It’s not often that the Capitol gets mistaken for the Justice League’s Hall of Justice. Certainly, the George Washington University campus doesn’t look at all like the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. And even if there may be a bat or two hiding in the remains of the Dupont Underground, it’s no Bat Cave.
With Capital Pride’s 2013 theme, ”Unleash the Superhero in You,” D.C. will nonetheless take on a hint of Gotham City. Or, considering the Saturday parade’s ”super grand marshal,” maybe not so much Gotham as the island of Themyscira, birthplace of Wonder Woman.
”Maybe we should’ve called her ‘wonder’ grand marshal?” Capital Pride Executive Director Ryan Bos laughs, referring to the role Lynda Carter – primetime TV’s Wonder Woman from 1975 to 1979 – has with this year’s Capital Pride Parade. Whatever her title, Bos seems thrilled to have Carter join in the festivities and enhance the theme.
”I’m excited about the energy from the community,” says Bos of the build up to the June 8 parade and the following day’s Capital Pride Festival – build up that began just about the time that the 2012 festival wrapped up. ”We’re hoping that people really take advantage of our theme this year, come out in costume, have fun. But also really take the opportunity to network and really see the great work from the many organizations and businesses that are part of our community.”
There are also some changes to the parade and festival that might excite.
With the Saturday parade, the big change is a turn. Left, that is, on 14th Street, leading to the parade’s new ending spot at 14th and R Streets NW, versus the Thomas Circle end of recent years.
”There are a number of businesses that have sprung up along 14th Street, from P Street to where we’re going to end around R Street,” says Bernie Delia, chairman and president of Capital Pride. ”We think there’s an increased opportunity to have more people participate at that stage of the parade. The happy coincidence is that this year Whitman-Walker is the presenting sponsor of the parade, and we’ll be ending right there by their building.”
Whitman-Walker Health, the community health center with a special focus on HIV/AIDS and the LGBT community, is understandably excited about the new route. WWH released a statement June 3 sharing that excitement.
Capital Pride Festival Capitol Stage
Emcees Destiny B. Childs and Jerry Houston
12 NOON National anthem by Shadina Destiny B. Childs Mr. & Mrs. Capital Pride Kisha Alure, “Déjà Vu” Julie Weldon
1 PM Michelle Raymond Band Justin Utley Jessica Betts
2 PM Billy Winn Maxine Blue & The Empire DC Eric Himan Gurly Show Sonic Transducers
3 PM E-Cleff Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. Roxxxy Andrews of RuPaul’s Drag Race Ella Fitzgerald and Ziegfeld’s Shadina
4 PM Freddie’s Follies Emeli Sandé
5 PM EnKore Dance Co. Dance Manifesto Adam Barta Alaska ThunderFuck of RuPaul’s Drag Race
6 PM Icona Pop Ladies of Town / D Brown Sasha Gradiva
7 PM Jinkx Monsoon of RuPaul’s Drag Race Mayor Vincent Gray Cher Lloyd
8 PM Capitol Sunset Dance Party with DJ Keenan Orr and DJ Twin
All listings courtesy Capital Pride, subject to change.
”We couldn’t be more excited about having the Parade come past our building at 14th and R Streets,” Don Blanchon, WWH executive director, says in the statement. ”For the first time ever, we get to lead the community to our home. And we hope that they will come back repeatedly to get the high quality health care they deserve.”
WWH’s Monday statement also details how the health center will be participating at the festival the following day. While WWH will offer free HIV testing and be signing up participants for October’s AIDS Walk, per usual, come June 9 visitors to Whitman-Walker’s booth can also get vaccinated for meningitis, which has reared its head in recent months in gay communities in New York and California. The vaccine will be offered for $150 per shot – with HIV-negative people needing one shot, two if you’re HIV-positive. WWH will also be explaining new aesthetic services, such as dermal fillers.
Capital Pride has its own changes set for the festival, the biggest of which is timing, shifting everything an hour later, with exhibitors running noon to 7 p.m., and the Capitol Stage going till sunset.
