Atlanta’s own AIDS Memorial Quilt is heading to Washington, D.C. this summer — at least most of its 54 tons of panels — and the non-profit caretakers of the tapestry are asking for a little help. They make it easy, what with a benefit and all on Saturday.

“The Quilt in the Capital” will celebrate the Quilt, answer questions about its upcoming trip, offer appetizers and do it all during a special show with hostess Ms. Patty Cakes and drag legend Bubba D. Licious on Saturday at Mixx. Proceeds from the event, which includes a silent auction and panels of the Quilt, will support the display in D.C.

Just where is the Quilt headed? It’ll be on display for the Folklife Festival in late June and the International AIDS Conference in late July.

Pieces of the Quilt are displayed across Atlanta, including AIDS Walk Atlanta each October and a display at Emory that ranks among the largest collegiate displays of the nearly 25-year-old Quilt. But if you’re not familiar with its symbolic importance, consider this:

Weighing 54 tons and composed of more than 47,000 panels dedicated to more than 90,000 individuals, The AIDS Memorial Quilt is the premier symbol of the AIDS pandemic, our greatest HIV prevention education tool and the largest ongoing piece of community folk art in the world.