Seattle’s annual Leo Party roared back into Neighbours Nightclub on Sunday, Aug. 9, proving that 24 years in, the beloved event remains one of the city’s must-attend traditions.

Hosted by longtime Seattle nightlife figures Joe Torres and Aleksa Manila, the party once again turned Joe’s birthday into a full-scale celebration of Queer performance and community, packing Neighbours with revelers ready for an evening of drag, dancing, and over-the-top entertainment, with Las Vegas go-go dancers, DJ Junior, and a stacked cast keeping the energy high throughout the night.

Leading this year’s lineup was RuPaul’s Drag Race star Jorgeous, who joined an expansive roster of local and visiting performers, including Versace Doll, Jackie Hell, Maya Mem Saab, Melodie Volt, Mike Torres, Mikayla Monet, El Jil Guerillo, Dutchess Manila Starr, and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Together, they delivered the kind of colorful, high-energy spectacle that has helped make the Leo Party a fixture of Seattle’s summer calendar.

But for all the go-go boys, queens, and action on the dance floor, the Leo Party has never been only about throwing a great bash. Giving back has been central to the event since its early years, raising money and visibility for organizations serving LGBTQIA+ communities.

This year’s beneficiary was Entre Hermanos, the Seattle-based organization serving Queer Latinos across Washington. The celebration raised more than $16,000 for Entre Hermanos, turning a packed night of entertainment into meaningful support for the organization and the people it serves.

Executive Director Edgar Mack-Longoria thanked those in attendance and recognized a milestone of his own: Entre Hermanos’s 35 years of advocacy, services, and community building. His remarks centered on joy and resistance — and on the importance of unity in the face of the challenges ahead. It was a message that fit naturally into a night in which celebration and activism have long gone hand in hand.

That combination is part of what has given the Leo Party its staying power. Seattle’s nightlife landscape has changed dramatically over its nearly quarter-century run, but it has continued to bring generations of Queer Seattleites together under one roof. The party offers a chance to dress up and dance, while also directing attention and resources toward organizations doing vital work throughout the region.

Over the years, the event has become more than an annual birthday party. It is a reunion, a fundraiser, and a reminder of the role LGBTQIA+ nightlife spaces can play in building and sustaining community. The crowded dance floor at Neighbours on Sunday — and the more than $16,000 raised for Entre Hermanos — showed that, even after 24 years, Seattle is still eager to show up for both the party and the purpose behind it.

And with the Leo Party now approaching the quarter-century mark, its formula remains remarkably consistent: big performances, big personalities, and an even bigger sense of community.

After another packed night at Neighbours, one thing hasn’t changed: When August rolls around in Seattle, the Leo Party belongs on the calendar.