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LGBTQ+ Events & Festivals to Check Out in Washington, DC
October Colorful Fest – Oct. 17 Party on 5th street near Union Market with the Capital Pride Alliance during this first annual block party and street fair celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. The vibrant event will feature artisan and food vendors, community groups, entertainment and dancing, of course! 12 p.m. Dock 5 @ Union Market, 1309 5th Street NE, Washington, DC Reel Affirmations Film Festival – Oct. 21-24 Now in its 28th year, DC’s International LGBTQ+ Film Festival returns in hybrid fashion. Attendees will have the chance to discover international, documentary, short and feature films across a variety of genres through virtual and in-person screenings, virtual director talkbacks and watch parties. Tickets GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20010 17th Street High Heel Race – Oct. 26 Don the stillettos or spectate in style for this unique DC tradition with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs and Mayor Muriel Bowser herself. Watch hundreds of participants decked out in drag strut down 17th street to see who reigns on top. A parade with entertainment starts at 6:30 p.m., while the race begins at 9 p.m. 17th Street, between P and S Streets NW near Dupont Circle November 24th Annual SMYAL Fall Brunch Fundraiser – Nov. 6 Brunch for a cause at SMYAL’s (Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders) annual Fall Brunch fundraiser. Enjoy a cocktail reception, silent auction, three-course brunch and the opportunity to hear from community leaders among LGBTQ+ members and allies. 10:30 a.m. | Tickets Marriott Marquis Washington, DC 901 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001 Ongoing Sunday KiKi at Wunder Garten - Every Sunday Wunder Garten celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community every Sunday to raise money for Capital Pride. "Kiki" combines drag bingo, games and a dance party featuring Crystal Edge and Katrina Colby with resident DJ Tezrah providing tunes and dance vibes. 4-7 p.m. | More details Wunder Garten, 1101 First St NE, Washington, DC 20002 Drag Queen Storytime - Oct. 10, Nov. 14 Join Adams Morgan Partnership BID, The LINE and DC Public Library at Unity Park for storytime with a drag queen. The goal is to inspire a love of reading while teaching deeper lessons on diversity, self-love and an appreciation of others. This event is free and open to children of all ages. 11 a.m. | More details Unity Park, Intersection of Columbia Rd., Champlain St. & Euclid St., NW, Washington, DC 20009 As You Are Bar – Virtual Happy Hour Jo McDaniel (formerly of A League of Her Own) and Rach (Coach) Pike have created a virtual safe space for LGBTQIA+ with As You Are Bar, which has plans to open physically in the future. However, for now, every Monday, you can “Click In with Coach” to chat about your favorite shows or movies, your latest crush or your latest libation creations. Develop true connections through this unique online event. 7 p.m. | Free registration
Live Look at the Cherry Blossoms
The trust for the National Mall has partnered with the National Cherry Blossom Festival and National Park Service to give people at home a virtual opportunity to visit the blossoms during peak bloom. Click the picture above or visit nationalmall.com/bloomcam to get a live look at the blossoms. Updates About Visiting the Cherry Blossoms Please find the latest recommendations from the National Park Service and the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority below: According to the National Park Service on March 21: "The National Park Service strongly urges anyone considering a visit to see the cherry blossoms to reconsider and to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, as it is difficult to maintain effective social distancing in large crowds. Slowing the spread of infections diseases is everyone's responsibility." NPS also announced new traffic measures to discourage excessive visitation. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser announced on March 22 that she is extending the traffic control measures around the Tidal Basin and the National Mall: "The Mayor has directed the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to work with the DC National Guard to enforce a restricted access zone around the Tidal Basin until further notice to ensure social distancing and prevent further community transmission of COVID-19. Further, pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be restricted in the area of the National Mall. Members of the public will not be able to enter the Jefferson Memorial or the National Mall in the area bounded by 14th Street to 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SW. Further, pedestrian and bicycle traffic will be restricted in the area of the Tidal Basin." Please note that WMATA has closed the Smithsonian and Arlington Cemetery Stations and advised the public not to use the Metro for cherry blossom travel. And now, a public service announcement from your friends at Metro... Let's keep trains available for the hospital staff, first responders, and other heroes who need to travel right now. The trees will be there next year.#wmata #psa #CherryBlossoms #dc @MayorBowser #covid19dc pic.twitter.com/4PJO5qs8ei — Metro (@wmata) March 18, 2020
Look At This: The National Mall
