Excitement is in the air as communities through the greater D.C. area celebrate Stonewall’s 50th anniversary with Pride events, many for the first time. 

New York City will host the largest celebration with World Pride events spanning the entire month. The opening ceremony is June 26 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center (620 Atlantic Ave.) from 7-10 p.m. and is hosted by Whoopi Goldberg with performances by Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter, Chaka Khan, Ciara, Daya and Todrick Hall. Tickets range from $45-226. Rally: Stonewall 50 Commemoration is June 28, 6-9 p.m. at Christopher St. and Waverly Place and is a free event. Youth Pride is June 29, 12-6 p.m. at SummerStage, Central Park (5th Avenue at 69th St.) and admission is free for under 21, but registration is required. The VIP Rooftop Party is June 29, 2-10 p.m. at The Park (118 10th Ave.). Tickets start at $100. PrideFest is June 30, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at 4th Ave. between Union Square and Astor. Admission is free. The closing ceremony is June 20 in Times Square from 7-10 p.m. The event is free but registration is required. Margaret Cho is the host with performances by Melissa Etheridge, Jake Shears, MNEK, Deborah Cox and others to be announced. For more tickets and information, visit 2019-worldpride-stonewall50.nycpride.org.

Pittsburgh Pride runs June 6-9 and this year’s theme is “We are One.” Events begin June 6 at 8 p.m. with the Wheels & Heels drag show at Video Lounge & Cafe (5801 Ellsworth Ave.) hosted by Lola LeCroix and staring Sharon Needles, Dixie Surewood, Daniel Vasquez and Anna Steezia. The event is free, but every dollar tipped to a queen will be matched by a Lyft donation to Proud Haven Pittsburgh. June 7-8 is Pride Rocks PGH with headliners Walk the Moon and Toni Braxton. Tickets start at $39. PrideFest is June 8, at noon to June 9, at 7 p.m. The festival includes vendors, three stages and free STI and HIV testing. Admission is free. June 9 is the Equality March from 12:30-2:30 p.m. from Blvd of the Allies to Liberty Ave. June 28 at 6 p.m. is NYC to PGH: 50 Years After Stonewall, a commemorative celebration unveiling a permanent art installation at the intersection of Ellsworth and Maryland streets, and July 7 is Pride Day at the Pirates and Tailgate. Game time is 1:35 p.m. and tickets are $30. Visit pitsburghpride.org for more information. 

Philly Pride is June 9 starting at 11 a.m. with a kick-off party June 7 from 6-10 p.m. at 12th and Locust streets. The parade begins June 9 at 13th and Locust and ends at the festival location at the Grand Plaza of Penn’s Landing. Refreshments, food, amusements and wristbands for the festival are $10 June 7 and $15 June 9. More information and local Stonewall-related history is at phillygaypride.org. 

The inaugural Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival is June 29. The parade runs from noon-12:45 p.m. from Amos Garrett to Calvert street, and the festival is from noon-5 p.m. between Calvert street and Church Circle. Planned is a family-friendly event with vendors, children’s activities and entertainment from local artists and DJs. More information is available at annapolispride.org. 

Howard County, Maryland will also host its first Pride celebration June 29 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at Centennial Park in Elliott City. Its kick-off event is June 28 from 5:30-9:30 p.m. at the Carroll Baldwin Community Hall (9035 Baltimore Street, Savage, Md.) and will be filled with food, fun and a friendly atmosphere. For more information visit howardcountypride.org. 

Eastern Panhandle Pride is June 28-29 in Shepherdstown, West Va. June 28, starting at 5 p.m., is the Pride Pub Crawl supporting local businesses and June 29 from 11-4 p.m. is the North King street fair featuring vendors, artisans, nonprofits and a poetry walk. June 29 is also a dance party/drag show from 8 p.m.-midnight at the War Memorial building (102 E. German St.) honoring the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Visit eppridewv.com for details. 

Hampton Roads Pride in Norfolk, Va., begins with a block party June 21 and culminates in PrideFest on June 22 in Norfolk’s Town Point Park. June 22 is also the ninth annual PrideFest boat parade. Locals and visitors can board the ship American Rover for “Out on the Boat,” a two-hour cruise on the Elizabeth River and Hampton Roads Harbor. There will be a DJ on Board as well as a Gourmet Gang lunch and drinks available for purchase. For more information visit hamptonroadspride.org.

Frederick Pride is June 22 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Carroll Creek Linear Park in downtown Frederick, Md. The event is organized by The Frederick Center, which is dedicated to support, educate, link and provide outreach to the LGBT community of central Maryland. This is the city’s eighth annual event and admission is free. More information is available at frederickpride.org. 

More Pride celebrations occur later in the year. 

Hagerstown Pride, “Love Grows,” is July 13 from 11:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. At this time their plans have not been finalized but will be posted soon at hagerstownhopesmd.org.

The Miss Shenandoah Vally Pride Pageant is July 13 from 7-11 p.m. at the Court Square Theater (41 Court Sq., Harrisonburg, Va.) is also the  hosted by the Shenandoah Vally Pride Alliance. Tickets are $7. The Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival is Sept. 21 at 80 Court Square in Harrisonburg, Va. For more information, look for the event on Facebook. 

The 27th annual Pride Festival of Central Pa. is July 27 at the Soldier’s Grove Memorial Park, Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex in Harrisburg, Pa. The event runs from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and the suggested admission donation is $10. The headliner is Aja, a nonbinary queer artist and performer who brings the art of drag into the masculine-dominated world of hip-hop and had a breakout performance on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Visit centralpapridefestival.com for more details. 

VA PrideFest 2019 is a free and family-friendly event scheduled for Sept. 28 at Browns Island in Richmond, Va. Vendor registration is currently open and more details will be posted as they are available on vapride.org. 

The Northern Virginia Pride Festival festival will be at Bull Run Regional Park (7700 Bull Run Drive, Centerville, Va.) Sept. 28 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. According to virginia.org, Northern Virginia has a large and steadily growing LGBTQ population and event organizers felt a need to recognize this sizable community. While this year’s event is still in the works, their website notes entertainers from previous years to include local singers, bands, comedians and drag performers are excited to return for another year. Check virginia.org soon for details.