Out & About
Check out these D.C. Black Pride events
Here’s where to celebrate Blackness and queerness in the city
Pride festivities in the capital city will kick off this weekend with D.C. Black Pride. Below is a partial list of events you can attend to get your energy revved up for a month of activities:
Welcome To DC Happy Hour will be on Thursday, May 25 at 4 p.m. at 640 Rhode Island Ave., N.E. This kickoff event will allow guests to drink and mingle with friends while celebrating Black Pride. There will be music by DJ MoMoney. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
The 4th Annual DC Black Pride Unity Ball will be at 7 p.m. at Renaissance Washington, D.C. The Capitol Ballroom Council in collaboration with Icon Charles West, Legends Twiggy Garcon, Duante’ Balenciaga, and Domo Alpha Omega will come together to celebrate D.C.’s ballroom community. There will be more than $3,000 in cash prizes across various categories. For more details, visit DC Black Pride’s website.
For The Culture Brunch Cruise will be on Friday, May 27 at 12 p.m. at 580 Water St. This Saturday Morning at the DC Wharf will have food, bottomless drinks, and amazing music. Tickets start at $125 and include bottomless mimosas, bottomless Bloody Marys, a brunch buffet, sounds by DJ Obie, and a live performance by Le’Andria Johnson. Le’Andria will be performing on Deck 1.
Rainbow Row: Organization & Vendor Expo will be at 5 p.m. at Renaissance Washington, D.C. Downtown. This event will be a vendor and organizations expo to support the Black community. For more details, visit DC Black Pride’s website.
DMV Black Pride Gospel Explosion 23 will be on Sunday, May 28 at 3:30 p.m. at The Community Church of Washington, D.C. United Church of Christ. There will be music performances from DMV gospel artists, churches, singers and the DMVP Mass Choir. Offerings collected at this event will be donated to a local nonprofit. For more information, contact Deidre Gay at 301-383-3850.
The Finale Rooftop Day Party will be on Sunday, May 28 at 4 p.m. at Twelve After Twelve. This indoor and outdoor experience will feature multiple rooms with multiple DJs and drink specials. Advance tickets cost $15. For more details, email [email protected].
Pride Super Party (Wet Dreamz) will be at 10 p.m. at The Park at 14th. This event will be hosted by Daryl Wilson Promotions. There will be a stage show, food trucks, frozen drinks and more. For more details, visit Daryl Wilson’s Instagram.
Brunch & Babes: 2nd Annual DC Black Pride Iconic Drag Brunch will be at 12 p.m. at Hook Hall. This event will be hosted by the iconic Sophia McIntosh and feature the icons of “Atlanta” including Stasha Sanchez Garcon and Raquell Lord Balenciaga. There will also be appearances from Exotic Lord Mugler, Syria Synclaire, Paris Brooks-Bonet Ebony and Haven Garcon. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
PRIDE In The Park will be on Monday, May 29 at 12 p.m. at Fort Dupont Park. At this festival, guests will be treated to free food, games, axe throwing, henna tattoos, and more, all for free. There will be a lineup of performers, including Reesa Renee, Deja B. and Meeche Korrect. The event will be hosted by Royce and MC Boom.
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
Friday, June 12
Bet Mishpachah will host “Pride Shabbat Happy Hour” at 6 p.m. at Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center. This is an in-person happy hour with an open wine and beer bar, great company, and joyful conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will meet at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, visit Facebook.
Saturday, June 13
Out N Bad will host “SWEET WHINE: DC Pride Queer Caribbean Slow Whine Function” at 9 p.m. at Decades DC. This is a late-night escape into slow and steamy Dancehall & Kompa only. No splits. No headtops. No pressure. Tickets are $22.14 and are available on Eventbrite.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host a screening of “10s Across the Borders,” a bold pan-Asian queer film that confronts homophobia, transphobia, and racism while celebrating Southeast Asia’s underground ballroom scene. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Sunday, June 14
Beth A Wolfe Yoga will host “Pride Baby Goat Yoga” at 1 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington, Va. The goats will be decked out in their finest Pride apparel, and human participants are welcome to do the same. Proceeds from this event will go to the Trevor Project. Tickets cost $44.52 and are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, June 15
“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]).
Tuesday, June 16
“Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” will be at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a full-time Martial Arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a 5th Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website.
Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, June 17
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, June 18
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm 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.
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