Photo courtesy of City of Alexandria
Pride Month begins May 17
In recognition of World Pride Month, the City of Alexandria welcomes back the Annual LGBTQIA+ Pride fair on Saturday, June 28 from 3 to 6 p.m. at City Hall and Market Square (301 King St.).
Dance to live music and a DJ, express yourself at the mobile art lab, stop by the food trucks for a bite to eat, and visit the tables of more than 75 Pride-celebrating programs and businesses in Alexandria. Head inside City Hall for one of two sessions of Drag Story Hour at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. to imagine a world where everyone can be their authentic selves.
Free and confidential health services will also be available. Be sure to see DASH’s Pride-wrapped bus and the rainbow crosswalks located at Royal and King Streets.
World Pride Month is recognized each year across the globe to celebrate LGBTQIA+ people and the influence they have had in our lives, as well as to raise awareness of the challenges faced by these communities and the struggle for civil rights.
June was chosen as Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Rebellion in 1969, when activists protested police raids on the Stonewall Inn – a bar in New York City. The rebellion served as a catalyst and provided the spark that ignited the modern movement for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.
For more information about Pride month and other upcoming activities as well as resources for LGBTQIA+ people and their families, visitalexandriava.gov/LGBTQ. For books and information related to World Pride Month, visit the Alexandria Library’s LGBTQ Pride webpage.
