Local
New Pride parade route to include 14th Street
Logan Circle is home to a rapidly growing LGBT community
Capital Pride Parade (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The Logan Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission voted unanimously on March 14 to approve plans to allow the city’s Capital Pride Parade to complete its 1.5-mile route on 14th Street, N.W., between R and S Streets.
The decision to bring the parade to the rapidly developing commercial and entertainment corridor along 14th Street, where many LGBT people are moving, represents a change from past years, when the parade ended about a half mile south of the new location, at 14th and N Streets near Thomas Circle.
“The change represents Capital Pride’s interest in acknowledging the revitalization of 14th Street and the many businesses there that support the community,” according to a statement released by Capital Pride on Wednesday.
Capital Pride is the non-profit group that organizes the city’s annual LGBT Pride parade and festival, which are scheduled to take place this year on June 8 and 9 respectively. The parade is expected to include more than 170 contingents, including floats, vehicles, marching bands and people walking, according to the Capital Pride statement.
In its statement released on Wednesday, Capital Pride announced that Whitman-Walker Health, which provides medical services to the LGBT community and people with HIV, would be the main sponsor of the Capital Pride Parade and of Trans Pride. Trans Pride, an annual celebration of the D.C. area’s transgender community, scheduled for May 18, is one of several Pride-related events organized by Capital Pride.
The group’s executive director, Ryan Bos, told the Blade that with the exception of the new location for the Capital Pride Parade’s end point, the rest of the route will be identical to that followed in previous years. Bos noted that the parade will begin at 23rd and P Streets, N.W., next to P Street Beach, and will travel east on P Street to Dupont Circle.
It will travel partially around the circle to New Hampshire Avenue, where it turns right on R Street and then right again on 17th Street, in the heart of that street’s commercial strip that includes three gay bars and a gay restaurant.
The parade will travel south on 17th Street to P Street, where it turns left and heads to 14th Street. At that point, according to Bos, it will turn left and head north on 14th Street where it will pass the Whitman-Walker Heath headquarters at 14th and R Streets and the Washington Blade’s offices across the street from Whitman-Walker.
David Perruzza, vice president of the 17th Street gay bars Colbalt and JR.’s, said he doesn’t expect the changed parade route to have an impact on the 17th Street businesses, including bars and restaurants.
“There is no other street like 17th Street when it comes to Pride,” he said. “If you just walk down 17th Street you’ve got rainbows everywhere. It’s just a gorgeous street to be on.”
But Perruzza said the decision by Capital Pride to kick off the parade at 4:30 p.m. this year, as was the case for the first time last year instead of 6 p.m. in previous years, appeared to result in fewer people going out to the bars and clubs after the parade on Saturday night.
“Because people are out in the sun for hours and sometimes people are drinking on balconies and patios, a lot of people just don’t go out that night anymore,” he said. “But I think the more places the parade goes, the better. Being observed in more and different places can only help the cause.”
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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