Every June, DC’s LGBTQ community comes together for Capital Pride. The four-day-long celebration, which is curated by the Capital Pride Alliance, has events ranging from a pool party to a concert, with performances from artists like Alessia Cara and Troye Sivan. This year, the celebration runs from June 7th to June 10th, and the main theme is “Elements of Us”. According to the official website, Pride aims to “celebrate and appreciate what makes each of us unique” while at the same time recognizing “that our common elements bind us together, each to the other.”
On June 7th, the 12th Annual DC Latino Pride – La Fiesta kicks off Capital Pride. The event is DC’s largest Latinx and LGBTQ party, and is taking place in Town Danceboutique. DJ Joe, ‘El Especialista’, from El Zol Radio and several community performers will be featured. The age limit is 18, and tickets are $15 at the door, or $10 here. Go have fun and celebrate your Latin pride!
On June 8th, the 5K DC Front Runners Pride Run starts and ends at the historic Congressional Cemetery. 1500 runners from the DMV area compete for medals in three categories: age group, teams, and overall finishers. The cool part? There are three gender options for each award category: female, male, and gender-neutral, as fitting of a Pride Run. Unfortunately, registration for the race has already closed, but you can still go and watch the racers come in, as there’s bound to be some funny outfits. More information about the race is available here. Go get your running shoes on, and see you there!
June 9th is the busiest of the bunch. The day starts with the Capital Pride Brunch, where people can enjoy gourmet tasting stations and complimentary beverages from 11:30 to 2:30 at the Human Rights Campaign. There will be several more special guests, including parade marshalls and Pride honorees, so you can look forward to seeing them there. You can buy tickets for the brunch here, although they have not been released as of the time this article was written.
Next is the Pride 2018 Block Party, which runs in tandem with the Pride Parade. You can enjoy food from local food trucks and entertainment, and after the Parade finishes, there’s going to be dancing! Attendance for this event is free, and there is also an Accessibility Zone with aid for disabled individuals. You can find more information about the Block Party here.
Just a few blocks away from the Block Party is the renowned Capital Pride Parade. More than 200 contingents with floats, vehicles and marchers will participate in the parade, and you will see everything from drag queens to marching bands to LGBTQ school clubs to DC government officials. There are stands set up for spectators so you can comfortably view the parade, and there is also a family area so families can sit together and watch. The Pride Parade is a lot of fun and unapologetically LGBTQ. You can find information on the parade and its’ route here.
Unfortunately, Capital Pride ends on June 10th, but that day there’s two more fun activities to attend. The Pride 2018 Festival goes from 12 PM to 10 PM on the historic Pennsylvania Avenue, and there’s going to be a lot going on! There’s going to be 300 exhibitors, including local community groups and businesses, food vendors, and organizations. Even some embassies are going to have stands up! There’s going to be food and beverages all day, as well as entertainment. Admission is free, so come enjoy the day while supporting local businesses and organizations! If you’d like more information about what’s going to be there, you can find it here.
The last event of Capital Pride is the 2018 Pride Concert. As the website says, “What better way to end the Pride Celebration than with national headlining entertainment and the best local and regional talent performing with the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument as backdrops.” The headliners are Alessia Cara, Troye Sivan, Max, and Asia O’Hara, and the concert is free (unless you want VIP or pit tickets.) More information about the concert and who’s participating in it can be found on the Capital Pride Alliance website here.
Capital Pride is important because it is about freely celebrating who we are. It’s an event about inclusivity and belonging, and it’s proof to members of the LGBTQ community that they are loved and cared about. At Capital Pride, there’s something for everybody, so hopefully we’ll see you there!
By Anna Martinelli-Parker
