Arts & Entertainment
Shop local this holiday season
Give a gift that shows how much you love D.C.
If you procrastinated your shopping and Amazon can’t deliver until February, your local D.C.-area retailers are here to save the holiday. Be sure to shop local this season. Below are a few of our favorite local gift ideas.
SPRING IN DC TEA TOWEL. 20″x28″ in 100% cotton. Comes with a hanging hook. $14. Available at nakeddecor.com
HOUSE OF KITTY CATS ON CAPITOL HILL TOTE BAG. 15 1/2″ x 16,” 100% cotton with pocket inside. $24.95. Available at nakeddecor.com
MARIE ANTOINETTE KITTY and FRENCHIE TEA TOWEL/OVEN MITT. Each sold separately. Tea Towel- 20″ x 28″. 100% Cotton. Hanging hook. $14.00 each. Oven Mitt- 12″. Cotton Fiber Insulation. $15.00 each. Available at nakeddecor.com
BORN TO BE QUEEN POTHOLDER & OVEN MITT. Each sold separately. Oven mitt — 12 inches. Cotton fiber insulation. $15 each. 8-inch square potholder, cotton fiber insulation, $10 each. Available at nakeddecor.com
MAKE IT A SUITE NEW YEAR: Start 2023 by creating memories and experiencing the excitement of live action performances from NBA Washington Wizards Basketball, NHL Washington Capitals Hockey, NCAA Georgetown Hoyas Men’s Basketball and world-class concerts, family shows, and other events.
Capital One Arena’s private suites offer diverse business development opportunities and make a memorable night out with family and friends. As suite inventory is limited, now is the perfect time to secure one for the New Year.
Explore suite opportunities at capitalonearenasuites.com.
FRESHFARM DUPONT CIRCLE Sunday Market has a wide array of locally
grown produce and locally produced products for everyone. It is open each Sunday from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Visit freshfarm.org/markets/dupont-circle for more information.
PACERS APPAREL COLLECTION. For the runners and athletes on your list, D.C.’s Pacers offers a new 202 line called “Athlete Sizing.” Athlete Sizing ranges from 1-8 and was built to adapt to more body types than a traditional linear size chart. Shop your favorite 2:02 pieces and refer to the size chart on the product page to find your perfect fit. To order, visit runpacers.com.
SIX-PACK OF WINE from D.C.’s Cork. Cork’s Mixed Case offers six bottles of classic wines you can send to the oenophile in your life. Cost is $125 for a six-pack of three reds and three whites. Visit corkdc.com to place your order.
THEATER LOVERS: D.C.’s theater scene has rebounded from the pandemic and boasts so many options. The Kennedy Center, Studio Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, and others offer subscriptions and ticket bundles for 2023 shows. Visit their websites for options.
BUILD A BOX: Choose from a selection of local gift ideas and build your own personalized D.C. gift box, from tote bags to booze. Visit shopmadeindc.com to get started.
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
Jason Collins dies at 47
Polish government to recognize same-sex marriages from EU countries
America’s broken pipeline of mental healthcare for trans youth
GLAA releases ratings for 18 candidates running for D.C. mayor, Council, AG
Blade finalist for D.C. Society of Professional Journalists awards
Maren Morris to headline Capital Pride Concert
Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan
Celebrate Pride in Lost River, a slice of rural heaven
Learn more about queer love
