Festival

Festival.

Entertainment & Activities

2013 celebrates the 17^th year the Capital Pride Street Festival returns to Pennsylvania Avenue between 3^rd and 7^th Streets.  The US Capitol has served as the iconic backdrop to the Capitol Stage for hundreds of performances from local and national entertainers, politicians, and activists.  Since its inception, the Festival has grown and evolved, and this year is no exception, starting with extended evening hours to enjoy the US Capitol with a sunset dance party.  The new festival exhibit hours are 12pm – 7pm; and the main stage will go on until sunset.

The Festival is DC’s largest annual one-day event with over 150,000 visitors, almost 300 sponsor & vendor exhibits, three stages, two beverage gardens, a family area, Taste AT Pride, Art in Pride and numerous food vendors offering a huge selection of various cuisines.  The Festival has continuously sold out of vendor spaces for 10+ years due to the overwhelming support of our sponsors and local businesses that want to reach our community. 

Please consider supporting the festival with either a $10-$20 donation as you enter the festival; or, volunteer your time that day.  200+ volunteers (click here to volunteer) are needed to ensure a great and safe experience for all – and we need your help.  It wouldn’t be Capital Pride without our amazing volunteers, sponsors, community partners and exhibiting organizations that line Pennsylvania Avenue.  

CAPITOL STAGE AND NELLIE’S BEVERAGE GARDEN: 

Featured Headliners:

Click here for more information and to listen to their music.

We have extended the length of the Beverage Garden that is closest to 3^rd Street, NW to provide revelers the best view of the US Capitol and the chance to experience the Capitol Stage energy all while enjoying your favorite Absolut cocktail, Bud Light, or Shocktop and Barefoot Wines.  We thank all of our sponsors and Nellie’s, as their support goes a long way in producing the Festival and underwriting the cost of the infrastructure.  We will be closing out the Festival this year with a Dance Party after the last headline performance on the Capitol Stage.

Monument Dance Tent and Bud Light Beverage Garden

Due to an overwhelming demand, a dance tent has been added to the numerous activities offered at the Festival. The Monument Dance Tent will highlight some of the best local DJ’s and offer the best escape from the heat using the Freeze X cold air blast system. 

Dupont Stage

Sit, eat, relax and enjoy a variety of talent at the new Dupont Stage.  The lineup will consist of entertaining drag performances and a variety of talent that will be able to provide full sets of music for your enjoyment.  We are excited to have two out and proud independent songwriters headline this stage, Tom Goss and Eric Himan.

Taste @ Pride

The Taste @ Pride experience will be heavily enhanced this year.  Now located inside the Nellie’s Beverage Garden at the Capitol Stage, T@P ticketholders will be able to continue to enjoy the entertainment from the Capitol Stage along with outstanding food selections from some of our great area restaurants. Ticketholders can expect a VIP experience with tastings from micro-brews and Barefoot Wines.  Stop by the Information booth at 6^th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue to purchase your ticket.

Pride in Art

The festival committee is also strengthening its connection to the visual arts with a new zone for 2013.  Located between 6th and Constitution on Pennsylvania Avenue, Capital Pride and One in Ten, two non-profit organizations dedicated to LGBTA educational and cultural activism are teaming up to produce, “Pride in Art,”  a showcase of LGBTA artisans at the annual street festival.  The Pride in Art theme is “Inspiration” to coincide with Capital Pride’s “Unleash the Superhero in You” 2013 theme.

Click Here to Register for Pride In Art at the Capital Pride Festival.

Family Area

The family area is in it’s 4th year at the Pride Festival. The festival committee will once again ‘up their game’ to provide a safe and fun place for kids and parents to enjoy the day. New for this summer will be a 30 foot high inflatable water slide that will provide necessary relief to the summer heat.  The water slide combined with misting tents provided by DC Water are part of an effort from Capital Pride to continue to grow the festival in a creative and comfortable setting.  The family area will also host food vendors, face painters, and covered tables and chairs.

Demonstration Tent

The Demo Tent is returning this year and will feature performances, classes and informational sessions from local groups.  Their members are ready to capture your interest and highlight their talents.  Previous participants have included the DC Lambda Squares teaching square dance lessons and a skate clinic by the DC Roller Girls. 

Greening Pride

The Capital Pride Green Initiative was established in 2008 to encourage and support sustainability.  Over the years, our events have become increasingly sustainably conscious by providing recycling facilities at events and recognizing vendors who have committed to sustainable practices.  Each year, thousands of pounds of recyclables are collected.  The “Green Vendor” program publicly recognizes vendors who make a commitment to avoid wasteful practices while actively preserving and protecting our natural resources.  Last year, recycling expanded to the Capital Pride Parade, with a contingent walking the route and collecting recyclable materials from the crowd.  This will be one of the greenest Pride celebrations in the country.  Going forward, we plan to introduce composting and require vendor use of 100% recyclable and/or compostable consumable requirement disposable materials, as well as identify ways to make Capital Pride more carbon neutral.

Pets

The festival is family friendly, however due to large crowds and very hot asphalt, we recommend that 4-legged family members (pets) stay at home.

Want to participate as an Exhibitor?

Registration for exhibitors is available at www.capitalpride.org/register.  Rates and additional information is also available on that page.  The festival is expected to sell out around Memorial Day; register soon to guarantee your space.

Food vendor applications are currently on a wait-list.  If you would like to be added to the wait-list, please email festival@capitalride.org and ask to be added to the list.