Freddie’s Beach Bar, the long-running LGBTQ+ bar on Crystal City’s 23rd Street S. restaurant row, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a party this Sunday.
The March 1 celebration at 555 23rd Street S. is set for 7-9 p.m. and will include music, food, drinks and giveaways, according to a press release.
Owner Freddie Lutz opened the bar in 2001, and it has been a fixture of the Arlington nightlife scene since, known for its beach-themed decor, karaoke nights and drag performances. It bills itself as “straight-friendly” — a nod to its roots as a welcoming LGBTQ+ gathering place, including for personnel from the nearby Pentagon.
“I lost my mind and opened Freddie’s in 2001, and I haven’t looked back since,” Lutz said in the press release. “From hosting milestones like the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ to our nightly karaoke and drag performances, this bar has always been about providing a safe, joyful space for everyone to be themselves.”
General manager Tony Rivenbark, who has worked at Freddie’s for more than 23 years, called it “an institution.”
“Freddie continues to pour his heart and soul into this place… into making it special, for everyone,” Rivenbark said.
The bar has had a turbulent stretch in recent years. It received a bomb threat tied to a family drag brunch in 2024, and its front doors were damaged by an arsonist who targeted multiple businesses on 23rd Street S. in January 2025.
On the positive side, Lutz married his longtime partner Johnny Cervantes on a float at D.C.’s WorldPride Parade last summer. Its Rehoboth Beach outpost is still going strong, five years after opening. And Freddie’s has received official proclamations from the Governor of Virginia over the years for its community impact.
“The anniversary marks not just a business milestone, but two and a half decades of laughter, advocacy, and purple-clad pride,” said the press release.
Reservations for the anniversary event are recommended and can be made through the Freddie’s Beach Bar website.