Situated on the west end of the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Walk along the Reflecting Pool or step inside to learn more about the 16th President of the United States. If it’s too crowded during the day, come back at night to watch the sunset and spend some one-on-one time with Honest Abe. The cherry blossoms that line the Tidal Basin each spring are one of Washington, DC’s most popular attractions. Get up close to the blossoms and rent a paddle boat. Or visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, which opened in 2011 and is located on the Tidal Basin across from the Jefferson Memorial. No stroll around the Tidal Basin is complete without a visit to the Jefferson Memorial. Step inside this neoclassical memorial and read powerful inscriptions from the author of the Declaration of Independence, which celebrates its 240th anniversary at the National Archives. Situated on the Tidal Basin between the Jefferson and Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is divided into four outdoor “rooms” representing each of his terms as president, as well as a statue of his wife Eleanor and dog Fala. Have a question? There are National Park Service rangers all over the National Mall happy to assist you and share stories about America’s front yard. Celebrate! The National Park Service turns 100 on Aug. 25, and will be throwing a major birthday bash throughout 2016 with events on the National Mall and across the country. Walk up to the base of the Washington Monument and gaze up to the top of the 555-foot stone obelisk, if you do it with your back to the monument expect to get quite the rush! Pause for a moment of remembrance at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, also known as “The Wall,” which bears the names of more than 58,000 Americans who were killed or listed as missing in action during the war. The DC War Memorial is off the beaten path, tucked away in the Ash Woods just east of the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Rent a bike from Capital Bikeshare and bring a picnic here; it’s also one of only three spots on the National Mall where you can get married. The World War II Memorial, which lies just west of the Washington Monument, tells the story of the conflict through 56 granite pillars arranged in a semicircle around a plaza with two triumphal arches representing the Allied victories on the Atlantic and Pacific fronts, as well as 24 bronze bas-relief panels depicting scenes on the battlefield and at home. The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is one of the newer memorials in the National Mall & Memorial Parks unit, having opened in October 2014, and honors the courage and sacrifice of those who were injured while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Visiting DC during the holidays? Make sure to visit the National Christmas Tree (and if you can, try to score tickets for the National Christmas Tree Lighting and rub elbows with the president). And while you’re on the National Mall during the colder months, you can experience serene moments like this one at the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Learn more about the monuments and memorials on the National Mall.
Looking for some talent this summer?
We are once again calling for host employers to join us in creating memorable opportunities for students as they seek to gain firsthand experiences in the hospitality career field this summer. Your partnership makes the difference to showcase the limitless possibilities that are available to students after graduation and to help build their career skills. What is the Career Ready Internship Program? Administered by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and DC Public Schools, the Career Ready Internship Program provides emerging young professionals the opportunity to receive skills training and guidance from leading industry professionals. This initiative matches highly qualified DC students with exceptional summer employment opportunities. Register here as a host employer by Feb. 28, 2022. The students are high school juniors and seniors studying Hospitality and Tourism, Culinary Arts, Mass Media and Communications and Information Technology (IT). Students are engaged 20-25 hours per week for 6 weeks (June 27-August 5, 2022). We welcome in-person, hybrid and remote internship opportunities for summer 2022. As a fully paid opportunity by the DC Department of Employment Services, hosting an intern is at no cost to the employer. In addition, the American Experience Foundation provides host employer support through additional engagement opportunities for students including field trips, networking events and mentorship opportunities for students. In the summer of 2021, the American Experience Foundation hosted 35 Career Ready interns by offering workforce development training in various sectors of the hospitality and tourism industry. We are so thankful for our partners that helped to make last summer a great success! Here is what a 2021 Career Ready Internship partner had to say about their experience— “I have been partnering with AEF for many years now and I can honestly say that I am always amazed by the exceptional students and what they bring to the table. While it is certainly wonderful to share my love of the industry with students, the real reward is experiencing firsthand their enthusiasm for the future.”— Lori Chalk, Owner, Events by Chalk Other Ways You Can Support Interns Not sure you have the capacity to take on an intern this summer? There are other ways to support interns and help build additional skills! Lead a 30-minute career skills workshop or welcome interns to your business for a site visit and tour. If you have any questions about this opportunity to train emerging young professionals, please contact Lisa@americanexperiencefoundation.org
Lori Chalk
The American Experience Foundation (AEF) and Destination DC recently presented 10 member businesses with PandA Awards in celebration of industry partnerships. Lori Chalk, managing director of District Experience, was honored with the AEF Forever Friend award. During AEF’s virtual Career Ready Internship program this past summer, Lori proactively stepped in to serve the 72 participating students by volunteering as a weekly Career Ready Intern presentation judge. “Volunteering with AEF allowed me to share my love for the events and hospitality industry with the students. I was inspired by their enthusiasm for the future. My weekly sessions with students uplifted me during a very challenging summer. The sum of their experiences will serve them well in the future,” said Chalk. District Experience is a small woman-owned event and meeting planning business. Lori and her team have supported AEF for many years by dedicating their time, expertise and experience helping produce AEF's annual July 4th VIP celebration. The company was celebrating its best year to date when the pandemic struck. Restrictions greatly tested the business’s agility, and like so many others, they pivoted to offering virtual event services. Click here to learn more about District Experience. If you’re interested in supporting AEF by sharing your time and expertise with our students, please contact Lisa Waldschmitt at lisa@americanexperiencefoundation.org.