a&e features
Adam Rippon on new life, loves, memoir and skating naked
Rippon says Ashley Wagner abuse allegations, Coughlin suicide rocked skating world
Adam Rippon
In conversation with Liz Dolan
Wednesday, Oct. 16
7 p.m.
Sixth & I Synagogue
600 I St., N.W.
Tickets: $20
ticket+book: $32
two tickets+book: $45
(books will be pre-signed but photos with Rippon will be taken)
We blitzed through a torrent of questions with Adam Rippon by phone last week. The bronze medal-winning gay breakout star (and self-proclaimed āAmericaās sweetheartā) releases his memoir āBeautiful on the Outsideā Oct. 15. He and skier pal Gus Kenworthy each came out in 2015 and last year became the first openly gay male U.S. athletes to compete at the Winter Olympics. Rippon is in Washington (at Sixth and I Synagogue) Wednesday, Oct. 16 as the second stop on a 13-city book tour. His comments have been slightly edited for syntax and length.Ā
WASHINGTON BLADE: How did the book come about?
ADAM RIPPON: Well, right after the Olympics, my team was saying that it might be a fun idea to write a book and I thought that this, like, really felt like a full chapter of my life sort of coming to an end and a new one was starting so I felt like it would be a really therapeutic almost experience. And I thought it would be a good thing for me to do, to kind of debrief and sort of be my moment to soak in everything that was like going on. So it was my teamās idea but then ultimately it was something that I did truly want to pursue.Ā
BLADE: How long did it take to write?
RIPPON: About six-seven months. It wasnāt too long but it was a substantial amount of time.
BLADE: A lot of your appeal is the way you come across on camera. Were you concerned that that might not translate to the written page?
RIPPON: Totally. One thing that I really focused on was (making sure) the writing felt very in person, so that whatever you were reading felt like I could have been sitting right next to you like on a couch telling you this story and you were hearing my voice. So that was really important to me because I feel less like a writer and more like a storyteller. So I wanted to make sure, especially when I would be doing the audiobook, that it really felt like I wasnāt adding any words or saying any words that I wouldnāt say in a conversation.Ā
BLADE: You share a lot of hard-won wisdom in the book. Were those convictions about life already in your head and bones or did the process of writing the book kind of help you distill and articulate some of that?
RIPPON: I think when I wrote the book, that was such an important thing for me to add into it because those are lessons and scenarios and things that I had learned and they were just so important to me, that was something really I wanted to add into the story. ā¦Ā Ā Sometimes I just laugh at myself and move along through life through different struggles and things of that nature, but I really did learn a lot about myself, it really prepared me for the bigger moments.Ā
BLADE: A lot of the book is about how what was going on in your head affected your skating. Did you ever work with a sports psychologist when you were competing?
RIPPON: I did but ā¦ itās funny now, post skating career, I see a therapist but when I was skating, I felt like, no thatās weak, Iām not going to go to a sports psychologist, Iām going to just suck it up. I wish I had, but itās harder because when youāre a competitive athlete. One you donāt have a lot of means to go out and find someone on your own and they do offer someone but itās like someone that everybody uses, like all of your competitors are going to use the same sports psychologist, so in a way I was like, āAm I really going to tell my deepest fears with somebodyās whoās then gonna work with all of my competitors too?ā I was like, no, Iām gonna tell this bitch that yeah, everythingās fine and Iāve never felt better. So itās hard but now as an adult, I can go out and find someone on my own whoās personally mine and that was just something I did not have access to when I was competing because it was really expensive.
BLADE: How often are you on the ice these days?
RIPPON: Maybe once or twice a month now. Just skating for myself. Sometimes if I have a day off, Iāll go work with one of the skaters I used to train with, Mariah Bell. Working with her some makes me feel connected to skating, but I donāt skate very much on my own anymore.
BLADE: Would you like to do more skating exhibition tours?
RIPPON: I would, but they take so much time and energy to prepare for and I would not ever want to do one and not feel like I was giving my best. ā¦ Right now I really do want to focus on pursuing these other endeavors that are available to me now and I do want to pursue them because I do think the time to do that is right now and if there is something comes up in skating, itāll make sense. Right now, I think Iām really focused on writing this book and that kind of hustle.Ā
BLADE: It looks like youāve stayed in great shape. Do you feel pressure to have perfect abs? I mean the shape you were in for Olympics has to be impossible to maintain I imagine.
