This past weekend, All Things Go (ATG) celebrated its 10th year with two days of a lineup centered on gay icons in music. Lately, we’ve seen more representation when it comes examples of people and characters that are lesbian, bi/pan-women, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming — but ATG takes that representation a step further, creating a safe space for people to experience tangible queer joy and celebration through music.

While NYC was under drizzly cloud cover both days of the festival, the turnout at Forest Hills Stadium is proof that you can’t rain on a lesbian parade. It didn’t stop fans from coming to see their favorite artists, nor did it stop the artists from showing up for their fans or, in the case of Chappell Roan, showing up for other artist’s fans as well.

Roan dropped out of the fest a day before her set, sharing via Instagram that she needed to cut the set for mental health reasons. While this was upsetting to many of the attendees excited to see her (including myself), true fans still enjoyed themselves. They showed up and showed out in pink cowboy hats, clown-esque makeup and statue of liberty-inspired outfits in honor of the pop star. While we weren’t going to see her perform, we were able to experience other artist’s stellar performances on day one, including a Chappell Roan dance party.

Around 5:20 PM, the rain lightened up, and a cohort of local drag artists, including Rupual Drag Race Alumni Yvie Oddly and Aquaria came out on stage to keep the crowd, filling in for Roan’s absence. DJ B-Roc played some of her greatest hits including “HOT-TO-GO!”. While she wasn’t there to sing it, everyone in the amphitheater joined in to do her viral dance moves. During MUNA’s set, we got an acoustic rendition of “Good Luck, Babe!” with Naomi McPherson singing the high notes — “I know I look like this,” they laughed, noting their masculine outfit — “but I actually sing soprano.” Many of the artists also extended kind thoughts for Roan and there were also funny moments like Missy Dabice, lead singer of Mannequin Pussy, saying, “Thank you, I’m Chappell Roan!” before screaming the lyrics to “OK?OK!OK?OK!”

Alongside the rainy concerts, attendees were able to take shelter and hang around the arena, taking part in gay and glittery activities. Dave’s Lesbian Bar hosted a pop-up in partnership with local radio station WFUV while sharing their mission to raise money for the first lesbian bar in Astoria. They had a glitter and tinsel hair station, a spin-the-wheel-win-a-prize moment and a photo booth. Smiles with glittery cheeks and brows all around.

“People are excited about what we’re building and that is so inspiring. We want to be working with our community every day,” Dave Dausch, co-owner of Dave’s Lesbian Bar tells PAPER. “Being at a festival celebrating so many sapphic artists just makes so much sense,” Dave’s co-owner, Sarose Klein says. “That is exactly what we are bringing on a local scale to the queers of Queens.” They both agree that their favorite part of the fest was meeting all the “cuties.”

Before I even stepped foot into the fest, I felt it was going to be a safer space for me compared to other music events because of the queer artists and their fanbases of mainly women, trans and gender-nonconforming people. I shared a lighter with someone and we gabbed about our excitement for seeing Ethel Cain for the first time. I snapped a pic on my disposable of someone dressed as Roan from her Tiny Desk debut (down to the lipstick smudge on the teeth) and we exchanged our thoughts on the essence of AFAB drag.

I found two other attendees also flying solo during MUNA’s set and we exchanged Instagrams before seeing Reneé Rapp end day one with a kiss from her partner, Towa Bird, and an ethereal choir performance of “Snow Angel.” I met some last-minute ticket holders at the Dave’s pop-up, who let me chill with them during Julien Baker’s rainy and emotional set. And even when I was standing in the bleachers alone in my poncho not knowing the words to some of the songs, I was surrounded by the energy of the fans which made me feel a part of it all.

Photography: Kade Alpers