Lee HFinally, D.C. is reopening! And a beloved yearly tradition is back. The Capital Pride Alliance is quickly getting ready for the annual June Capital Pride Celebration, following Mayor Bowser’s recent D.C. reopening guidelines. It’s great news for the LGBTQI+ community and allies, who have wondered if 2021 would have a public, outdoor celebration.
The District just recently began issuing permits for large gatherings. And now, plans are shaping up. The Capital Pride Alliance already had virtual events in place and is now hastening to secure permits and venue space to the extent possible, given the financial limits set by an economically stressful 2020-2021 period. The Alliance is planning a multi-event month to uplift local businesses in the D.C. area. It’s also working to restore morale to many who have been isolated over the past 15 months.
Calling All Allies
D.C. residents and visitors, come out and participate in the 2021 events! Celebrate community, kindness, advocacy, pride, and progress.
Have a personal residence or business with a public-facing front? Join the homes and stores of D.C. now being festively decorated for the entire month of June. Register by June 12th to be part of the action, and to show your support for the GivePride365 Fund that helps meet local needs. Register, decorate with signs and art and get a free yard sign to mark your spot on the Paint the Town Colorful map. Use the hashtag #StillWe to signify the theme of resilience.
Areas that have the most registered stores and homes will get a visit from the Pridemobile Parade. What’s the Pridemobile Parade? It’s a vehicle parade happening this Saturday, June 12th. Read on for details about the full weekend.
Party on Wheels
On Friday, June 11th at Compass Coffee Ivy City, there’s the Be Colorful — Capital Pride Opening Party. Yes, it’s an actual, physical party, as large venues can, as of this week, open at full capacity. So instead of having a hybrid opening party, Capital Pride is now getting ready to run the annual Honors ceremony and after-party in person. Sign up and follow the Facebook page to see what’s going on and to enjoy the party with music by DJ Chord. The Pride365 Shop will have all the gear you need, so dress bright and cheery and get ready to dance! Tier One tickets start at $10, with prices higher for Tier Two.
Then, on Saturday, D.C. will have all the excitement of the Capital Pride Parade — creatively morphed into a Pridemobile Parade. The Pridemobile trolly will lead the lively vehicle parade through Logan Circle and Dupont Circle, and the tour will go past the U.S. Capitol building. And yes, the trolly and parade will be zipping through the areas that have high participation in Paint the Town Colorful. Follow the Colorful Capital Pridemobile Parade link for the route and more details.
On Sunday, look for events across D.C. with the Taste of Pride Brunch theme. Not into outdoor parades or brunches? No worries! Check out the D.C. Pride Cocktail Parade map. The festive pub crawl lasts throughout June at watering holes in and around Logan Circle.
All this is just a sampling of what’s rolling out now through the full celebration calendar. NBC Channel 4 has a good running list of features throughout the month.
March, Rally, and More
There’s a march planned too. See and be seen at the walk and rally on Saturday, June 12th. Meet at noon in Dupont Circle. You can also create your own self-guided walk to see the parade floats.
There’s more to come later in 2021, too. The Colorful Fest will unfurl as a parade event and the beginning of a new autumnal Pride tradition. It happens the weekend of October 23rd and 24th. More details will be coming from the Capital Pride Alliance.
As Washington’s Channel 4 puts the point: Pride is a year-round celebration.
Supporting Resources
CapitalPride.Org: Nation’s Capital Prepares for New Pride Month Traditions; Capital Pride Alliance Reveals 2021 Pride Celebration Plans.
NBC Channel 4 Washington: DC Pride Month 2021 — Parade, Events for Capital Pride (updated Jun. 4, 2021) Available at: https://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/the-scene/dc-pride-month-2021-parade-events-for-capital-pride/2687027/
Maya Pottiger for the Washingtonian: So What’s the Plan for Pride? The Capital Pride Honors Will Take Place in Person This Year — And Yes, There Will Be a Parade (May 26, 2021). Available at: https://www.washingtonian.com/2021/05/26/so-whats-the-plan-for-pride/
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Sara M
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