RIPPON: Well, you know what? Iām gonna be super honest. After the Olympics, I went to the gym and I was like, āI canāt do this anymore. Iāve gone here every day of my life for 20 years and I just donāt have the motivation,ā and that was OK. But I didnāt go to the gym for maybe a year.
BLADE: Oh wow.
RIPPON: Yeah, I know. It was a lot.
BLADE: But you didnāt gain 300 pounds or anything. I havenāt seen you lately but you look like you were in great shape on āDancing With the Stars.āĀ
RIPPON: Iām not 300 pounds yet, but no. ā¦ I realized I just needed to find new goals at the gym because itās something I really enjoy. So Iāve been going for like the past month and have been working out pretty regularly with my old trainer again and, of course, the workouts are totally different, because itās no longer about trying to be as good a skater as possible. But I really love the rush you get from finishing a workout.Ā
BLADE: You make a joke in the book about your hook-ups not believing you had an office job because nobody with a desk job would have an ass like yours. What kind of currency has having that kind of butt given you in your personal life? Is it something your boyfriends have gone on and on about or it something that maybe seems more exaggerated from afar? Tell me about your ass, Adam.
RIPPON: Well, here we go. How much time do you have? (laughs) No, Iām kidding. Um, the one thing Iāve noticed, now surrounding myself with people who are not athletes by profession is that everybody who works out and goes to the gym, the hardest thing for them is legs. Iāve noticed going back to the gym, thatās always been my upper hand because Iāve done only legs for so long. With my boyfriend, heās mostly envious that I have these bigger legs and, like, a butt that really fills out my pants. Mostly heās jealous but he does like it, which is good because I canāt really get rid of it.
BLADE: At one point in the book you say you were having trouble with quad toe so you had to switch to quad lutz. Why not quad sal?
RIPPON: Itās a little different with the quads. Thatās why you see these Russian junior girls and some of them wonāt do triple axels but their only two quads are toe and lutz. The lutz may be the hardest because that entrance is so hard but when you have the torque just right, it really snaps the quickest into rotation. I think when youāre learning triples, the skill of how you should learn them is correct, but with quads, itās more like which do you feel and I think difficulty sort of comes in second.
BLADE: Did you ever play around with quad loops or flips?
RIPPON: Yeah. I think in my life, Iāve landed a (quad) flip, a salchow. It was just one day and itās going really well, then the next day Iām just doing like cheated triples and Iām like, āOh, OK, here we go.ā
BLADE: Have we hit the ceiling on quads? Is it realistic to think somebody might land a quad axel someday?
RIPPON: I think so. I never thought Iād see a day where somebody has a program like Nathan Chenās planned programs and itās something he actually does and itās not, like, a joke. And itās the way he does it really effortlessly and you donāt really actually notice heās doing all these quads ācause theyāre so well done, which is the scariest part of his skating.
BLADE: Have you stayed in touch with him?
RIPPON: Iāve stayed in touch with pretty much everyone I competed with and with Nathan, we had the same coach for a while. I have such a soft spot for him and the things that he does. Iām always cheering for him. Heās just a really, really good kid and, you know, works super hard and is so well rounded. I love catching up and seeing how heās doing.
BLADE: I know itās probably hard to put into words, but how much harder is the triple loop than the triple toe as the second jump in a combination?
RIPPON: Adding the triple loop onto something is much harder because the room for error and correction on landing the first jump is so small. When youāre doing a triple loop in a combination, the biggest thing is you cannot readjust or fix the landing position of that first jump because it happens so quickly and it immediately needs to come together. With the toe loop, you can readjust the tap into the ice, you can tap a little further, tap quicker, you can jump a little more from the assistance of the free leg, so itās still incredibly difficult but a triple loop combination is by far much harder than a triple toe loop combination.Ā
BLADE: Were you more team Zagitova or Medvedeva in the ladiesā event last Olympics?Ā
RIPPON: You know, I think that I was really impressed with Zagitova, I thought she skated very well, but I do have to say the way that Medvedeva handled herself as like a two-time world champion, and then to go out and skate two clean programs, I just felt she had a lot of substance to her skating maybe her style wasnāt the I donāt know, wasnāt everybodyās cup of tea. She performed, she had everything that an Olympic champion should have and I really felt that she kind of earned it. Zagitova skated a little bit like a really excellent junior lady in her first year senior. It wasnāt as refined and Medvedeva was a two-time world champion heading into that event, she was very refined and in that moment and was incredibly young, but yet had some womanly flair to her, which I really admired. I completely see why Medvedeva was the silver medalist and Zagitova was the gold medalist, I understand, but if I were judging I would have had Medvedeva first.
