Capital Pride Parade & Festival

Contingent & Exhibitor Resources

Photo Credit: Zachary Hatgimisios

Orientation

We will be hosting the Parade and Festival Orientation in May 2026. We have included our 2025 orientation below for reference.

*Please not that there may be changes and that you will be required to attend the 2026 orientation.

2025 Festival and Parade Orientation Recording

Parade Staging & Disbursement

Information coming soon.

Festival Exhibitor Information

BOOTH SPACE:

Each exhibit space is tented and measures 10’x10′ and comes with one table and two chairs (electrical power is an additional charge).  Space is extremely tight and there are neighbors on both sides of exhibits, so exhibitors must remain within the 10’x10’ booth footprint.  If additional space is required, please mark your interest for an additional booth on your application or reach out for assistance.
There is a two-booth maximum per exhibitor/organization.
No personal pop-up tents will be allowed on-site.
Exhibitors will be notified not later than June 1 of their assigned booth color zone and booth number.

LOAD-IN:

Exhibitors should arrive at their assigned arrival time. Please refer to your booth assignment instructions. Do not arrive before your assigned arrival time, as the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) will not permit vehicle access onto the site due to the continued work of the festival contractors.
Entry location will be shared at a later date.
Vehicles are allowed 15 minutes to unload.

LOAD-OUT:

Festival exhibiting ends at 7:00PM. All on-site sales must be completed PRIOR to 7:00PM.
Exhibitors may begin breakdown at 7:00PM; however, vehicles may not be allowed on Pennsylvania Avenue until much later. The decision to allow vehicles is at MPD’s discretion; Capital Pride management cannot influence the decision, which is a safety and security issue. Your cooperation with ending sales and closing down your booth in a timely manner will expedite this process.

ON-SITE SALES: All exhibitors selling items are required to file and submit payment to the District of Columbia for all sales generated at the event. Failure to report your sales tax may result in city fines and disqualification of participating in future Capital Pride events.

SALES TAX: https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/special-events

Review all Festival exhibitor Terms & Conditions.

Parade Contingent Guidelines

Summary

Floats must have safety rails installed.
Floats can be no taller than 13′ from the ground to avoid trees along the route. Floats should be no longer than 42′ in length.
Drive safely and observe all parade officials and police.
Maintain parade speed and stay within 20′ of the contingent in front of you.
No stopping for performances.
Sirens are NOT permitted.
Gently toss giveaways, do NOT throw them.*
Review all Parade Terms & Conditions.

*Capital Pride discourages plastic beads and disposable water bottles as throwables. These plastic products have been shown to cause serious harm to marine ecosystems and have clogged DC street drains. While planning your organization’s parade contingent, be mindful of the environmental impacts of the materials you are using and distributing.

Food Vendor Information

All food vendors are required to submit COI naming Capital Pride Alliance as additional insured. All COIs must be submitted to the Food Vendor Manager no later than May 1.

LOAD-IN: Food Vendors may begin set-up as early as 8:00am. Upon request and approval, food vendors may be allowed to setup the night prior.

ICE SALES: Will take place onsite at the information booth located at the 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave intersection.

PROPANE OR OPEN FLAME PERMIT: https://dcwebforms.dc.gov/fems/permit1/

All vendors using propane or open flame are required to obtain a permit from DC Fire. Click on the link above and select Permit in the first box; Propane Use – Special Event or Open Flame in the second box. Contact Lt. Barnes at [email protected] with any questions. Vendors cannot purchase permits onsite and will not be allowed to use propane or open flame without the permit.

SALES TAX: https://otr.cfo.dc.gov/page/special-events

All vendors are required to file and submit payment for all sales generated at the event. Failure to report your sales tax may result in city fines and disqualification of participating in future Capital Pride events.

Department of Health Requirements

Special Event Guidelines and Checklist – 455.9 KB (pdf)
Checklist for Special Events safe food handling operations – 86.5 KB (pdf)
DOH Food Vendor Guidelines
DOH Onsite Checklist

DOE Sustainability Requirements

Review Festival Food Vendor Terms and Conditions.

Resources

ACE HARDWARE – www.acehardwaredc.com
ANDERSON’S – www.andersons.com
BALLROOM BALLOONS – www.ballroomballoons.com
BASECAMP (Design, Print & Ship) – www.basecampdc.com – Conveniently located at 18th and T Streets, NW
BEST FLAG – www.bestflag.com
ORIENTAL TRADING – www.orientaltrading.com
PARADE FLOAT RENTALS – www.paradefloatrentals.com
PARTY CITY – www.partycity.com
PEDI-CABS: www.NationalPedicabs.com
PRIDE PALACE – www.pridepalace.lgbt
UNITED METRO GOLF CART – [email protected] (301-372-1500)
ZIPCAR – www.zipcar.com (convertibles, trucks and vans)

Road Closures

*Updates expected for 2025.

Certificate of Insurance (COI)

To comply with city requirements, all registered organizations must provide a copy of their COI, naming the Capital Pride Alliance, Inc. as an additional insured in the amount of $1,000,000 for the date/s of your participation (June 20, 2026 and/or June 21, 2026). The COI must be uploaded in a PDF format on the registration application. Should you not have a copy of your COI available when registering, you may submit your registration, but must provide the COI within 30 days after submission or your registration application will be cancelled. For insurance purposes:

Capital Pride Alliance, Inc.
1827 Wiltberger Street NW Ste 100
Washington, D.C. 20001
Pride Parade, June 20, 2026, and/or Pride Festival, June 21, 2026

If your organization already has insurance, you should be able to simply ask your insurance agent to prepare the necessary documentation.

