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Baltimore Pride to hold annual ‘50 Shades of Pride’ festival

Event kicks off with June 9 happy hour at EMA’s Corner

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A scene from the 2024 Baltimore Pride Parade. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Hosting its “50 Shades of Pride” anniversary, Baltimore Pride will have various events from June 9-15 to celebrate the LGBTQ community.  

Kicking off with an opening happy hour with good vibes, music, and signature drinks on June 9, community members can head to EMA’s Corner for a night of joy, community, and bold self-expression. 

According to Baltimore Pride’s website, attendees from 5-9 p.m. can show off their “unique shade of Pride” by dressing down or going full glam.  

Hosting another happy hour on June 11 from 5-9 p.m., the Manor in Mount Vernon allows attendees to “sip, socialize, and celebrate 50 years of Baltimore Pride in style.” Filled with Insta-worthy photo moments, signature cocktails, and feel-good Pride anthems played by a live DJ, this event will promote community, connection, and culture. 

Ditching the drinks for a flag in hand, Baltimore Pride is taking over Mount Vernon for a vibrant block-style celebration June 13 from 3-8 p.m. 

Mount Vernon Pride will be filled with live music, art installations and community vendors, food trucks and an outdoor bar, Pride merch, dance zones, and hangout lounges. The event is free and open to all ages, taking place on Park Avenue and Read Street. 

Giving you some time to enjoy Mount Vernon Pride, Baltimore Pride’s Twilight on the Terrace will take place from 7-11 p.m. on June 13, giving attendees “a night of dancing under the stars, fine food, open bar, and great music.”

The “original Dreamgirl herself,” and Tony award and Grammy-award winner Jennifer Holliday, will grace the stage at M&T Bank Exchange at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center with her “soul-stirring vocals and electrifying presence” for an unforgettable night.  

Attendees are able to mix and mingle over signature cocktails and gourmet bites before and after the show with community leaders, culture icons, and changemakers at the Gala Reception. 

Limited seating is available, and attendees are expected to “dress to impress.” 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Baltimore Pride will host its annual Pride parade on Charles Street and North Avenue on June 14 at 12 p.m. Floats, dancers, DJs, and marching bands will walk along that route that “winds through the heart of Baltimore.”  

Onlookers are able to cheer from the sidelines of the parade while drag queens and community organizations celebrate LGBTQ joy, history, and resistance. 

The event will also feature announcers and special guest appearances. 

Admission is free for all ages, and attendees are encouraged to bring flags, signs, and lots of energy. 

Shutting down Charles Street once again, Baltimore Pride is hosting its annual Block Party.

From 3 p.m. until sunset on June 14, headliner and rapper Lola Brooke will perform as attendees visit local vendors, food trucks, street eats, dance zones, and more. 

Giving community members a chance to interact with 10 local drag entertainers, Baltimore Pride is hosting its own Pride drag brunch at 1611 Guilford Ave. on June 15. Filled with “jaw-dropping performances” with brunch and drinks included with purchase, attendees can be prepared to “slay” their Sunday and honor the “many shades, styles, and stories” that make up the LGBTQ community.  

Doors open at noon with the show starting at 1:15 p.m. with a $20 admission fee.

Ending its week of celebration, Baltimore Pride is hosting Pride in the Park from 12-6 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. Community members are invited to celebrate “a day of love, laughter, and community in the heart of nature.”

Attendees will have lots to choose from for entertainment with live performances from special guests, like singer and songwriter Durand Bernarr and gospel singer Kelly Pride, community vendors, food trucks, and a family zone with arts, games, and activities. Pet-friendly with a variety of opportunities for photo ops and giveaways, this event is free with an RSVP and open to all to celebrate the LGBTQ community authentically and unapologetically. 

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Baltimore

Baltimore’s oldest gay bar to reopen this week

Leon’s owner Ron Singer died in July

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Leon’s, the oldest gay bar in Mount Vernon, will reopen Wednesday. (Photo by Kaitlin Newman for the Baltimore Banner)

By JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | Those legendary heavy-handed pours, spirited karaoke and trivia nights, and groan-worthy wall-to-wall patrons on packed nights are back!

Leon’s will live to see another day.

Baltimore’s oldest gay bar, which opened in the 1950s, closed in July following the death of its owner, Ron Singer.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Baltimore

Charles Bowers, former owner of Baltimore gay bar the Hippo, dies

Prominent activist died at his Mount Vernon home

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Charles Bowers. (Courtesy of Cathy Bowers)

By WESLEY CASE | Charles “Chuck” Bowers, former owner of the storied Baltimore gay club the Hippo and a prominent advocate for Maryland’s LGBTQ community, died Tuesday. He was 81.

Bowers turned the Mount Vernon club — located at the corner of North Charles and West Eager streets — into a judgment-free refuge for queer and straight locals looking to find and express their authentic selves on a packed dance floor.

“He truly tried to make the Hippo a place for everybody — a safe space,” said an emotional Rik Newton-Treadway, who befriended his “mentor” Bowers at the club in 1979.

Bowers, of Mount Vernon, died Tuesday evening in Baltimore of natural causes, said his niece, Cathy Bowers.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Baltimore

Transgender woman killed in Barclay community mourned by friends, advocates

Sophie Lee shot to death on Friday morning

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Sophie Lee, 27, was found shot to death in Baltimore early Friday. (Photo courtesy of Baltimore Safe Haven)

By DARREONNA DAVIS | Denise Johnson imagined spending Sunday with her daughter, Sophie Lee, eating crabs at the park. Instead, she stood on a Barclay street corner Sunday evening surrounded by nearly 100 people who came to remember her daughter, a transgender woman who was fatally shot there Friday.

The 27-year-old woman was found in the 2400 block of North Calvert Street around 1:15 a.m. Friday, Baltimore Police said in a news release.

Lindsey Eldridge, a police department spokesperson, said it’s unclear if her identity had anything to do with her death and the investigation is ongoing.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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