BLADE: Did it bother you that Zagitova back-stacked all her jumps? (Jumps completed in the second half of the long program are weighted in scoring.)
RIPPON: No. I mean, of course I want to be like, yes, it doesnāt make for a nice program, but then at the end of the day, we have rules and we have points and you know I think if Eteriās goal, their coach, is that she has a student who wins, and that they compete and thereās no pecking order of who should win and who shouldnāt win, youāre gonna go and youāre gonna do the most that you can do. So, I mean she played the game within the rules and she knew that Medvedeva had better style, so the way to make Zagitova more competitive against Medvedeva would be to just technically you know, put everything at the end. So is it annoying, like a little bit, but is she cheating? No. Everybody had that option and everybody knew that, so it doesnāt bother me. I kind of look at it like I donāt like it, but youāre smart.Ā
BLADE: Why are they wrapping everybody up in those goddamn jackets now the second you step off the ice? They never used to do that.
RIPPON: Itās a sponsor thing. While youāre just sitting there in kiss and cry, they want the sponsor logo to be visible on TV. Obviously you couldnāt skate with a logo, but when youāre just sitting there waiting for scores, you can see what it says on the label.
BLADE: I wasnāt a big fan when they changed the rules to allow vocal music. You took advantage of it. What was your opinion?
RIPPON: I didnāt like it at first, but then I really enjoyed it as a skater. I just thought it opened the door for a lot of really cool ideas.Ā
BLADE: How was Tonya Harding on āDancing With the Stars?ā Did you develop any camaraderie with her?
RIPPON: I wouldnāt say camaraderie, but she was super nice and sheās fun. Sheās super funny, really personable. You know, I doubt Nancy (Kerrigan) would think that, but sheās super personable. I had no problem with her. She was nice.
BLADE: Did you admire her skating back in the day?
RIPPON: The first competition I ever watched was ā98, so I never grew up with her, but once I went back and started watching things, Iāll always remember that opening at 1991 nationals with the āBatmanā theme and that mint green dress.Ā
BLADE: Did you like the movie āI, Tonyaā?Ā
RIPPON: I mean Margot Robbie when she does press for the movie, she says itās Tonyaās side of the story and I think she did a really good job of that. But I think even Margot would tell you that the truth probably lies in the middle.
BLADE: So many skaters ā Brian Boitano, Jeffrey Buttle, Johnny Weir ā came out after they stopped competing. Iām not asking for names, but are there still closeted skaters that you know of or is that era finally over?
RIPPON: I think weāre becoming past it and I really feel that like I hope that I had something to do with it, where people felt like it didnāt really matter and you could still be successful. But I do think that the pressures of someone like me and someone like Brian Boitano or Jeffrey Buttle are so different. I was never a favorite for a world title, there was no pressure like that. I was just trying to kind of make my world team and see if I, if someoneās having a bad day, could swoop in for a world medal. Or like at the Olympics, know that I could be a really good asset to the team event. So I knew that like the pressures for me were totally different, they were not the same as somebody trying to win a world title, I wasnāt going to be as scrutinized. I mean especially compared to somebody like Brian Boitano in the ā80s. So itās a totally different time but I do think that because a lot of the attention, I did get at the Olympics, I think it broke down a lot of stigma. Because yes, there was a gay athlete but everything else wasnāt about that, which I think was great. I think it was a really good thing.
BLADE: Why are there so many more medal opportunities in the summer games? Can you imagine if figure skaters had the number of medal opportunities as Michael Phelps?Ā
RIPPON: I think when you get into subjective sports where itās all based on human judging, itās really hard to break those into different categories. And itās part of the drama of skating that there arenāt all these opportunities. Thatās one reason I love the idea of a team event, not only because Iām a medalist from it, but I love that itās brought different stars from the Olympics forward. I mean look at Yulia Lipnitskaya from Sochi. In the team event, she was the star of the whole competition and when we think about the individual, I even forget that she competed in it. So it gives other people the chance to be Olympic stars in a different capacity. The whole point of the Olympics is to inspire people to get into sports. That really is truly what it is. And I think the team event really does that.
BLADE: You obviously came up long after compulsories were eliminated. When you go back and watch old performances, do you think skaters in the ā70s and ā80s had better form, better edges, because of having to learn the school figures or not so much?
