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Capital Pride, Black Pride plans coming together
Lambda Rising owner among this year’s honorees
Deacon Maccubbin, a veteran D.C. gay activist and former owner of Lambda Rising bookstores, will be recognized as this year’s Capital Pride Super Hero. (Photo by Joe Tresh)
Singer and actress Mya will headline this year’s Capital Pride and the D.C. City Council will receive special recognition at Black Pride, according to newly released event schedules.
Mya, who hails from the D.C. area, will appear on the Capital Pride festival’s main stage June 13. Best known for singing “Lady Marmalade,” a collaboration with Pink, Christina Aguilera and Lil’ Kim in 2001, Mya went on to win a Screen Actors Guild award for her role in the film “Chicago.”
Separately, Black Pride is set to honor the City Council during the annual event’s opening reception May 28. An award will recognize the role that Council members played in enacting same-sex marriage in Washington. Additional awards will be given that night to Jeffrey Richardson, president of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, and posthumously to Charlotte Smallwood, a longtime LGBT activist.
Top honors from this year’s Capital Pride will go to Deacon Maccubbin, the former owner of Lambda Rising bookstores and a veteran D.C. gay activist. He’ll receive the Capital Pride Super Hero award for his years of service to the LGBT community.
Maccubbin, among other things, initiated and organized the city’s first Gay Pride celebration in 1975 on the Dupont Circle neighborhood street where he first opened Lambda Rising. Maccubbin and his domestic partner of 32 years, Jim Bennett, closed the popular bookstore in January after announcing Maccubbin’s retirement.
This year’s Capital Pride parade and festival, scheduled for June 12 and 13, mark the 35th anniversary of D.C. Pride events, which began with the street festival that Maccubbin organized in 1975. Black Pride, which runs May 27-31, marks its 20th anniversary this year.
Maccubbin is among five Capital Pride Hero honorees and five Capital Trans Pride Engendered Spirit honorees selected this year for work that has “positively impacted the local LGBT community” and “greatly contributes to the transgender community,” Capital Pride officials said in a statement.
Other hero honorees are Marta Alvarado, for her work in support of the local Latino LGBT community; Rick Legg, for fundraising and other work in support of local LGBT causes and his role as female impersonator Destiny Childs; Rev. Elder Darlene Garner, for her ministerial work associated with D.C.’s Metropolitan Community Church and the MCC Conference for African-American Leaders; D.C. Clergy United for Marriage Equality, a gay-straight alliance of local clergy who called on the City Council to pass the District’s same-sex marriage law last December; and D.C. for Marriage, a group of local residents committed to same-sex marriage in the District.
Trans Pride Engendered Spirit honorees are Anthony Hall, executive director of the D.C. social services group Transgender Health Empowerment; Revs. Ruth Hamilton and Brian Hamilton, co-pastors of the LGBT-supportive Westminster Presbyterian Church and host of the city’s first Trans Pride event in 2007; Sadie-Ryanne Baker, a leading member of the D.C. Trans Coalition; Thomas Coughlin, patient advocate for transgender-related health care services at the Whitman-Walker Clinic; and Leandrea Gilliam, a staff member for the D.C. Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League.
World Pride 2025
D.C. liquor board extends drinking hours for WorldPride
Gay bars, other liquor-serving establishments can stay open 24 hours
D.C.’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board, which regulates liquor sales for the city’s bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and other establishments licensed to serve alcoholic beverages, has approved extended hours for alcohol service and sales during the days when most WorldPride events will be held in the nation’s capital.
In a May 2 announcement, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, which works with the board, said the extended liquor serving and sales hours for WorldPride will take place beginning Friday, May 30, through 4 a.m. Monday, June 9.
Although the official schedule for WorldPride events shows the events will take place May 17-June 8, most of the large events, including a two-day Pride street festival, parade, and concert, were expected to take place between May 30 and June 8.
According to the ABCA announcement and an ABCA spokesperson, liquor servicing establishments with the appropriate license can stay open for 24 hours and serve alcoholic beverages from 6 a.m. through the day and evening until 4 a.m., with no liquor sales allowed from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. during the May 30-June 9 period.
The ABCA announcement says liquor serving establishments must apply for the extended hours option and pay a $100 registration fee by a deadline on May 27.
Sources familiar with the liquor board have said the board has for many years approved the extension of liquor serving and sales hours for important events and for certain holidays such as New Year’s Eve.
At the time it approved the extended hours for WorldPride the liquor board also approved extended hours during the time when games for a World Cup soccer tournament will be held in the city on June 18, June 22, and June 26.
It couldn’t immediately be determined how many of D.C.’s 22 LGBTQ bars plan to apply for the extended drinking hours. David Perruzza, owner of the Adams Morgan gay bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own, said he will apply for the 4 a.m. extended hours option but he does not intend to keep the two bars open for the full 23 hours.
Under the city’s current alcoholic beverage regulations, licensed liquor serving establishments may serve alcoholic beverages until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends.
World Pride 2025
Episcopal bishop to speak at WorldPride human rights conference
Trump demanded apology from Mariann Edgar Budde over post-Inauguration sermon
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde is among those who are scheduled to speak at the WorldPride 2025 Human Rights Conference that will take place from June 4-6.
Budde, who is the bishop of the Diocese of Washington, in January urged President Donald Trump “to have mercy” on LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others “who are scared right now” during a post-Inauguration service that he and Vice President JD Vance attended at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump criticized Budde’s comments and demanded an apology.
The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde speaks at the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21, 2025. (PBS NewsHour clip)
A press release the Washington Blade received notes Icelandic Industries Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, UK Black Pride founder Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, and Bob the Drag Queen are among those who are also expected to participate in the conference.
The conference will take place at the JW Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) and registration is open here.
World Pride 2025
Pabllo Vittar to perform at WorldPride
Brazilian drag queen, singer, joined Madonna on stage in 2024 Rio concert
A Brazilian drag queen and singer who performed with Madonna at her 2024 concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach will perform at WorldPride.
The Capital Pride Alliance on Thursday announced Pabllo Vittar will perform on the Main Stage of the main party that will take place on June 7 at DCBX (1235 W St., N.E.) in Northeast D.C.
Vittar and Anitta, a Brazilian pop star who is bisexual, on May 4, 2024, joined Madonna on stage at her free concert, which was the last one of her Celebration Tour. Authorities estimated 1.6 million people attended.
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