Walking into a Jacques Strappe party, the first thing you’ll feel is the bass. A DJ thumps mixes incorporating artists like Crystal Waters, while 20-somethings in crop-tops drink Champagne straight from magnums. Shirtless men lick caviar from their hands. The dance floor is a mass of mesh and glitter and neon, people adjusting their wigs as songs transition. Drag performers mingle with DJs, while men wearing nothing but underwear smile for pictures. @jacquesstrappe_pdx, a (sort of) monthly queer dance party, has taken over bars across the Portland area since early 2020, ranging from East Burnside’s stylish Bar Dune to the subterranean cocktail lounge known as Voysey. Christopher Sky — the founder of Jacques Strappe — describes his parties as “trashy chic,” a balance of small luxuries and hot, sweaty queer fun. “You can have a vodka soda or you could have Champagne and caviar,” Sky says. Learn more about Jacques Strappe by reading the full story; you can find it via our profile link. 📸: Ryan Chisesi