Capital Pride

2023 Capital Pride Parade Marches Through Washington, DC

The flagship event for Pride month's biggest weekend kicks off around 3 p.m. on Saturday. Watch it in the video player below.

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It's Pride month's biggest weekend in the District.

It's a time to celebrate progress and affirm people in the LGBTQ+ community, and to protest against discrimination.

The Pride Parade is the flagship event for the whole shebang in D.C., and it kicks off Saturday around 3 p.m.

NBC4 and Telemundo 44 will be there, with our very own float. Wave to us, and tag your photos and videos on social media!

If you can't go in-person, you can watch the 2023 Capital Pride Parade in the video player above.

We've got a whole guide to the Capital Pride Parade and Festival here. But here are a few of the highlights:

This year's theme, Peace, Love, Revolution, points to a weekend of joy and celebration — and awareness and activism.

The parade route includes 14th Street, Rhode Island Avenue and P Street, going through Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods. It's completely free to attend, but things are likely to get loud, and crowded.

There was concern that the historically abysmal air quality earlier this week would cancel the parade and block party, but fear not: The forecast is expected to keep getting better.

👟 Wear comfortable shoes and rainbow.
🧴 Pack your festival essentials: water, sunscreen, a phone charger, hand sanitizer and wipes. 
🗺️ Set a specific meeting point with your crew — cell service can be spotty with so many people around.
📷 Post your pics with #4TheScene for the chance to be featured on TV!

If you're part of a group more sensitive to unhealthy air -- say, someone with asthma, allergies or other chronic respiratory health issues, small children, or elderly adults -- you may want to check the air quality forecast and take precautions.

Respirators, like N95s, can help reduce your smoke exposure if you have to be outside in poor air quality conditions, according to the CDC. But the best way to avoid smoke exposure when there's smoke in the air is simply to stay inside, and watch the parade virtually.

Regardless of the smoke, there are a few other ways to make your Pride experience memorable and enjoyable.

If you're not part of the LGBTQ+ community, Pride is universal! But it never hurts to learn more, and show your support.

If you're looking for a way to do that, consider donating to trusted organizations, such as The DC Center for the LGBT Community, SMYAL, or D.C.'s Whitman-Walker Health.

You can also patronize queer-owned small businesses, educate yourself, and share resources. PFLAG and GLAAD also offer resources and information, such as tips for allies of trans people.

And at the end of the day, stepping up for the community can be as simple as asking for someone's pronouns and avoiding assumptions.

Happy Pride!

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