“We’re ending with a DJ in a dance tent,” says Delia. “We would like to make better use of our ideal location with the Capitol as a backdrop. It’s pretty impressive, and we want to take full advantage of that. So we’ll be having this party as the sun is setting [and] the lights are going up on the Capitol in the background.”
Time tweaks aside, it’s the stage that can make or break a big festival, and Delia is more than satisfied by what Capital Pride has put together for the Sunday showpiece.
”We’ve got three great headliners – phenomenal headliners,” promises Delia. ”We’re going to have a very packed Pennsylvania Avenue of people coming down to listen to Cher Lloyd, Emeli Sandé and Icona Pop. We’re very, very pleased we were able to secure them. Everybody’s very excited about them and the three finalists from RuPaul’s Drag Race, as well as a number of other acts.”
When it comes to hard acts to follow though, Capital Pride may be its own worst enemy, making its signature events bigger and adding more of them to fill the year. Come July, for example, Capital Pride will strike again with a party at Six Flags America in Maryland.
”I want to stress that ‘Pride 365’ represents a couple things, not just events that we do throughout the year,” says Bos. ”It also represents the many events that our organizations and businesses do throughout the year that support our community. We see it as our role as Capital Pride to support, promote and encourage these great works.”
Bos adds that it takes money to keep the events coming. To that end, Capital Pride suggests festival attendees make a donation of $10 to $20 to keep the festival going strong.
Monument Stage
12 NOON DJ Rosie
1:15 PM DJ MadScience
2:30 PM DJ Chord
3:45 PM DJ Tim-E
5 PM DJ Wess
6:15 PM DJ Keenan Orr DJ Twin
All listings courtesy Capital Pride, subject to change.
Dupont Stage
12 NOON 1Luv Diamond B. Dolittle Chip J. Adams
1 PM Gucci Renee Blackwell Shaunda Leer Shelby Blake Stephyns Mr. Capital Pride Miss Capital Pride Coco B. Colby Muffy Blake Stephyns Jessica Spaulding Deverreoux Charity B
2 PM Xavier Bottoms Ophelia Bottoms DC Front Runners Special Agent Galactica
3 PM Kevin Yee 1Luv Ryan Cassata DC Swing / D.C.’s Different Drummers Lindsay Katt Julia Weldon
5 PM Justin Utley
5:30 PM Eric Himan and the Soultre Singers
All listings courtesy Capital Pride, subject to change.
The Capital Pride Alliance, producer of the annual Capital Pride celebration, is inviting community members to its annual "Capital Pride Reveal" at 7 p.m. on February 26 at the Schuyler at the Hamilton Hotel.
The party serves as the official kickoff to a year of Pride-themed festivities, culminating in a parade, festival, and concert on June 20 and 21. It will be the 51st Pride celebration in the nation's capital.
At the Reveal Party, organizers will unveil a theme that ties together the upcoming year's festivities. The evening's program features updates, insights into future programming, and announcements from Pride's diversity partners, including AAPI Pride, DC Black Pride, DC Latinx Pride, Military Pride, Silver Pride, Trans Pride Washington DC, Women's Pride, and Youth Pride.
At its annual reveal party, the Capital Pride Alliance unveiled the theme for 2026 Capital Pride: "Exist. Resist. Have the Audacity!"
The theme is rooted in what the organization calls "the undeniable truth that our existence is not up for debate," and serves as a call for the community to "live loudly and proudly, stand firm against injustice and erasure, and embody the collective strength that has always defined the LGBTQ+ community."
"This year's theme is both a declaration and a demand," said Ryan Bos, CEO and president of the Capital Pride Alliance, in a statement. "'Exist. Resist. Have the Audacity!' reflects the resilience of our community and our responsibility to protect the progress we've made. As we look toward our nation's 250th anniversary, we affirm that LGBTQ+ people have always been and always will be a part of the United States' history, and we will continue shaping its future with strength and resolve."
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