Out And Proud: WorldPride DC

This Pride season marks a significant milestone in LGBTQ+ history: the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations in Washington, DC. To commemorate this, the Capital Pride Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to organizing and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community, is hosting the 2025 WorldPride celebration in DC.

“I’m very excited about the entire WorldPride 2025 experience, but if I had to highlight specific events, I would definitely say the parade is something everyone should witness. It’s a powerful display of visibility, resilience, and unity,” Rahul Upadhay, the co-president of InterPride, tells GO. “Alongside that, the Human Rights Conference is incredibly important, as it provides a platform for critical discussions on LGBTQ+ rights globally.” 

WorldPride’s 2025 theme, “The Fabric of Freedom,” celebrates each member of the LGBTQ+ community as a thread that, when woven together, create a colorful and resilient fabric. Come May, WorldPride events will begin draping the nation’s capital in rainbow colors.

Mark Your Calendars

Starting on May 16, DC Latinx Pride, whose 2025 theme is “¡Libre Soy!,” will be hosting a number of signature events, such as parties, political conversations, sacred healing rituals, and much more.

Trans Pride DC will take place on May 17, offering a full day of trans-focused programming. This year is especially important, given the current wave of anti-trans legislation in the U.S., which organizers are addressing with legal workshops throughout the day. 

The Queer and Trans Asian and Pacific Islander Coalition kicks off API Pride 2025: A Vibrant Tapestry of Unity on May 17, honoring the API LGBTQ+ community with panel discussions, film screenings, social gatherings, and more fun festivities.

Do we have any history buffs in the house? From May 17 to June 8, Beyond the Landmarks, a queer-owned walking tour business, is offering two distinct history and culture tours—“Beyond the Closet” explores DC’s LGBTQ+ movement throughout history, and “Beyond the Insurrection” explores the history of political and social protest on the National Mall.

Located along the parade route, the Pickets, Protests and Parades exhibit from May 17 to July 7 at Freedom Plaza tells the history of Gay Pride in Washington through the voices of event organizers. 

May 23 will mark the beginning of DC Black Pride, which has been celebrated since the ‘90s. The three-day celebration will host a number of parties and the Capital House Music Festival. 

For all the film lovers in the area, you won’t want to miss the WorldPride Film Festival running May 27 to May 29 across various venues in DC. A collaboration between the WorldPride Arts and Culture Committee and the Queer Film Institute, the festival will feature LGBTQ+ films of all genres and lengths. 

If you’re longing to get your heart rate up, join the Capital Cup Sports Festival from May 28 to June 4. This multi-day sports festival will feature over 20 sports from classics like basketball and golf to Esports, rowing, rock climbing, and pickleball. 

WorldPride’s marquee events begin to take over DC on May 31 with 2025’s Welcome Ceremony and Concert, which will honor the 50th anniversary of Capital Pride. This year’s headliner will be the one and only Shakira, who will bring her ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour’ to Nationals Park following the ceremony. 

Throughout the celebration, there are endless options for live entertainment across the city. Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe will share the Anthem stage on June 5 in an iconic joint show. You can catch Bob the Drag Queen and Monet X Change at the Lincoln Theatre on June 5 for a live show of their podcast, Sibling Rivalry. Betty Who, Perfume Genius and others will also be performing throughout the city. Shows and parties are still being announced so make sure to check worldpridedc.org for more details. 

A more relaxing option might be the International Pride Orchestra Celebration Concert on June 5. The performance will be hosted by drag performer Peaches Christ at the Strathmore Music Center and will feature conductors Robert Moody, Bonnie Alger, and Michael Roest. 

On June 6, Full Bloom, a night of “floral abandon” and House Down Boots: WorldPride Boots will celebrate everyone’s inner queer club kid with numerous floors of queer DJs. Or you could head to the Starline party on June 7 at 10 pm. Presented by the Capital Pride Alliance and KINETIC, the party will feature three stages, over 100,000+ sq. ft. of dance floor, and performances from world-renowned DJs.

Four floors. Five bars. Five thousand queer women, femmes, trans and non-binary baddies. Unravelled: The Official Women’s Party on June 7, will feature an all-female DJ lineup from 10 pm–4 am.

From June 6-7, the Global Dance Party Music Festival will light up RFK Festival Grounds with a star-studded lineup including Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, Kim Petras, Paris Hilton, RuPaul, and others. 

You can also take a trip down to the waterfront to experience the Pride on the Pier celebration on June 6 and 7. Free to the public, the pier will offer a DJ, dancing, vendors, and drinks. On June 7, the pier will light up with a free fireworks display at 9 pm.

The event’s big moment, the WorldPride Parade, will take place on June 7. Starting at 1 pm, the 1.8-mile route will “transform Pennsylvania Avenue into a color corridor of joy with the iconic U.S. Capitol as a stunning backdrop.” Spectators will watch the procession down America’s Main Street from the bleachers at Freedom Plaza. 

Following the parade, attendees can head over to the WorldPride Street Festival and Concerts, with hundreds of exhibitors, artists, and delicious food and beverage gardens. Free to the public, you will not want to miss headliners Cynthia Erivo on June 7 and Doechii on June 8, as well as other performers from all over the world. 

As we all must remember, Pride is and always has been a protest. The International March on Washington on June 8 will give Pride-
goers a space to demand freedom and come together in resistance. The march route will proceed from the Lincoln Memorial, through the grand avenues of DC for optimum visibility, and will culminate at the U.S. Capitol Building. 

Concerns Mount—WorldPride Prepares

While organizers prepare for the exciting events ahead, the shadow of dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is looming over this year’s WorldPride. Fears for the safety of attendees have caused InterPride, a global network of 375 Pride organizations in over 70 countries, to issue a travel advisory for trans individuals visiting the U.S., due to current legislation surrounding passport gender identity. Egale Canada, one of the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in Canada, announced its members will not be attending WorldPride in order to protect its trans and nonbinary staff members. The African Human Rights Coalition called for a total boycott of WorldPride because of the U.S. government’s anti-LGBTQ+ actions.  

Upadhay acknowledges that the fears and concerns are valid. He tells GO the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty created by the administration has already caused sponsors to become hesitant and even pull out completely. 

However, Upadhay ensured that safety is of the utmost importance at this year’s WorldPride. “The Capital Pride Alliance team is working with the Mayor’s Special Events Task Group (MSETG), the Metropolitan Police Department, Homeland Security, Capitol Police, and the National Park Police to develop a comprehensive security plan that ensures the safety of all attendees,” he tells GO. InterPride has also worked with the Capital Pride Alliance to provide official invitation letters to assist with visa applications of international attendees.

Upadhay remains sure that congregating in the nation’s capital is more important than ever, despite the challenges. “Hosting WorldPride in the capital of the United States sends a bold statement to those who continuously try to erase us: we are here, we will not be silenced, and we will not back down,” he says. “This is our moment to stand together, to show that no administration, no policy, and no amount of opposition can erase us. Pride is, and will always be, a movement of resistance.”