2024 first quarter dances

We’ve schedule dance dates for the first quarter of the new year. We’ll continue to be at Eastern Market, North Hall, from 7-11pm on the following dates:

1/13, 1/27, 2/9 (FRIDAY), 2/24, 3/16, 3/30

Must be ages 21+ to participate, so be sure to bring your ID!

Checkout the calendar for more details.

New dance dates through the end of the year!

New dance dates have been added to the schedule to take us through the end of the year. We’ll be at Eastern Market’s North Hall from 7 till 11 on the follow dates: 7/22, 8/12, 9/9, 9/23, 10/13 (Friday!), 10/28, 11/18, 12/2 (Ages 21+)

We’ll also be participating in Eastern Market’s Funky Fridays and Art All Night, 5-9pm on 7/28, 8/25, and 9/29 (All ages welcome)

Mitchell/Richards Family Fund Grant

DC Rawhides is pleased to announce it has received a grant from the Mitchell – Richards Family Fund, created to honor the memories of Corey Richards and Doug Mitchell, a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation.  DC Rawhides is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting country western dancing in the LGBT community.  

The dances started in 2013 with 13 people gathering in the social hall of a Dupont Area church and then became part of programming at two of the District’s well known LGBTQ entertainment and dance venues:  Town and Secrets.  Apartments and condo now stand where those two clubs once were.  DC Rawhides danced through the pandemic via Zoom calls.  In 2021, DC Rawhides took up residency at Hook Hall. At each of these venues, the owners kindly provided DC Rawhides with use of their space and equipment at no charge. The hallmark of our dances is an atmosphere that is inclusive, affirming, and fun.  There is no other dance event in the District that draws crowds as diverse in age, race, gender-identity, and sexual orientation.

In the spring of 2022, DC Rawhides decided to take the dance solo, knowing this meant they would have to pay for space.  Our annual costs to hold the dance are not insubstantial.  To make sure there are no barriers to attending, we ask patrons for a minimum five dollar donation at the door.  The gift from the the Mitchell – Richards Family Fund, a component fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation will allow us to keep dancing and for that we are extremely grateful

For 50 years, the Greater Washington Community Foundation has ignited the power of philanthropy, catalyzed community impact, and responded to critical needs. The Community Foundation partners with generous individuals, families, and businesses, making it easy and effective for donors to identify impactful nonprofits and support the greater good in the communities we call home. As the region’s largest local funder, The Community Foundation has invested more than $1.5 billion in building equitable, just, and thriving communities across DC, Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. Learn more at TheCommunityFoundation.org

DC Rawhides at The Wharf

There’s going to be a country-western night at The Wharf on DC’s Southwest Waterfront, open to the public, on Friday, June 10, and the Rawhides will be in attendance! The evening kicks off at 7, when we’ll be giving a line dance lesson and a two-step tutorial. That will be followed by two-stepping to music by the Wil Gravatt Band.

This free event will run until 9, and all are welcome. Come for the dancing, come for the live music, or come to watch. See you there?

First Dance at Eastern Market, Saturday, May 28

Join us for our first dance at our new location, the North Hall at Eastern Market, at 7th Street and North Carolina Avenue, S.E., two blocks north of the Eastern Market Metro station. We’ll be there Saturday, May 28, from 7 till 11. There will be a cash bar.

Jon B. will teach the line dance “The Wolf” (demos and tutorials at CopperKnob; demo by our Daniel J.) from 7 till 8. Open dancing with DJ Pam will start after that.

The line dance line-up for the evening includes The Wolf, Shivers, Church Clap, Waltz Across Texas, Coffee, Reggae Cowboy, Dizzy, Chill Factor, Wobble, Canadian Stomp, Cowboy Cha-Cha, and Shake Yourself Loose.

Time: Saturday, May 28, 7pm-11pm
Location: Eastern Market North Hall, 225 7th St. SE, Washington DC 20003
Admission: $5

Country Western Dancing for all in the Washington, DC