Arts & Entertainment
Previewing D.C.’s WorldPride Music Festival
Producer Jake Resnicow on unforgettable event with genres from disco to country
As WorldPride draws closer, Washington, D.C. is getting ready to celebrate on multiple levels. One major event is the Dreamland WorldPride Music Festival, to be held at RFK Stadium (2400 East Capitol St., N.E.) from June 6-7, 2025. This music festival will serve as the centerpiece of the city’s WorldPride celebration, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of D.C. Pride.
Local electronic dance music event promoter Club Glow is putting on the show, bringing in celebrated producer Jake Resnicow, to create a giant festival. Under the direction of Resnicow and Club Glow, the festival will feature a diverse, yet-to-be-named lineup featuring pop superstars, live performers, DJs, and plenty of local talent. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant spectrum of LGBTQ culture, with musical genres ranging from disco to country, bringing together performers from a range of backgrounds who resonate with Capital Pride’s values and with the attendees.
The Washington Blade conducted an exclusive interview with Jake Resnicow about the festival. The interview has been slightly condensed for clarity.
BLADE: What is your background and role in the nightlife scene?
RESNICOW: I’ve always been passionate about creating spaces where people can express themselves freely. My journey into live events began in 2010 with a Pride event on Governors Island. It was a transformative experience that showed me the power of live events to bring joy and build community. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of producing events like WorldPride at the Javits Center, where we raised over $500,000 for LGBTQ+ charities, as well as the first-ever Pride in Central Park. These events have been about more than just entertainment; they aim to support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community.
BLADE: How did you get involved in the WorldPride Festival with Capital Pride?
RESNICOW: After producing several Pride festivals and witnessing their impact, the opportunity to bring this energy to the largest stage feels like a culmination of a long-held vision. I’m truly honored to collaborate with Pete Kalamoutsos, Heather Church, and Matt Cronin — the driving force behind Project GLOW. Pete has been a leader in the dance music scene for over 25 years. He, Heather, and Matt have not only shaped the East Coast’s electronic music landscape but have also shown unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community. Their commitment to elevating dance culture, especially through Project GLOW, is remarkable. Beyond the music, the team has incorporated community-focused initiatives, such as highlighting Washington, D.C.’s LGBTQIA+ community through dedicated stages and collaborating with local charities like Sasha Bruce Youthwork. Working with Pete, Heather, and Matt is like joining a dream team — they have an incredible vision and are passionate about making a difference. Together, we aim to create a historic WorldPride 2025 Music Festival that resonates with attendees and leaves a lasting legacy.
BLADE: What does this event mean to the LGBTQ nightlife community?
RESNICOW: WorldPride 2025 is more than just a music festival; it’s a space for celebration, reflection, and visibility. For the LGBTQ nightlife community, it’s an opportunity to come together, celebrate our identities, and amplify voices that have been historically marginalized. In a world where less than 1% of charting artists identify as LGBTQIA+, this festival is a platform to change that narrative. I’m particularly proud to serve on the board of Femme House, where we work to address this underrepresentation by providing resources and opportunities for queer musicians to thrive. This festival symbolizes a safe, inclusive environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and celebrated.
BLADE: What will the festival entail?
RESNICOW: The festival will offer a multi-day experience filled with music, art, and community engagement. Attendees can expect a blend of live performances, immersive activations, art installations, and wellness zones. To me, queer entertainment has evolved beyond nightlife; it’s now a cultural movement that intertwines art, music, fashion, and activism. This evolution has shaped how I approach my events, pushing me to create spaces that are not just safe and inclusive but also challenge and redefine what live entertainment can be. WorldPride 2025 is about creating something larger than a single event; it’s about fostering a movement that celebrates the full spectrum of the LGBTQ+ community. We aim to offer spaces for connection, self-expression, and reflection, incorporating elements that give back to the community and support causes that matter most to us.
BLADE: What are some elements and activations that are part of the festival?
