New Yorkers know that Hot Rabbit is synonymous with a good time. Since 2011, the queer events company has been running weekly and monthly events for LGBTQ crowds in NYC, and now they’re bringing it to the West Coast with their first party in Los Angeles tonight at Boardner’s.
“Often times we hear from friends who have left NYC for other cities that they miss the New York party scene and wish we would expand Hot Rabbit to their city,” creator Emily Hall Maresca told GO. “We did a successful test run in Boston last year, and now that [co-creator] Charlotte [“CB” Glasser] is bi-coastal we decided it was the perfect time to launch an ongoing West Coast event.”
Hot Rabbit has put on more than 400 events on the East Coast, including regular Friday nights currently at Boots & Saddle and a bi-monthly residency at Bushwick’s Lot 45. Maresca said the goal is to “foster mixed queer spaces that are intent on positivity, inclusiveness and helping queer people relax from the stress of their daytime lives.”
Hot Rabbit has always been different from most other parties in the NY scene because we try intentionally to continuously foster a welcoming environment for all LGBTQ people that emphasizes positivity and diversity,” Maresca said. “The talent we hire are from all factions of the community and our crowd reflects that as well. We want anyone in the queer community to be able to walk into a Hot Rabbit event and feel like they belong.”
While Hot Rabbit is for a mixed crowd, queer women especially find a space at their parties, with Maresca and Glasser booking LGBTQ women performers, go-gos and DJs. That’s exactly what Los Angeles attendees can expect at tonight’s event at Boardner’s in Hollywood, which has a background of hosting queers. Maresca said the “super versatile, sexy, unique [space was] actually was a gay bar back in the 1920’s.”
“It has a lot of history and Hollywood glamour, but also a longstanding freaky streak that we totally love,” she said.
The venue boasts two stages, sizable dancefloor, a speakeasy bar and a spacious outdoor patio, an indoor/outdoor space that Los Angeles partygoers will appreciate. Maresca and Glasser anticipate throwing a monthly Hot Rabbit event in L.A. with the possibility of expanding in the future. In the meantime, they are hosting a Gay Prom on May 13, as well as gearing up for Brooklyn Pride (June 10) and New York Cit Pride (June 23 & June 24).
“We have another installment of our new FLOAT boat party which was a huge hit coming up in June as well,” Maresca said. “It turns out dancing to DJ beats on a yacht under the Brooklyn Bridge with a cocktail in your hands is pretty freakin’ fun!”
Performers at the first-ever Los Angeles Hot Rabbit event include L.A. faves DJ Von Kiss, DJ Goodboy, DJ Irene Urias (Your Muther) and drag queen Fena Barbitall.
“Every event we do is different from the last, and part of what Hot Rabbit is known for is bringing a continually shifting roster of queer DJs, musicians, and performers to the stage,” Maresca said. “It helps keep things interesting for our followers, brings together a wide variety of musical tastes, and allows us to showcase many kinds of talent within the community. We think that keeping things fresh and always changing is a major part of why we’ve been successful, and why we’ve been able to foster diversity within our events. So Los Angeles can expect a different lineup at each Hot Rabbit event, but the same general vibe of unabashed queer fabulousness.”
Follow Hot Rabbit LA on Facebook and Instagram, where you can find the password for a reduced cover charge.
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