If you do not have this coverage in place, we have made arrangements for all of our Exhibitors to acquire this coverage at significant savings by purchasing as part of a group. Please click the link below, complete a short questionnaire, process your payment online, print your Confirmation of Coverage, and you will obtain this coverage for $65 plus any applicable state tax.

Insurance Coverage

Please upload your purchased COI to your account for approval.

Please note that this option is not available to Parade participants.

*For the Parade, groups that are marching only, do not need to provide a COI. An online liability and waiver form will be provided after June 1 to the group’s primary contact, to have the individuals marching with them sign.

S U P P O R T

Parade FAQs

When is the parade?
Saturday, June 20, 2026.
Where is the parade?
The Parade is anticipated to begin at 14th and T Streets NW and end at Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th Streets NW. Please note that the route is subject to change.
What time does the parade start?
3:00PM.
When does the parade end?
The Parade is anticipated to end by 8:00PM. Most contingents may be on the route for UP TO 2 hours. The pace of the Parade regulates this.
What time do I show up?
Staging assignments will be provided in June 2026.
Do I need to have a pass to enter the staging area?
Yes! Your pass will be sent to the email used for your registration 1 week prior to the event. The pass may be used by the onsite contact for your contingent.
How many people can I have in my contingent?
You may have up to 100 people for a marching contingent, 75 people if bringing a car/truck, or 50 people if bringing a float. You may have up to 5 motorcycles in your contingent.
How vehicles/floats can I have in my group?
You may have one (1) float/vehicle per registration. Additional vehicles/floats may be added for an additional fee.
How much for extra people/vehicles/floats?
$5 per person, $35, per motorcycle, Tier 1 $200 per vehicle, Tier 2 $400 per vehicle, Tier 3 $600 per vehicle. (Please contact Mike Alexander at [email protected] if you are a Tier 4.)
What roads will be closed?
TBD
Where can I get a float & decorations?
Please see our resources page at www.capitalpride.org/parade-resources.
Do I need a Certificate of Insurance?
For MARCHERS, a certificate of insurance is not needed. For FLOATS & VEHICLES insurance is needed and should be secured by your registered organization’s insurance company. Please read our registration page for more details.
When is orientation?
Orientation will be held in May 2026. Please stay tuned for more information!
What Tier do I fall under?
To find your tier, take a look at our tier table located on our Parade registration page at www.capitalpride.org/celebration-registration.
Can my friends/family and I walk as a contingent?
Due to limited space, the parade is only open to registered public groups, organizations, and businesses.

S U P P O R T

Festival FAQs

Can I share my booth with another organization or company?
Only one organization or company can be represented at each registered exhibitor booth. Booth registrations are not transferable.
When will I know my booth location?
Capital Pride will announce and send booth locations once all registered groups have been placed. Capital Pride will notify you of your booth location no later than June 1st.
I’m a sponsor.
How do I know what my registration includes? Sponsors are responsible for their own registration. Should you have any questions, please reach out to Mike Alexander, Director of Development, at [email protected].
Where can I park my car on festival day?
There is no onsite parking at the festival. Please use nearby parking garages.
When will I be able to break down my booth and leave the festival grounds?
The exhibition area will close at 7:00 PM. Vehicles will only be permitted onsite during setup prior to the event’s start time, and after the event has concluded on Sunday June 21st. Because loadout can take several hours, we highly encourage you to plan on using a non-vehicle method (wagons, hand trucks, etc.) to transport your booth materials outside of the grounds.
What is the best address to give a ride share driver to drop me off or pick me up?
699 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004
What comes with my booth registration?
10×10 tented space, one 8ft rectangle table, and two folding chairs. Additional equipment may be rented during the registration process.
Will my booth have power? Can I bring my own generator? When will the power be turned on?
Power access can be purchased during the registration process. Power will be turned on when the event begins at 12:00 noon. Food vendors must supply their own power, and follow guidelines set by the District of Columbia.
Can I sell food from a regular booth?
Only exhibitors who have registered as food vendors may sell food within the festival grounds. Non-registered food vendors will be removed from the event.
Can I serve alcohol?
No, only the Capital Pride Alliance will be serving alcohol.
What time must I stop selling food?
All food vendors within the Monument Food Court must stop preparing food at 6:45 p.m. and stop selling food at 7:00 p.m. All food vendors in the Senate Food Court must stop preparing food at 8:45 p.m. and stop selling food at 9:00 p.m.
Am I required to collect sales tax?
Yes, all sales at the festival are subject to DC sales tax. All exhibitors’ information will be provided to the DC Office of Tax Revenue. You must provide your TAX ID during registration in order to make sales.
What can’t I bring onto festival grounds?
Alcohol, illegal substances, firearms, and weapons are prohibited from festival grounds.
I’m a food vendor and need water or ice for my booth. How can I get access?
Water will be provided through access to a water hydrant. Please note that water access may be far from your booth. Ice can be purchased onsite.
How do I know which tier I should register for?
The cost associated with your booth is based on a tier system. Your tier will automatically be determined in the registration process. Please note that registrations will be audited for accuracy and inaccurate information may result in an application rejection.
When will I receive my invoice for exhibitor registration?
Invoices will be issued within 7 business days.
Can I perform at the festival?
Please visit www.capitalpride.org/perform to learn more about available opportunities.
Is the festival free to enter?
Yes! The exhibitor areas, beverage gardens, and food courts are all free to the public. Except for our VIP and pit areas, all stages and our concert are free to attend but donations are highly encouraged, www.capitalpride.org/giving.
How can I get involved with Capital Pride?
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit www.capitalpride.org/volunteer.
Can I take photos during the event?
Yes, be sure to tag us at @capitalpridedc and @havepride365!