RIPPON: I think the quality of skating is going up because the demands of what you have to do now technically are so high. You have to do so many transitions into jumps and so many turns and steps into all of your elements so you get a nice transition score and I think thatās pushing people to learn these turns and steps in the proper way and faster than if theyād started with figures. This way you jump right into it and the learning curve is a lot quicker. You know you have to do it this way because thatās how itās judged so itās the only way to be competitive.Ā
BLADE: Were you really fully nude except for your boots for the ESPN shoot or did you have some kind of little loincloth on or something?
RIPPON: I was 100 percent naked and it was actually at the rink I trained at. There are three rinks and one is all the way at the end in the corner and they blocked it off and had security and everything but yeah, it was fully nude, and for the first two minutes it was like, āIsnāt it weird that I can see my dick and Iām skating,ā but then you get going and youāre like it doesnāt really become a thing anymore and nobodyās really fazed by it because theyāve shot like a million naked athletes before so itās a very cool experience.
BLADE: Isnāt it hard to skate with your dick flopping around?
RIPPON: No, because at that point, everything gets so small itās like, āOK, this is what weāre dealing with.ā Itās nothing to write home about. (laughs)Ā
BLADE: What did you think of Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinskiās commentary of your Olympic performances?
RIPPON: They bring such excitement to skating. People tune in to watch the skating, but also to hear their opinions. Theyāre like Dick Button and Peggy Fleming for this generation, where you wanted to hear if Dick Button thought you were a good skater or not. They arenāt mean, theyāre honest and now, being able to be more subjective, I see that. I remember there was one performance where Johnny said he thought I wasnāt interpreting the music well and I was like, āWhat? He doesnāt know what heās talking about.ā But as I watch it back now, Iām like, āNo, heās totally right.ā He was just giving an honest opinion and itās his job do to that. ā¦ They add flair to the whole competition.
BLADE: Did you ever hear from Mike Pence after the Olympics or was that just a big dog-and-pony show?
RIPPON: Well I knew that I never would, so I havenāt.
BLADE: Do you keep the Mirror Ball Trophy (from āDancing With the Starsā) with all your skating medals? Or they displayed?
RIPPON: All my skating medals are in a container from the Container Store. The Mirror Ball Trophy is in a guest bedroom on the night stand. I have it out if somebody wants to see it, but itās not something Iām looking at all the time. I want to focus on getting more things and ā I know this is just in my own head ā but not feel complicit in what Iāve achieved so far.
BLADE: You donāt even keep your Olympic medal out?
RIPPON: They came in beautiful boxes so I have it in the box on a side table with the medal inside. So itās there if somebody wants to see it but itās not like, āOh wow, itās hanging on the wall.ā
BLADE: Any hint of sexual tension between you and (out Olympic skier) Gus Kenworthy or is that just totally a gay bromance?
RIPPON: Itās very much a brotherly sort of relationship. I adore him. We donāt talk all the time, but heās just somebody I think Iāll always be kind of close to.
BLADE: You say in the book you and (figure skater) Ashley Wagner were close friends. Do you have any comment on her decision in August to say she was sexually assaulted (11 years prior by pairs skater John Coughlin, who committed suicide in January under similar allegations)?
RIPPON: I think it was brave. Iām sure it was really hard for her to do it. I think itās going to hopefully create some good conversations with people within the sport.
BLADE: You say in the book you two were super close. Did she tell you about this shortly after it happened? Did you know John Coughlin?
RIPPON: I did know John, I thought, pretty well. But I had no idea any of this was going on and itās been pretty tough ācause I wish I could have said something to someone or said something to him, but I didnāt have that opportunity. Itās something I think a lot of skaters are struggling withĀ because we donāt agree with it. Itās not good. So many athletes arenāt equipped to deal with the suicide of someone that they knew. So it was really something challenging for a lot of people to get through and it was just something that was still, you know, pretty raw I think for a lot of people.
BLADE: What did you think of Yuzuru Hanyuās (gold-winning) performances in PyeongChang?Ā
RIPPON: I thought he was amazing. Heās incredible. Such a legend.
BLADE: Is he approachable or kind of in his own world? Whatās it like being around such a great skater?
RIPPON: Thereās a level of respect for everybody like that that all the competitors have regardless of who they are or what theyāve achieved. Heās always been super nice and I would say that I enjoyed competing with him as both gold older. One thing that helped is since he moved to Canada, his English got better so we could actually chat. As an adult, I enjoyed seeing him and getting to cheer for him and watch him compete.
BLADE: How do you feel about turning 30 (in November)?Ā
RIPPON: I canāt wait. Iām really excited.
BLADE: Why?
