WorldPride, a global celebration of LGBTQ+ rights, is coming to Washington, D.C., next year as the nation’s capital celebrates its 50th Pride anniversary.

What You Need To Know

  • Washington, D.C., will host WorldPride 2025 from May 22 to June 8

  • The celebration will coincide with the 50th anniversary of pride celebrations in the nation’s capital

  • Capital Pride Alliance expects about 2 million visitors throughout the two weeks of events

  • Events will include a sports festival, a dance party, and a concert on the national mall

In preparation for the event, Capital Pride Alliance, which hosts LGBTQ+ Pride festivities year-round in the capital region, used this year’s “Totally Radical” events as a dress rehearsal, starting with the parade.

The parade took a longer route this year, spreading from 14th street to Pennsylvania Avenue. Although this new march through the city did not pass through DuPont Circle – a historically gay neighborhood in DC – the 17th Street Block Party still raged on.

“As the parade has grown over the years, it's been an ongoing discussion how to ensure that we can expand – still honor again that local heritage here in DuPont – but also acknowledging that the community is spreading,” explains Ryan Bos, the Executive Director of Capital Pride Alliance. “So that, coupled with the fact that we know for WorldPride, we need to provide a bigger space, a bigger tapestry. So we need to rehearse!”

The parade this year featured celebrities Keke Palmer and Billy Porter.

“The benefit of bringing folks that have a name is it enhances the visibility, so it provides more of that platform to hopefully provide new opportunities to new artists and up and coming artists as well,” said Bos.

D.C. Pride already welcomes thousands of guests from outside the city, like MarLa Duncan of New York. She attended this year’s gathering in honor of her best friend’s brother, a trans man who recently passed away. When it comes to celebrating pride, she says “we need it more than ever.”  

“They’re so divisive sometimes in D.C. that like to have a weekend where we’re just like all supporting each other, and we have like the good vibes and love feeling is something that I think is awesome,” said Duncan.

David Stacy, Vice President of Government Affairs at the Human Rights Campaign says that while the tide is turning, the LGBTQ+ community is still fighting for equal rights. Stacy cited a House bill aimed at banning the participation of transgender girls and women in athletic events. Supporters of the bill say it is necessary in order to protect female athletes and promote fair competition.

In a statement obtained by Spectrum News, Stacy says “more than ever, Congress must pass the Equality Act, to provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ Americans across key areas of life.”

Bos acknowledges fears of homophobia and violence toward the LGBTQ+ community, and calls on legislators to act: “It's time to stand up and to say, you know, let's return to a place of civility and acceptance and love, and let's allow ourselves to be our authentic selves.”

But as Bos and his team prepare for World Pride, he remains optimistic and calls back to the foundations that permeate the Pride celebrations of today.

“You know, the first Pride was a combination of marching in the streets, but also dancing in the streets, and the act of dancing, being yourself and being joyous with folks who you can identify with, that's an act of protest when people are telling you, you shouldn't be able to do that,” said Bos.

World Pride comes to D.C. from May 23rd to June 8th. Events will include a sports festival, a dance party, and a concert on the National Mall.