PORT ANGELES — Esprit, the weeklong conference for transgendered people held at the Red Lion Hotel since 1990, culminates in public parties, live music, dancing and general revelry tonight and Saturday night.
The Esprit Talent Show, an evening of song, dance, lip-synch and comedy starring Esprit conference participants, starts tonight at 8 p.m. at the Elks Naval Lodge, 131 E. First St., with admission at $5.
“The public is invited to the talent show, and those who have been, come back,” said Esprit planning committee member Frances Wiemann.
“We love Port Angeles, and Port Angeles loves us.”
This year’s show is based on the 1960s television romp “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” and will be limited to eight or 10 acts, according to www.espritconf.com. It will wrap by around 9 p.m., and then the Boneyard Preachers, a contemporary blues band, will take the Elks stage.
“For the more adventurous,” the Esprit website notes, “the Nasty Habits will play their edgy ’80s dance covers to their throngs of local fans in town” at Bar N9ne, 229 W. First St., from 9 p.m. until 1 p.m.
The cover charge will be $5, and for more information phone 360-797-1999.
’60s themed gala
Saturday night brings the Esprit Gala, a 21-and-older, 1960s-theme bash at the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St.
Admission is again $5 for the public, and the Fabulous Boomers from Seattle are scheduled to play classic rock from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m.
“Dress as formally as you wish, or push the limits and flash the go-go boots, the polka-dot miniskirt, big hair and sunglasses!” www.espritconf.com urges.
Also Saturday at 9 p.m., the Nasty Habits will be back at Bar N9ne, with a $5 cover charge for their four hours of dance music.
Evening concert
New at Esprit this year is a Saturday evening concert by Charlie Ferris, the local crooner of doo-wop, rock and other nostalgic songs. Ferris will sing downstairs in the Red Lion lounge from 8 p.m. till midnight, with no cover charge.
The gala and talent show admission charges are donated to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County, so “all of the money we raise stays in the community,” Wiemann noted.
For more information about conference events, visit www.espritconf.com or phone the Red Lion at 360-452-9215.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.
