

š Thursday, April 4th ā Sunday, April 7th
š Tickets start at $15
š Renaissance Seattle Hotel: 515 Madison St, Seattle
Country musicĀ can get a bad rap, but the genre has LGBTQIA+ roots stretching back to its start. Musicians like theĀ Sweet Violet BoysĀ paved the way for theĀ Lil NasĀ of today. And, of course, there are Black peopleās contributions to the genre from long agoāLeslie RiddleĀ andĀ Rufus āTeapotā Payne, who influenced some of the countryās greatest artists, like theĀ Carter FamilyĀ andĀ Hank Williams. Shoutout to BeyoncĆ© for bringing things full circle withĀ Cowboy Carter. And speaking ofĀ full circle, if youāre looking for an inclusive spot to turn circles in a two-step or try the new sailing line dance, head to the Renaissance forĀ the 15th annual Emerald City Hoedown.
Held on April 4th-7th by the Rain Country Dance Association, a member of the International Association of Gay/Lesbian Country Western Dance Clubs, the Hoedown includes four days of dancing, plus 35 workshops on topics like line dances, two-step, and bachata. There are also numerous mixers like a womenās social, menās social, and trans/NB social, along with after hours parties almost every night. The Hoedown works to be an inclusive space, with self-identified participation at all events, workshops on dance accessibility, and work-trade, where you can volunteer in exchange for discounts on admission. If you donāt have time to trade, organizers say that no one will get turned away for lack of funds.
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