Events at The Clubhouse
The ClubHouse offered a wide variety of scheduled and special events during its fifteen years. In keeping with its mission of being both a venue for dancing and a community center, its special events included a mix of both.
Saturday night, Vibrations, club card
all photos and images (c) Clubhouse EnterprisesThe club offered two private membership parties: Friday nights, known as ZEI, were predominately for a non-gay crowd. Saturday night parties, known as Vibrations, focused on a gay and lesbian membership. Tuesday night parties were offered for non-members. Ladies Night Only Dances (NOD) were originally scheduled on Thursdays but later moved to Wednesdays. Thursday evenings became a special night for the Epicurean Brothers social club event. Sunday evenings offered special events (such as the Cabaret evening shown on the July 1981 calendar (below left), gospel and more.
The ClubHouse regularly celebrated holidays and anniversaries. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve were extravagant parties. The club's annual May anniversary saw celebratory parties for both the Friday and Saturday night memberships, followed by the annual Children's Hour party later in the month on Memorial Day weekend. Some events required less casual dress, such as for the Easter fashion show for which invitations cautioned against Levis and tennis shoes.
The club offered special trips to other clubs such as Odells in Baltimore. Return visits from members of these club exchanges were noted on the monthly schedules provided to members.
The annual Halloween party was a costume extravaganza. There were prizes for best costume and members paid a discounted admission price.
As outreach to the wider community and in celebration of the club's opening on Mother's Day weekend, The ClubHouse offered an annual Mother's Day event. The evening opened with champagne and a buffet dinner, followed by a special show. Members and guests were invited to bring their mothers to the celebration.
The ClubHouse quickly became one of the must see stops on the nation's list of clubs, famous for its world class house/dance music and its state-of-the-art sound and light system. Popular entertainers often stopped by the club while in Washington, DC. Among those visiting The ClubHouse were Sylvester, Jennifer Holliday, Phyllis Hyman, Martha Wash, Bobby Thrust, Fonda Rae, and Jocelyn Brown.
CLUBHOUSE DANCERS
The ClubHouse Dancers organized in March 1978 as a group of up to ten members who performed not just at the club but also at Mayor Barry's inaugural ball and at Constitution Hall with Sylvester. The ClubHouse Dancers also appeared at Odell's and the electric Circus in Baltimore. Though a few members of the troupe had formal training, the group was a disco dance team. Members at one point included Rainey Cheeks( team captain), Roger Hawkins, Karen Johnson, Denise Long, Howard Pettegrue, Tony Reilly, and Lisa Simmons. The troupe rehearsed twice a week at The ClubHouse.
from an OUT magazine article by Wresch Dawidjan
Nationally, the club's Children's Hour became the signature event for The ClubHouse.(c) 2005 The Rainbow History Project