kind of always been a part of that culture, and a part of nightlife, and tucked inside of our apartments, and hanging from our windows, and sitting in the soil of our house plants,” said Sophie Peoples, 30, an artist from Oakland, Calif. The balls allowed them to decorate on a tight budget, and as disco music became more popular, so did the disco ball.įor some, disco balls are inseparable from gay nightlife. In the 1970s, disco balls were used by Black and gay underground clubs that didn’t necessarily have funds for high-tech lighting, said Mr. So you get a lot of bang for your little disco ball.” “You have a disco ball, you shine a light on it, and suddenly the entire room is covered in dots of light that are moving. Yokobosky, who curated the exhibit “ Studio 54: Night Magic,” which ran in 2020. “It was an inexpensive way to create a lot of atmosphere,” said Mr. According to Etsy, searches for “disco ball” increased nearly 400 percent during the past three months, compared to the same time period last year. The interest doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Rasmussen said, and business is still booming. She sold about 5,000 disco balls within a year, Ms. It was really, I think, the right place, right time.” So it just really catapulted into something crazy. “The first day I opened the Etsy shop I got 40 orders,” Ms. She contracted with a wholesaler and set up the LivingColorfully Etsy shop where she offers five sizes of disco balls (the largest is “the Grace” at 24 inches). “One day during the pandemic, I was like, maybe I should start selling them,” said Ms. Photos of them perched on a windowsill in her home would catch her followers’ attention on Instagram and she frequently fielded questions about where they, too, could purchase disco balls. Libby Rasmussen, a social media and marketing director who lives in Washington D.C., always had an affinity for disco balls. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.Inside the Disco Salon, which occupies a former church in Atlanta. Click here for more about what we're doing. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Menu items include catfish fingers, mushroom caps and fried ravioli. NW (between North Bohrer and North 7th streets) to hit up the business the next time the urge strikes. Uproar Lounge & Restaurant Photo: tony y./ YelpĪnd then there's Uproar Lounge & Restaurant, a Ledroit Park favorite with four stars out of 35 reviews. On its menu you'll find lamb gnocchi and chocolate mousse.
Head over to 1602 17th St., Floriana Restaurant (between North Q and North Corcoran streets) to see for yourself. Dito's Bar Photo: dito s./ Yelpĭito's Bar, a gay bar in Dupont Circle, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 27 Yelp reviews. It features a dance floor and an outdoor patio. NW (between North Belmont and North Kalorama roads), is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the gay bar and sports bar 4.5 stars out of 37 reviews. A League of Her Own Photo: keyser s./ YelpĪdams Morgan's A League of Her Own, located at 2319 18th St. Among its menu items you'll find empanadas, pizza and a pulled pork sandwich. With four stars out of 502 reviews on Yelp, the gay bar, sports bar and traditional American spot has proved to be a local favorite. NW (between North Florida Avenue and North 9 1/2 Street). Next up is the U Street Corridor's Nellie's Sports Bar, situated at 900 U St. Nellie's Sports Bar Photo: marlon t./ Yelp It offers signature cocktails, along with local beer. (between North 15th and North 14th streets) in Logan Circle, the bar is the highest-rated gay bar in Washington.
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top gay bars in D.C., using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best places to hit the town for celebration and community. But there's more to Pride than a single parade: Many gay bars and other gathering places have special events all month long. Most Pride parades in the United States take place in the month of June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots.