How to Enjoy the Capital Pride Festival

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In June of every year the LGBT community of the nation's capital puts on a 10-day long festival to celebrate gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered pride. This festival, which culminates in a parade and street festival, is just as much a part of DC culture as the Cherry Blossom Festival held two months earlier. In fact, DC city paper readers prefer it . Capital Pride was actually voted "Best Parade/Festival" in the Best of D.C. Readers' Poll. It has been going on since 1975 and is the nation's fourth largest LGBT pride event. If you plan to be visiting Washington, DC at this time of year, be sure to find out what it means to show Capital Pride. Here's how to enjoy the experience.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Tolerance for diversity - no hating allowed!

Step1

Visit the Capital Pride Festival website to determine the dates of the next festival and check out the calendar of events. While you're there, be sure to sign up for the mailing list so you'll be the first to know of all the exciting developments.

Step2

Consider volunteering to help out with the festival. As a participant, you will get an insider view of all of the events that you just couldn't experience as a tourist.

Step3

Enjoy all of the special events. Each year's offerings include concerts by groups such as the Gay Men's Chorus, special film screenings, dances, bachelor and bachelorette auctions, Mr. and Ms. Capital Pride Leather Contests and, of course, the Mr. and Miss Capital Pride Pageant, whose winners will represent the LGBT community throughout the year.

Step4

Stake out a good spot for the parade. Prime spots are the parade review stand, which is located in front of Whole Foods on P Street, between 14th and 15th Streets NW, and the parade announcement stand at 18th and New Hampshire NW. Dupont Circle, as always, will also be a hub of pride-related activity, and the parade passes right along the northwestern part of the circle.

Step5

Spend the day at the street festival, where there will be entertainment, crafts booths, and, of course, food vendors galore. The best part of the day is the people-watching, however, as people come from all around to see and be seen - and some of the outfits are to die for!