WASHINGTON — For the second year in a row, the Capital Pride Alliance has announced that the annual Pride Parade and Festival, scheduled for June, will be postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Neither new dates nor concrete plans were immediately announced, but the Capital Alliance's statement implied that they'd be looking into virtual programming for the summer, with an aim of holding new activities, if it's safe, in the fall.
"We are in the midst of a new chapter for Pride," Capital Pride Alliance's statement began. "Due to the ongoing pandemic, we will not be able to celebrate a traditional Pride this June. However, the Capital Pride Alliance is actively working to create unique and inspiring opportunities this Pride month in place of our usual festivities. In addition, with Fall 2021 looking more promising, we will work with the city to identify the safest ways to celebrate and create new traditions this October."
Capital Pride Alliance said it hoped to create a "new take on the traditional parade" and they'll look to continue programming created in 2020 such as Pride Talks and the web-series Pride in the City. The first-ever Pride Summit - with the theme of Still We Lead -- was also held in February 2020.
In June 2020, D.C. installed a permanent Pride crosswalk at 17th and P Streets near Dupont Circle, choosing an updated version of the Pride flag to include the colors of the Transgender Pride flag and black and brown to represent LGBTQ people of color.
"The passion, determination, and talent expressed by members of our community, in light of progress made and challenges placed on the LGBTQ+ community, has allowed us to expand the role Pride plays and how we are able to experience it," Capital Alliance said. "In the coming weeks, we will be able to provide the community with a more detailed understanding of what to expect for 2021. Our community’s success depends on all of us!"
The Capital Pride Alliance, located in the District, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and its partners through educational events, entertainment, community outreach, and celebrations of diversity throughout the year.
Capital Pride produces several pride weeks and events each year, such as Trans Pride, API Pride and the Pride Celebration in the Nation’s Capital, one of the largest Pride events in the country, which includes the Pride Parade, Festival, and Concert, plus a variety of educational and community events throughout the year.
"Pride in the Nation’s Capital" will celebrate a huge milestone --50 years -- in 2025, and organizers announced they will focus both on bringing the community together for "large-scale" events in 2022 and 2025.
