With the theme of “Pride Unleashed,” Baltimore will celebrate its LGBTQ community this weekend and next week through events in and around Station North and Druid Hill Park. Check out our list of recommendations for this weekend.
Music
This year’s Pride will feature performances by nationally recognized artists like bounce musician Big Freedia, pop singer-songwriter Jessica Sutta, R&B singer Rue Pratt, and popular musician Jonathan Celestin. Big Freedia and Jessica Sutta will perform during Saturday’s evening block party and Pratt and Celestin will take over on Sunday at Druid Hill Park. There will also be several local artists and each day of the weekend will have its own MC – Lucky on Saturday and Kevin Lei on Sunday.
Films
Attendees should be sure to stop by the newly restored Parkway Theatre at the corner of North Avenue and Charles Street, where LGBTQ films will be showing all week on all three screens. Feature films include “Kiki” and “The Ornithologist,” along with a wide selection of short films from the Maryland Film Festival GLBTQ Shorts program.
“It’s rare for short films to have a week-long theatrical run, and for anyone looking to sample the variety our Pride lineup offers, this is a great place to start,” says Eric Hatch, the director of programming at MdFF.
The festival will also feature revival screenings of past intersectional classics like “Tongues Untied” and “The Watermelon Woman.”
“By programming films from diverse, international voices exploring a wide variety of subject matters, tones and genres, we want to celebrate the explosion of GLBTQ filmmaking that’s taken place in recent years,” Hatch says. “Our hope is that whether you’re looking for challenging art-house fare or a fun date night, our Pride lineup has something for you.”
Other fun stuff
Anyone looking to kick off Pride early can enjoy Friday’s “Twilight on the Terrace” from 7 to 11 p.m., which will feature an open bar, fine dining and live music at Gertrude’s (Tickets $125 online and at the door).
Then the fun officially begins with a parade and block party on Saturday, featuring a High Heel Race, a Pride Parade and a Youth Pride Zone. This will all happen at Charles Avenue and North Street, with a Pre-Pride Extravaganza Show beginning at 12:30 pm and the block party coming to a close at 10:00 pm.
On Sunday, the festivities will shift to Druid Hill Park with the Pride Festival. A section of the festival will be dedicated to Elder Pride, as a gesture of respect to those members of the LGBTQ community who have been fighting for equality the longest. The festival will host an array of vendors and performances by several local musicians.
Food and drink specials
At the center of Saturday’s block party will be Baltimore Eagle restaurant and bar, with bar service outside and snacks ready to go, plus multiple DJs playing all day long. Admission is free from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., $5 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and $15 after that, so the earlier you get there, the better.
What to Wear
It’ll be hot this weekend and potentially rainy, so be sure you come dressed for the weather. More importantly, don’t forget to show off your pride and put a little rainbow in your wardrobe!
baltimorepride.org