RIPPON: I just feel like itās perfect timing. Iām retiring from skating and starting this new phase of my life and career so the time feels really good. And I donāt know, I felt like I was 30Ā for a few years already anyway, so itās all good timing.
BLADE: Does (boyfriend) JP (Jussi-Pekka Kajaala) live with you now in L.A.? How are things there?
RIPPON: JP goes back and forth between L.A. and Finland. Iām actually going there Friday.
BLADE: How often do you get to see each other on average?
RIPPON: We probably spend about five months out of the year together.
BLADE: Are you and (āDancing With the Starsā dancing partner) Jenna (Johnson) still BFFs?
RIPPON: Um, yeah. I love her. We talk, like, very often.
BLADE: Are you a morning person by nature or did you kind of just force yourself to be one all those years getting up to train?
RIPPON: Iām not, but if I donāt force myself to be a morning person, I could stay in bed for like years.
BLADE: What do you have coming up? What do the next six months look like for you?
RIPPON: Iām on the book tour for two weeks, then right after that I have a few stops and Iām working on a few other things that will be announced soon, which is cool. I also just filmed another series of Breaking the Ice, the little videos on YouTube. Yeah, just stuff like that. Itās all good, nothing super busy.
BLADE: What would you like to be doing in 10 years?
RIPPON: I would love to still be working in entertainment, in comedy, and be successful. Letās see, I donāt know, I just would like to be really successful, have more awards, right? Iām an athlete, I love a good trophy. So I think I really enjoy the kind of stuff Iām doing now and just continue to be a performer but like in a different way. Iād love to still be doing all this in 10 years.
a&e features
āRuPaulās Drag Race: All Starsā cast visits D.C.
8 queens vie for $200,000 prize for charity in new season, premiering May 17
Donning sparkling and star-studded red, white, and blue attire on a gloomy, humid D.C. Monday, the cast of the latest āRuPaulās Drag Race All Starsā season sashayed on the National Mall to promote the reality show’s ninth season.
This upcoming season is different than those in the past ā eight queens are competing for a donation of $200,000 for the charity of their choosing, rather than a personal cash prize.
Several cast members noted how it felt important to visit the nationās capital, being authentically themselves and wearing drag. Nina West, who competed in season 11, likened drag to armor.
āWeāre here during a really specific time in history, that’s, I would say, markedly dark,ā she told the Blade at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. āAnd there’s an opportunity, as drag has always done, which is for our community as specifically LGBTQI+ people, to stand in our truth and be wonderful ā like guardians and fighters for our community.ā
Sheās competing for the Trevor Project, which is focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for young LGBTQ people. This seasonās pivot to compete for charity made Nina West want to come back on the show for the All Stars season. Sheās been offered the spot two times before this, she said, and this twist aligned with what she wanted to do.
Several of the other queens mentioned that itās an honor to be featured in this season, including season 5ās Roxxxy Andrews. She also competed in two subsequent All-Stars seasons.
She chose the organization Miracle of Love, which provides HIV/AIDS prevention programming and assistance in central Florida. Itās a smaller, more local organization, which is why Roxxxy Andrews chose it. She wants to make its work more nationally known. Also, vying to win during a charity season makes the competition feel more rewarding, she said.
Plastique Tiara of season 11 also noted itās different competing for charity. Sheās competing for the Asian American Foundation, which launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and aims to curb discrimination and violence through education and investments in nonprofits.
āIt’s more competitive because then you’re fighting not just only for yourself, but your ideas and the things that you love,ā she said.
Vanessa Vanjie of seasons 10 and 11 agreed that competing for charity adds a bit more pressure ā she chose the ASPCA. And as onlookers near the Lincoln Memorial took pictures of and with the queens, she said she was relieved.Ā
āI was a little bit worried somebody would yell some slurs at us,ā Vanessa Vanjie said. āNothing happened. Everybody came to take pictures like Santa Claus in the middle of the mall.ā
Thereās a range of contestants from different seasons for this round of All Stars. Some queens hail from recent seasons, but Shannel competed on the showās first season. To be a part of this new season is surreal, she said.
Sheās competing for the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, which she has a close tie to. Sheās dealt with anxiety her entire life. The association is focused on increasing awareness and improving diagnosis and treatment.
āI always felt like I just wasn’t normal, sadly,ā she said. āAnd so now being able to be able to do this season and to get back to that organization is like amazing to me.ā
Gottmik, from season 13, is competing for Trans Lifeline ā a nonprofit providing advocacy, a hotline and grants created by trans people, for trans people. Being able to do drag and give back is the āperfect scenario,ā Gottmik said.
