2025 WorldPride
June 5–9, 2025 Washington, D.C.
Registration Ends
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at Midnight PDT.
The time to register for WorldPride 2025 has arrived, and Pride Bands Alliance is excited and pumped to take part in the festivities! WorldPride will be held from May 17th to June 8th, 2025 and is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Celebrating Pride in Washington, D.C., our nation’s capital.
Update #1 - Schedule
As of 04-27-2025
We do not have our call time, call location, or position in the line of march as of this time. All we know is that the parade starts at 1 pm on Saturday. Rehearsal will take place while waiting to step off. Once information becomes more available, we will share it forward, including information for the optional Sunday performance(s).”
June 5-6
Arrivals
- Individual Arrivals
June 7
Rehearsal/Parade Day
- Full Band Rehearsal during staging
- Group Photo
- Parade
- Return Equipment
- Disperse
June 8-9
Optional Performance/Departures
- Optional Performance
- Return Equipment
- Departures
Update #2 - Uniform
Here is the T-shirt we will be wearing for the Saturday, June 7, parade.
Please note that our uniform (just like our musical selections) will differ between Saturday and the optional Sunday events. Here’s how:
Saturday, June 7, 2025 – WorldPride Parade
- Pride Bands Alliance WorldPride T-Shirt (provided at event and pictured above)
- White shorts or pants (must have pockets to carry your cell phone, wallet/ID, etc.)
- Footwear of any color (sneakers, shoes, etc.); no sandals/flipflops—shoes must be closed-toed with a back.
Note: Pride Bands will provide water during the parade, and our volunteers will be handing it out, but personal water carrying devices / camelbacks are permitted and encouraged.
Sunday, June 8, 2025 – Optional Performances (TBA)
- Your home band uniform or T-shirt or a Pride Bands Alliance T-shirt
- Shorts or pants of your choice (must have pockets to carry your cell phone, wallet/ID, etc.)
- Footwear of any color (sneakers, shoes, etc.); no sandals/flipflops—shoes must be closed-toed with a back.
Note: Affiliate Members without a home band shirt, please wear a shirt that represents your home area or Pride Bands. Volunteers are asked to wear a home band shirt.
Note (again): Pride Bands will provide water but personal water carrying devices / camelbacks are permitted and encouraged.
Update #3 - Music
Our artistic team is super pumped about our musical selections for the parade. For Saturday, we will be performing the following:
- Abracadabra by Lady Gaga
- Hot to Go by Chappell Roan
- We R Who We R by Ke$ha
- Cadence: Supernova by Eva Smith
Registration Ends
Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at Midnight PDT
Registration is open to anyone 18 years old and up! Please click on the link provided below to register your general information, instrument, shirt size, and other information as necessary. We are striving to make this event as inclusive and affordable as possible; t-shirts are $10 each and registration is FREE. You are also encouraged to request a leadership position if you are interested and we will be in contact with you after receiving your registration. If you are able or willing to make an in kind donation to this event, there will be an option toward the end of the registration.
To participate in the Saturday Parade, please plan to arrive no later than Friday night on June 6th by 5pm, and leave no earlier than Sunday, June 8th (plan to be in DC for the full day Saturday). If you would like to participate in the optional Sunday performance activities, please plan to leave no earlier than Monday, June 9th (plan to be in DC for the full Sunday as well).
Artistic Director
Charles Roth
Charles Roth (he/him) is proud to return and support Pride Bands Alliance for this event from the 2025 Presidential Inaugural Parade Project. Currently he is the 2025 Guest Drum Major for The Queer Big Apple Corps and former Marching Band Artistic Director for DC’s Different Drummers. Under his leadership, DCDD expanded its presence in and around our nation’s capital, featuring high-profile performances including the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Smithsonian Institute, World Pride 2019 and two special appearances at the Naval Observatory, home of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Charles is an active music educator in Alexandria, Virginia, where he teaches band at an International Baccalaureate school. In his time there, he has increased student engagement, tripled the size of the band program, founded the schools music booster organization, led the band to multiple festivals and competitions with a legacy of success, and assisted/led the schools Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).
