Capital Pride Alliance announced the theme for WorldPride taking place in the District next year.
Three million people are expected to travel to the DMV in May for “The Fabric of Freedom.”
“The concept of freedom is what we knew a couple of years ago that we wanted to build toward,” Capital Pride Alliance Board President Ashley Smith said.
Organizers want visitors to D.C. and the United State to see it as a place of freedom, he said.
“All of us have come from a different cloth; all of us had different experiences,” Smith said. “Those are the different fabrics you have to look at that create the fabric of freedom.”
WorldPride starts May 17 and runs through June 8. The first two weeks feature Trans Pride and Black Pride. Shakira performs at a concert May 31. There will be a "Capital Cup" sports tournament. A music festival will be held at RFK Stadium. June 7 will be the familiar parade from Logan Circle to downtown and onto Pennsylvania Avenue. The street festival will be held over two days. And a march and rally is planned for June 8.
Smith also addressed concerns about how President-elect Donald Trump’s administration and Republican-controlled Congress could impact the event.
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“I think that it will have some impact, yes, but we are not going to allow it to stop us from what it is that we’ve been working on for the past two-and-a-half years to really make this kind of a great experience,” Smith said. “We always knew that there would be an impact of whoever’s in the White House, but this event is not for, per se, that space. This event is on a world stage really celebrating our pride.”
“I just ask that everybody rally behind our Capital Pride Alliance family and team,” Smith he added. “If you want to join us, we’ll be more than happy to have you, welcome you in. But it’s all about the fabric of freedom, and that’s what we’re going to be focused on.”
Next year also marks the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations in the nation’s capital.
