Arts & Entertainment
Pride day trips
Baltimore, New York and more among regional June offerings
Capital Pride is far from the only gay Pride event in the region with fabulous festivities and must-see entertainment. Those celebrating the LGBT community can continue the fun by taking road-trips to pride festivals in Baltimore, New York and the Outer Banks, N.C.
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The Baltimore Pride Celebration has been Maryland’s largest LGBT visibility event since 1975. Baltimore’s Pride Parade and Block Party are on June 16 from 4-10 p.m. in the heart of the city’s historic gay neighborhood, Mount Vernon. The Pride Festival on June 17 is held in lakeside Druid Hill Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Baltimore Pride attracts roughly 30,000 people annually from all over the Mid-Atlantic. Trevor Ankeny, co-chair of Baltimore Pride, expects an even higher turnout this year.
“I think with the new attractions more people will want to come check them out,” Ankeny says. “We have more activities going on during the day. Before we had a lot of entertainment without many activities.”
One of the new attractions is the Adult Zone, a tent at the Block Party where guests can mingle with adult film stars such as Max Ryder and Pierre Fitch. Dance Dance Revolution! (DDR!) is another new addition at the Block Party. The Pride Festival Family Zone will expand this year, with carnival games brought by Camp Highlight (a summer camp for children of LGBT parents) and arts and crafts activities. Up-and-coming pop artist Neon Hitch is the Block Party’s headlining performer.
“She’s a really good performance artist. She definitely has dance hits right now,” Ankeny says. “I think she’ll really put on a good show. She’s different and unique.”
Neon Hitch is quickly garnering popularity. She recently collaborated with Gym Class Heroes on their hit track “Ass Back Home,” and her delightfully provocative song “F U Betta” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Charts. She already has developed a strong gay fan base by going on a U.S. gay club tour last year and performing at Las Vegas Pride.
Other Baltimore Pride events include Twilight on the Terrace, a cocktail party benefiting Baltimore Pride on June 15 at Gertrude’s Restaurant at the Baltimore Museum of Art (10 Art Museum Dr. Baltimore, Md.) from 7-11 p.m., and the High Heel Race at 3 p.m. on June 16 (corner of Charles and Read Streets in Baltimore). For more details on Baltimore Pride, visit baltimorepride.org.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have their Pride festivals and parades the same weekend as D.C.’s, so hitting those would be tough but they’ve both lined up solid guests. Talk show host Wendy Williams will be in Philly (phillypride.org) and Melissa Etheridge will headline with a 90-minute concert in Pittsburgh (pittsburghpride.org).
New York City Pride, of course, is a hugely popular weeklong celebration of LGBT visibility. The NYC Pride Rally kicks off the week’s festivities on June 16 from 3-6 p.m. at the East River Bandshell. The Rally features motivating speakers and popular performers, with Jai Rodgriguez from Chelsea Lately as this year’s MCs.
The NYC Pride March has been an annual civil rights demonstration free and open to the public since 1970. The march starts on June 24 at noon at 36 St. and 5 Ave. Cyndi Lauper is one of the grand marshals of the event. Following the march is PrideFest, a massive LGBT public street fair with vendors and entertainers on Hudson Street between Abdingdon Square and West 14 Street. PrideFest is from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
NYC Pride has many other events during the week, finishing with the glamorous Dance on the Pier party on June 24 from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Pier 57 in Hudson River Park. Tickets are $90 and $165 for VIP passes, and all proceeds go to NYC Pride Week events and community organizations. For more details on NYC Pride, visit nycpride.org.
OBX Pridefest is another exciting series of gay pride events from June 13-17 in the Outer Banks, N.C. Although it is much smaller than the pride festivals in Baltimore or New York, there will be plenty of wonderful beachside activities to participate in, such as the Pride and Joy Booze Cruise aboard the Crystal Dawn on June 15. The cruise starts at Pirate’s Cove Marina in Manteo, N.C., at 6 p.m., and features an open bar and DJ.
The OBX Gay Pride Festival is June 16 from noon to 6 p.m. at the First Colony Inn in Nags Head (6720 South Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, N.C.). The event will have various bands, tons of food, arts and crafts, and a pool party all afternoon. The Pride and Joy Beach Party with DJ Airrick is on the following Sunday, with a sand sculpting contest and Jell-o wrestling right on Nags Head beach behind the First Colony Inn. To find out more on the many other events at OBX Pridefest, visit obxpridefest.com.
Friday, March 27
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, March 28
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.
Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, email [email protected].
Monday, March 30
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
“Tea Time! A Local DC Drag Comedy Show” will be at 3 p.m. at Spark Social. This is a live drag comedy show where drag legends TrevHER & Tiara Missou Sidora host spill all the tea in the DMV. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Tuesday, March 31
Visibili-TEA Party will be at 6 p.m. at Restoration Station. Guests are encouraged to come sip, celebrate, and shine together. This event is a Trans Day of Visibility celebration and a special collaboration between Auntie’s Home and Damien Ministries. This is a boozy tea party with intention and the dress code reflects the vibe. More details are available on Eventbrite.
Wednesday, March 1
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Thursday, April 2
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Unconventional Diner will host “Cherry Blossom Drag Bingo Party” on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.
Guests will be treated to an unforgettable night of drag performances, bingo, food and drink and prizes. Highlights of the evening include themed cocktails, drag performances and bingo prizes.
Tickets can be secured via Resy.
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.
“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.
The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”
“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”
The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”
The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
(Video courtesy of the IOC)
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.
Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.
“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.
An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.
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