When LeAnn Rimes took the stage at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas to close out the 2026 Sin City Classic Sports Festival, it felt less like a headlining concert and more like a shared moment years in the making.
The Grammy Award-winning singer and longtime LGBTQ+ advocate and ally performed on January 18th as part of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ sporting event. This weekend will be a mix of athletics, celebration, nightlife and community. Every year we host Greater Los Angeles Softball Associationthe Sin City Classic is held over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend and draws thousands of athletes and allies from around the world.
For Rhimes, being part of that atmosphere was just as important as the performance itself.
“When you come to Las Vegas to see something like the Sin City Classic, it makes this city feel even more special,” she said. Gaity before the show. “There’s so much joy and pride and community in the air. I love the energy here. It’s electric.”
Las Vegas is known as a luxury city, but Rhimes said weekends like this change her focus.
“When I’m in town, I always try to recharge at the spa,” she said. “But honestly, nights like tonight are why I love Las Vegas so much. Being surrounded by so many people celebrating who they are so unapologetically is the real magic.”
A weekend rooted in chosen families
That sense of magic was visible throughout the weekend at the Sin City Classic. From the moment the athletes arrived at Flamingo Las Vegas to register, the festival felt like a reunion. The sport was played out across the city, with competitors moving between kickball fields, volleyball courts, and cheerleading mats, all driven by encouragement and a common purpose.
As the night wore on, social events continued the momentum, from packed dance floors to drag performances, culminating with a Rhimes concert and official closing party.
These experiences reflect what Rhimes says has defined her relationship with LGBTQ+ fans for decades.
“It meant everything to me,” she said of their support. “The LGBTQ community has supported me with so much love, honesty, and strength throughout my life and career.”
She sees events like the Sin City Classic as more than just entertainment.
“It’s not just about the music,” Rimes says. “It’s about chosen family, visibility, and showing up for each other. I grew up with LGBTQ fans and learned a lot from their courage and honesty.”
A song that still unites the room
When Rhimes started singing “Can’t Fight the Moonlight,” the connection was undeniable. More than 20 years after its release, the song remains a staple of queer dance floors and collective singalongs.
“It never gets old,” she said. “That song has a life of its own now. It belongs to the fans as much as it belongs to me.”
Voices flooded the Brooklyn Bowl, and after days of competition and connection, there was a collective moment where athletes, spectators, and performers shared the same sense of freedom.
“Every time I sing this song, I think of different chapters in my life and theirs,” Rhimes said. “The reaction was pure joy, and it’s truly beautiful to stand together in that moment, even after all these years.”
A fitting finale
The performance capped off a festival that has grown from a single softball tournament in 2008 to a multi-sport, multi-day gathering spanning 24 sports and hosting approximately 10,000 participants. Along the way, the Sin City Classic has become a rare space where queer people can compete openly, celebrate loudly, and come together without explanation.
Rimes’ presence emphasized that mission.
“Music connects us across time,” she said. “That’s the best gift.”
As the last notes faded and the audience soaked in the afterglow, the sense that this was more than just a concert became clear. It was an appreciation, a celebration, and a reminder that odd joys are worth fighting for, especially when shared.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