Gottmik was the first openly trans man on Drag Race, which was overwhelming when first on the show. Gottmik felt pressure to be the āperfect example,ā but later realized that they didnāt have to worry so much.
āI just want to show people that trans people are real people. We can express ourselves however we want to express ourselves, through drag, through whatever it may be,ā Gottmik said.
The new season will be available to stream on Paramount+ on May 17.Ā
a&e features
Pride season has begun
LGBTQ parades, festivals to be held throughout region in coming months
LGBTQ Pride festivals, parades and other events have been scheduled in large cities and small towns throughout the region. Pride events around the world culminate in June, but organizers in some municipalities have elected to hold celebrations in other months.
Pride in the region has already begun with last weekendās Mr., Miss, and Mx. Capital Pride Pageant held at Penn Social as well as Roanoke Pride Festival held in Elmwood Park in Roanoke, Va.
Below is a list of Pride events coming to the region.
MAY
Capital Trans Pride is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library (901 G St., N.W.). The website for the event advertises workshops, panel discussions, a keynote address, a resource fair and more. transpridewashingtondc.org
Equality Prince William Pride is scheduled for 12-4 p.m. on May 18 at the Harris Pavilion (9201 Center St.) in historic downtown Manassas, Va. equalityprincewilliam.org
D.C. Black Pride holds events throughout the city May 24-27. Highlights include an opening reception, dance parties and a community festival at Fort Dupont Park. The Westin Washington, DC Downtown (999 9th St., N.W.) is the host hotel, with several events scheduled there. dcblackpride.org
NOVA Pride and Safe Space NOVA will hold NOVA Pride Prom from 7-11 p.m. on May 31 at Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Va. The event is open to all high school students throughout the region, regardless of identity, from rising ninth grade students to graduating seniors. novapride.org
Capital Pride Honors will be held on May 31. The Capital Pride Alliance has announced on its website that nominations are open for awardees. The Honors celebrates excellence in the LGBTQ community and its allies. capitalpride.org
JUNE
Downtown Sykesville Connection is sponsoring Sykesville Pride Day in downtown Sykesville, Md. on June 1 from 12-4 p.m. downtownsykesville.com
Reston Pride will be held at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, Va. on June 1 from 12-6 p.m. restonpride.org
Fairfax Pride, hosted by the City of Fairfax and George Mason University, will be held at Old Town Hall (3999 University Drive, Fairfax, Va.) on June 1 from 5-7 p.m. The event will include childrenās activities and more. fairfaxva.gov
OEC Pride celebrates Pride with āart, dance, education, and funā in Old Ellicott City. The OEC Pride Festival is held along Main Street in Ellicott City, Md. on June 1 from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. visitoldellicottcity.com
Annapolis Pride has consistently drawn a giant crowd for a parade and festival in the quaint downtown of the Maryland capital. āThe Voiceā star L. Rodgers has been announced to headline the 2024 festival. The parade and festival will be held on June 1. annapolispride.org
The Alexandria LGBTQ+ Task Force Alexandria Pride is scheduled to be held at Alexandria City Hall from 3 – 6 p.m. on June 1 in Alexandria, Va. alexandriava.gov
The Portsmouth Pride Fest will be held at Festival Park adjacent to the Atlantic-Union Bank Pavilion in Portsmouth, Va. on June 1 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. portsmouthprideva.com
The Delaware Pride Festival is a free event scheduled for June 1 at Legislative Hall in Dover, Del. from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.The event is billed as family friendly and open to people of all ages and sexual orientations. delawarepride.org
The City of Rockville is hosting Rockville Pride at Rockville Town Square (131 Gibbs St., Rockville, Md.) from 2-5 p.m. on June 2. The free event features live performances, information booths, and childrenās activities. rockvillemd.gov
Equality Loudoun is hosting the ticketed Loudoun Pride Festival from 1-7 p.m. on June 2 at Claude Moore Park in Sterling, Va. The event features three stages, a ā#Dragstravaganza,ā a kidās zone, an alcohol pavilion, a food hall and more. Tickets $5. eqloco.com
Culpepper Pride is slated to be held at Mountain Run Winery in Culpepper, Va. from 12-6 p.m. on June 2. The theme this year is āTrue Colors.ā culpeperpride.org
The Southwest Virginia Pride Cookout Community Social is planned for 2 p.m. at the Charles R. Hill Senior Center in Vinton, Va. on June 2. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Capital Pride kicks off with the RIOT! Opening Party at Echostage starting at 9 p.m. on June 7. Tickets run from $27-$50 and can be purchased on the Capital Pride website. The event is set to feature Sapphire CristƔl. capitalpride.org
