On Thursday, May 3, Sacramento’s popular Drag Queen Bingo fundraiser is expected to top the $50,000 mark for funds raised to support local non-profit organizations. Thursday’s event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at Hamburger Patties, 1630 J St., Sacramento, benefiting the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Softball League. Since the first number was called on Aug. 12, 2009, which benefited Sacramento charity WEAVE, Drag Queen Bingo has raised $49,153.63 for local charities and non-profits. Each event benefits a different local non-profit organization. In its nearly three-year history, the event has raised money for 45 different charities, including the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, the Sacrament

Over 500 people showed up - most in red heels, sandals or Converse - to the sold-out 2nd Annual Red Shoe Crawl on Sunday, June 26. The event was a stroll through midtown and downtown, where participants sampled complimentary food and drink from 16 different restaurants. Ticket proceeds directly supported children and families served by the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House and Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake. Event participants were asked to wear red shoes in celebration of Ronald McDonald and the non-profit organizations with which the mascot’s name is associated. “It’s fun to see all the people running around in their red shoes,” said Stephanie Spees, Community Relations Coordinator

On every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, a special event takes place at Hamburger Patties. People gather to have dinner and drinks. Some of these same people make it a point to be here on both the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. They all show up to play bingo. This is not your father’s bingo, oh no, this is Drag Queen Bingo! At around 7 p.m. patrons purchase bingo cards from the front and get ready for Drag Queen Bingo (DQB). A series of games are played and most of the people at Hamburger Patties are here just for that reason (and drinks of course). Each bingo event supports a charity. This Wednesday’s charity that benefitted from the games was the Vasculitis Foundation (VF). Va

Drag Queen Bingo played tonight at Hamburger Patties and the beneficiary was Sacramento Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (SIGLIFF). Produced by Outword magazine, it plays every other week as it continues into 2010. The next bingo game is Wed. Jan 27 and will benefit Breaking Barriers. Hamburger Patties is located at J and 16th. For more detailed information, please see Sonia Lucyga's article at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/12006/Drag_Queen_Bingo_Raises_Money_for_Charity. SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

"Pelt her, pelt her, all the way down!" A lively crowd chanted their intentions as they pelted a wig-wearing bingo winner with crumpled paper score cards. The ritual was repeated with all ten of the winners during last Wednesday's first ever Drag Queen Bingo at Hamburger Patties. Approximately 75 prize-hungry people showed up to the 7:00 p.m. event produced by Outword magazine. The night's proceeds went to Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE), an organization that provides crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The idea for Drag Queen Bingo came about a year ago, said Hamburger Patties co-owner Richard Borill. Borill and fellow owner