As June rolls around, DC’s LGBTQ+ community is preparing for their yearly Capital Pride Parade and festival! This parade aims to commemorate the evolution of LGBTQ+ people in the city and their influence within DC neighborhoods, while simultaneously continuing the fight for equality.
This year the parade will be held on Saturday, June 8, starting at 3:00 p.m. on the intersection of 14th St and T St NW, set to finish at 7:30 pm on the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th St NW. This parade is popular among everyone, ranging from members of the community to allies and includes fun events and floats. At Pride 2023, the British Embassy participated in the parade and with them attended Heartstopper stars Kit Conner and Joe Locke!
The parade encourages self expression, recognition of the community within DC, spreads information and educational resources about LGBTQ+ youth, and overall celebrates all the progress the community has made not only in the nation’s capital, but all over the country. Parades and events in other cities such as Chicago, Massachusetts, Boston, and Los Angeles are also happening in the month of June, with NYC hosting the largest parade in the world!
The pride festival will take place the following day on Sunday, June 9, from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on America’s main street, Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The festival will include a range of activities, including a concert, a dance party, and food provided by local restaurants and food trucks. Another addition to the festival are advocacy groups, such as Rainbow Families, a nonprofit that helps families with LGBTQ+ youth, which are available in hopes of providing resources and information to support and bring awareness to the LGBTQ+ community.
Pride isn’t only celebrated through festivals and parades, many businesses, organizations, and others express their support and alliance through decorations and teaming up with Capital Pride Alliance, a nonprofit that aims to provide platforms to uplift LGBTQ+ voices. Logos, crosswalks, and items are also made with specific flags to celebrate different sexual orientations and gender identities, for instance sports organizations such as the NHL and the MLB commemorate the community by changing their logos to display the progressive pride flag. The original six colors are still included, with and addition of white, pink, and blue to commemorate the trans community and black and brown to represent people of color, a community often marginalized within the LGBTQ+ movement.