Pride events continue over the weekend of June 8-9 in the nationās capital with the Capital Pride Block Party featuring performers and a beverage garden, the massive Capital Pride Parade, Flashback: A totally Radical Tea Dance to be held at the end of the parade route, and the Capital Pride Festival and Concert. Visit capitalpride.org for more information. Other Pride events planned for the weekend in D.C. include a number of parties and the unforgettable (and free) Pride on the Pier & Fireworks Show at the Wharf sponsored by the Washington Blade from 2-10 p.m. prideonthepierdc.com
Pride in the āPeake will be held at Summit Pointe (580 Belaire Ave.) in Chesapeake, Va. on June 9 from 12-5 p.m. The family-focused Pride event does not serve alcohol, but will feature community organizations, food trucks and more in a street festival. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Celebrate with a drag show, dancing and a lot of wine at Two Twisted Posts Winery in Purcellville, Va. for a Pride Party from 2-5 p.m. on June 15. twotwistedposts.com
Baltimore Pride holds one of the largest Pride parades in the region on June 15 in Baltimore. (2418 Saint Paul St.). The parade concludes with a block party and festival. Pride events are scheduled from June 14-16. baltimorepride.org
The fourth annual Catonsville Pride Fest will be held at the Catonsville Presbyterian Church (1400 Frederick Rd.) in Catonsville, Md. on June 15 from 3-6 p.m. The event features a High Heel Race, pony rides, face painting, local cuisine and more. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
The Ghent Business District Palace Shops have announced a Ghent Pride event from 5:30-9:30 p.m. on June 17 at the Palace Shops and Station (301 W 21st Street) in Norfolk, Va. ghentnorfolk.org
An event dedicated to celebrating the elders in the LGBTQ community, Silver Pride is scheduled for June 20 at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Location and more information to be announced soon. capitalpride.org
Visit the Hampton Roads PrideFest and Boat Parade for a truly unique Pride experience along the Elizabeth River. The full day of entertainment, education and celebration will be held on June 22 from 12-7 p.m. at Town Point Park (113 Waterside Dr.) in Norfolk, Va. hamptonroadspride.org
Frederick, Md. will hold its annual Frederick Pride Festival at Carroll Creek Linear Park on June 22 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Entertainers include CoCo Montrese of āRuPaulās Drag Race.ā frederickpride.org
The fourth annual Pride at the Beach is scheduled for 2-10 p.m. on June 23 at Neptuneās Park (3001 Atlantic Ave.) in Virginia Beach, Va. The event features entertainment, community vendors, beachside DJ sets, food trucks and offers a āperfect conclusion to an unforgettable Pride weekend.ā hamptonroadspride.org
Winchester Pride will hold its Mx. Winchester Pride Pageant at 15 N. Loudoun St. in Winchester, Va. on June 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door. winchesterpride.com
The organizers of last year’s inaugural Ocean City Pride with a “parade” along the boardwalk in Ocean City, Md. have announced that they will be organizing a return this year with events from June 28-30. instagram.com
The third annual Arlington Pride Festival will be held at Long Bridge Park at National Landing (475 Long Bridge Dr.) in Arlington, Va. on June 29 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. arlvapride.com
FXBG Pride is holding its annual community Fredericksburg Pride March on June 29 from 10-11 a.m. at Riverfront Park (705 Sophia St.) in Fredericksburg, Va. Speeches begin at 10 a.m. and the procession starts at 10:30 a.m. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
Salisbury Pride ā90ās Editionā is scheduled for 3 – 7 p.m. on June 29 in Downtown Salisbury, Md. Magnolia Applebottom is listed as the headliner and grand marshal. salisburyprideparade.com
The 2024 Suffolk Pride Festival is scheduled for Bennettās Creek Park in Suffolk, Va. on June 30 from 12-7 p.m. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.
Expect music, entertainment and drag performances in the picturesque mountain town of Cumberland, Md. at the Cumberland Pride Festival on June 30 from 12-4 p.m. at Canal Place. cumberlandpride.org
Montgomery County’s annual Pride in the Plaza will be held on June 30 from 12-8 p.m. at Veterans Plaza (1 Veterans Place, Silver Spring, Md. liveinyourtruth.org
JULY
The sixth annual Westminster Pride Festival is scheduled for downtown Westminster, Md. on July 13 from 12-6 p.m. westminsterpride.org
Hagerstown Hopes is holding its annual Hagerstown Pride Festival in Doubs Woods Park (1307 Maryland Ave.) in Hagerstown, Md. on July 13 at 11 a.m. Visit the Facebook event page for more information.
