WASHINGTON — The nation’s capital celebrated the 38th annual “Capital Pride” this past week, culminating with a parade Saturday attended by over 100,000 spectators, lining the streets in the Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods of northwest Washington.
D.C.’s political leaders — including Eleanor Holmes-Norton, the district’s sole U.S. congressional representative; Mayor Vincent Gray; and D.C. City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, along with several other members of the city council — marched in the parade, joining grand marshals, actress Lynda Carter and U.S. Army Brigadier Gen. Tammy S. Smith, the first openly lesbian flag officer to serve in the U. S. military.
The parade, which was first held in 1981, has grown to include numerous organizations that serve Washington’s LGBT community along with national organizations such as PFLAG, and the Trevor Project; also participating are numerous national service groups and major corporations including GEICO and Wells Fargo.
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Sunday’s Pride festival on Pennsylvania Avenue between Seventh Street and the intersection of Constitution Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue near the U.S. Capitol, offered Pride-goers food tents, a beer garden, 2 stages for entertainment, tents for service organizations and LGBTQ friendly corporations. Nearly 200 separate groups, companies or organizations participated.
Photos by Brody Levesque, LGBTQ Nation.