RESNICOW: Beyond the music, there will be a variety of interactive experiences and spaces that celebrate LGBTQ+ culture. This includes art installations, wellness zones, educational areas, and spaces for community organizations to engage with festival-goers. Our goal is to create a holistic experience that goes beyond the traditional festival setup, offering attendees a place to connect, learn, and celebrate in diverse ways.
BLADE: How do WorldPride and the festival connect to the D.C. community?
RESNICOW: Washington, D.C. has a rich history of LGBTQ+ activism and culture, and this festival holds personal significance for me. Having attended Georgetown University, I feel a deep connection to this community and its legacy. WorldPride 2025 is my way of giving back, aiming to create a festival that resonates on a deeply personal level for all of us. I want to create a musical experience that the community will remember, one that celebrates our progress and inspires us for years to come. This event is designed to leave a lasting impression, not just as a festival but as a moment of unity and pride.
A core aspect of WorldPride 2025 is its commitment to giving back. The festival will support the nonprofit Capital Pride Alliance, which serves the needs of the LGBTQ+ community year-round. We’re building on the legacy of our previous events, where we raised substantial funds for LGBTQ+ causes. This isn’t just about a single weekend of celebration; it’s about creating lasting change. Additionally, based on the overwhelming presale response, we’re on track to potentially set a new world record for the largest Pride festival ever. This reflects not only the excitement for the event but also the strength and unity of our community. We’re striving to make the festival a historic moment that has a meaningful, positive impact on both the local D.C. community and the LGBTQ+ community at large.
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
‘La Lucci’
By Susan Lucci with Laura Morton
c.2026, Blackstone Publishing
$29.99/196 pages
They’re among the world’s greatest love stories.
You know them well: Marc Antony and Cleopatra. Abelard and Heloise. Phoebe and Langley. Cliff and Nina. Jesse and Angie, Opal and Palmer, Palmer and Daisy, Tad and Dixie. Now read “La Lucci” by Susan Lucci, with Laura Morton, and you might also think of Susan and Helmut.
When she was a very small girl, Susan Lucci loved to perform. Also when she was young, she learned that words have power. She vowed to use them for good for the rest of her life.
Her parents, she says, were supportive and her family, loving. Because of her Italian heritage, she was “ethnic looking” but Lucci’s mother was careful to point out dark-haired beauties on TV and elsewhere, giving Lucci a foundation of confidence.
That’s just one of the things for which Lucci says she’s grateful. In fact, she says, “Prayers of gratitude are how I begin and end each day.”
She is particularly grateful for becoming a mother to her two adult children, and to the doctors who saved her son’s life when he was a newborn.
Lucci writes about gratitude for her long career. She was a keystone character on TV’s “All My Children,” and she learned a lot from older actors on the show, and from Agnes Nixon, the creator of it. She says she still keeps in touch with many of her former costars.
She is thankful for her mother’s caretakers, who stepped in when dementia struck. Grateful for more doctors, who did heart-saving work when Lucci had a clogged artery. Grateful for friends, opportunities, life, grandchildren, and a career that continues.
And she’s grateful for the love she shared with her husband, Helmut Huber, who died nearly four years ago. Grateful for the chance to grieve, to heal, and to continue.
And yet, she says of her husband: “He was never timid, but I know he was afraid at the end, and that kills me down to my soul.”
“It’s been 15 years since Erica Kane and I parted ways,” says author Susan Lucci (with Laura Morton), and she says that people still approach her to confirm or deny rumors of the show’s resurrection. There’s still no answer to that here (sorry, fans), but what you’ll find inside “La Lucci” is still exceptionally generous.
If this book were just filled with stories, you’d like it just fine. If it was only about Lucci’s faith and her gratitude – words that happen to appear very frequently here – you’d still like reading it. But Lucci tells her stories of family, children and “All My Children,” while also offering help to couples who’ve endured miscarriage, women who’ve had heart problems, and widow(ers) who are spinning and need the kindness of someone who’s lived loss, too.
These are the other things you’ll find in “La Lucci,” in a voice you’ll hear in your head, if you spent your lunch hours glued to the TV back in the day. It’s a comfortable, fun read for fans. It’s a story you’ll love.
The Blade may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via this post.
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