The Rehoboth Beach Pride Festival will be held on July 20 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with other Sussex Pride events scheduled throughout the weekend of July 18-21. sussexpride.org
Us Giving Us Richmond hosts Black Pride RVA in Richmond, Va. with events on July 19-21. ugrcrva.org
a&e features
Eastern Shore chef named James Beard Finalist
Harley Peet creates inventive food in an inclusive space
In a small Eastern Shore town filled with boutiques, galleries, and the occasional cry of waterfowl from the Chesapeake, Chef Harley Peet is most at home. In his Viennese-inflected, Maryland-sourced fine-dining destination Bas Rouge, Peet draws from his Northern Michigan upbringing, Culinary Institute of America education, and identity as a gay man, for inspiration.
And recently, Peet was named a James Beard Finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic – the first “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” finalist representing the Eastern Shore.
Peet, after graduation from the Culinary Institute of America, took a position as sous chef at Tilghman Island Inn, not far from Bas Rouge. Falling in love with the Eastern Shore, he continued his passion for racing sailboats, boating, gardening, and fishing, and living his somewhat pastoral life as he opened Bas Rouge in 2016 as head chef, a restaurant part of the Bluepoint Hospitality group, which runs more than a dozen concepts in and around Easton, Md.
Coming from a rural area and being gay, Peet knew he had his work cut out for him. He was always aware that the service and hospitality industry ācan be down and dirty and rough.ā
Now as a leader in the kitchen, he aims to āset a good example, and treat people how I want to be treated. I also want to make sure if youāre at our establishment, Iām the first to stand up and say something.ā
The Bas Rouge cuisine, he says, is Contemporary European. āIām inspired by old-world techniques of countries like Austria, Germany, and France, but I love putting a new spin on classic dishes and finding innovative ways to incorporate the bounty of local Chesapeake ingredients.ā
His proudest dish: the humble-yet-elevated Wiener Schnitzel. āIt is authentic to what one would expect to find in Vienna, down to the Lingonberries.ā From his in-house bakery, Peet dries and grinds the housemade Kaiser-Semmel bread to use as the breadcrumbs.
Peet works to support the LGBTQ community inside and outside of the kitchen. āI love that our Bluepoint Hospitality team has created welcoming spaces where our patrons feel comfortable dining at each of our establishments. Our staff have a genuine respect for one another and work together free of judgment.ā
Representing Bluepoint, Peet has participated in events like Chefs for Equality with the Human Rights Campaign, advocating for LGBTQ rights.
At Bas Rouge, Peet brings together his passion for inclusion steeped in a sustainability ethic. He sees environmental stewardship as a way of life. Peet and his husband have lived and worked on their own organic farm for several years. Through research in Europe, he learned about international marine sourcing. Witnessing the impacts of overfishing, Peet considers his own role in promoting eco-friendly practices at Bas Rouge. To that end, he ensures responsible sourcing commitments through his purveyors, relationships that have helped create significant change in how people dine in Easton.
āI have built great relationships in the community and thereās nothing better than one of our long-standing purveyors stopping in with a cooler of fresh fish from the Chesapeake Bay. This goes especially for catching and plating the invasive blue catfish species, which helps control the speciesā threat to the local ecosystem.
Through his kitchen exploits, Peet expressed a unique connection to another gay icon in a rural fine-dining restaurant: Patrick OāConnell, of three Michelin starred Inn at Little Washington. In fact, Peetās husband helped design some of OāConnellās kitchen spaces. Theyāve both been able to navigate treacherous restaurant-industry waters, and have come out triumphant and celebrated. Of OāConnell, Peet says that he āsees [his restaurants] as canvas, all artistry, he sees this as every night is a show.ā But at the same time, his ājudgment-free space makes him a role model.ā
Being in Easton itself is not without challenges. Sourcing is a challenge, having to either fly or ship in ingredients, whereas urban restaurants have the benefit of trucking, he says. The small town āis romantic and charming,ā but logistics are difficult ā one of the reasons that Peet ensures his team is diverse, building in different viewpoints, and also āmaking things a hell of a lot more fun.ā
Reflecting on challenges and finding (and creating) space on the Eastern Shore, Peet confirmed how important it was to surround himself with people who set a good example, and āif you donāt like the way something is going … move on.ā