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Events galore for summer

City’s gay sports outfits have biggest meets planned for coming months

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Swimmers, summer, sports, gay news, washington blade
Swimmers, summer, sports, gay news, washington blade

Swimmers bunched together to maximize drafting during a race. The 22nd annual Maryland Swim for Life is slated for July. (Photo by David Lutz)

The District of Columbia Aquatics Club hosts the 22nd annual Maryland Swim for Life on July 13 on the Chester River. The event features one-, two-, three-, four- and five-mile races. Also this year, the swimmers are partnering with the D.C. Triathlon Club to offer a 2.4 mile Triathlon Challenge.

Proceeds from Swim for Life support a number of small local organizations such as Heart to Hand, Quality of Life Retreats, Metro TeenAIDS and the Chester River Association. More information on the event along with volunteer opportunities can be found at swimdcac.org.

The D.C. Strokes Rowing Club hosts its 20th annual Stonewall Regatta on June 2 on the Anacostia River. This year’s event features 33 races in a variety of disciplines for men and women. Also on the docket are mixed races and different levels of adaptive races. The Strokes are online at dcstrokes.org.

The Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League will be hosting the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series from Aug. 26-31 at three separate complexes in the area. The tournament, the largest annual LGBT sporting event in the world, will welcome 170 teams participating in more than 600 softball games.

In total, they are expecting more than 4,000 athletes and fans visiting Washington for the weeklong tournament. More information on the event is at dcseries2013.com. The League can be found at capssoftball.org.

The D.C. Front Runners will host Pride Run 2013 on June 7 at 7 p.m., an event of friendly competition, fun for the community and a celebration of pride. The event is the inaugural running of a chip-timed 5K run and walk coinciding with the festivities of D.C.’s Capital Pride week.

The race will begin at the historical Congressional Cemetery with a course that follows the Anacostia River toward RFK Stadium and back. More information is at dcfrontrunners.org.

The D.C. Sentinels have opened registration for the second season of the Washington D.C. Gay Basketball League. The summer league kicks off on June 5 and runs for 10 weeks at Trinity Washington University. Registration is first come first serve and is located on the website at teamdcbasketball.org.

The inaugural Freedom Sports Festival will kick off July 18-21 with six sports being contested all within the D.C. city limits.  Local LGBT sports teams will come together to host tournaments in beach volleyball, golf, racquetball, kickball, ballroom dancing and basketball.

The Festival will open at the Team D.C. Champions Awards and College Scholarship reception on July 18. Registration for the tournaments will open soon and will be posted at teamdc.org.

The DC Gay Flag Football League will send teams to compete in Pride Bowl VI in Chicago from June 27-30. Last year, 24 teams from across the United States contested in the event with one of the D.C. squads just missing a spot in the championship game. The flag football league is dcgffl.org.

The World Out Games will be contested from July 31-Aug. 11 in Antwerp, Belgium in 33 different sports. A contingent from D.C. will be attending and a uniform has been organized for the opening ceremonies. More information will be at teamdc.org.

And finally, a big thank you to Jason Collins from the Washington LGBT sports community. Collins became the first American of a major professional sports league to acknowledge being gay while being an active player. The news brought statements of support from the Washington Wizards, NBA star Kobe Bryant, former President Bill Clinton and President Obama among others.

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PHOTOS: D.C. Trans Pride

Schuyler Bailar gives keynote address

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D.C. Trans Pride 2025 was held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on May 17. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

2025 D.C. Trans Pride was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on Saturday, May 17. The day was filled with panel discussions, art, social events, speakers, a resource fair and the Engendered Spirit Awards. Awardees included Lyra McMillan, Pip Baitinger, Steph Niaupari and Hayden Gise. The keynote address was delivered by athlete and advocate Schuyler Bailar.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C

Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

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Gay Pride Day 1976 (Washington Blade archive photo)

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

D.C.’s Different Drummers march in the 2006 Capital Pride Parade. (Washington Blade archive photo by Adam Cuthbert)

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies. 

Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays. 

The 1995 Lesbian and Gay Freedom Festival was held on Freedom Plaza on June 18. (Washington Blade archive photo by Clint Steib)

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.

We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.

I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.

The D.C. Black Gay Men & Women’s Community Conference table at Gay Pride Day in 1978. (Washington Blade archive photo by Jim Marks)
A scene from 1985 Gay and Lesbian Pride Day. (Washington Blade archive photo by Doug Hinckle)
A scene from the 1988 Gay and Lesbian Pride Day. (Washington Blade archive photo by Doug Hinckle)
A scene from the Capital Pride Block Party in 2018. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)
Keke Palmer performs at the 2024 Capital Pride Festival. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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PHOTOS: Equality Prince William Pride

Fourth annual event held in Old Town Manassas

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Muffy Blake Stephyns performs at 2025 Prince William Equality Pride. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The fourth annual Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 17.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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