Charles’ professional affiliations (present and past) include Pride Bands Alliance, the National Association of Music Education (NAFME), the Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA), Virginia Band Orchestra Directors Association (VBODA) and the North American Saxophone Alliance (NASA). Charles holds degrees from Miami University of Ohio (BME), and the University of Kentucky (MA) in Arts Administration among other certifications.
Special Events Committee/Leadership Team
- Courtney von Bergen, Director of Special Events
- Leslie Becker
- Marita Begley
- Charles Roth
- David Doan, President
- Denny Richard, Treasurer
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration
Affiliate Membership
If you’re a member of one of our member bands or partners, you are automatically a member of Pride Bands Alliance. If you’re not, you can register as an affiliate member for a $35 donation. That covers you for a year. Click below.
Refunds
If you have registered and you need to cancel your participation, refunds can be requested.
Age Limit
For legal and logistical reasons, at this time we are not able to accommodate anyone under the age of 18 years for this event. Pride Bands Alliance plans to host future events which may allow participation by youth members. Thank you for your understanding.
Safety
The event host, Capital Pride Alliance, is working diligently with local authorities to ensure this will be a safe event for all in attendance. Pride Bands Alliance is continuing to work with the organizers on the details of this plan as events continue to unfold in the area. This event is an opportunity for those who want to take it. We also respect and understand that others may not want to take the risk of attending such an event at this time. Pride Bands Alliance strives to serve LGBTQ+ community bands with Music, Visibility, and Pride. WorldPride is one of many opportunities to fulfil our mission. If you choose to pass on this performance, we will always welcome you at another event.
Instruments
All instruments are welcome. Here are more details by section:
- Woodwind Instruments can be colored, or plastic. All instruments are welcome.
- Brass Instruments can also be colored, or brass. All instruments are welcome.
- Percussion Instruments will be supplied by member bands. Please see the percussion captain for more details.
- Color Guard will be supplied with flags that are dependent on registration numbers. More info to come.
- Dancers will be supplied with poms that are dependent on registration numbers. More info to come.
- Twirlers are asked to bring their own batons.
Logistics
Travel
Each registrant is responsible for their personal transportation to/from Washington DC and for getting around town throughout the weekend. Those with percussion or large instruments will have a storage option near the parade step off. Local airports include Dulles International Airport (IAD) as well as Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA).
Hotel
Looking for a place to stay?
Hilton Arlington Towers • 950 N. Stafford St. • Arlington, VA 22203
The hotel is conveniently located next to the Ballston Metro for easy public transportation access into Washington D.C.
The room block is available from Thursday, June 5th to Monday June 9th on a first-come-first-serve basis. Please see below for registration details:
- Group dates: June 5-9, 2025
- Group code: PBA
- Reservations must be made by: May 6, 2025
- Booking Link: PRIDE BANDS ALLIANCE
- Reservation Hotline: 1-800-445-8667
Uniform
Most of the uniform will be your own clothing, brought from home with you. See the update above for more information.
Saturday
- Pride Bands Alliance WorldPride T-Shirt
- White Shorts or Pants
- Footwear of any color
Sunday
- Home band uniform/T-shirt or a Pride Bands Alliance T-shirt
- Shorts or Pants of your choice
- Footwear of any color
Nightlife
Washington D.C. has a very vibrant and engaging queer scene around the clock! For your benefit, here is a google map of all kinds of LGBTQ+ destinations across Washington!
DC LGBTQ+ List and Map Links Here!
If you have any questions, please contact events@pridebands.org. We look forward to seeing you in Washington D.C.!
Participation Agreement
- I understand that all travel and lodging is at my own expense.
- I understand that I must attend all rehearsals in their entirety in order to perform in the parade.
- I understand that I must abide by all dress code requirements for the parade as determined by Pride Bands Alliance and/or parade organizers.
- I understand that this event will require everyone’s flexibility and cooperation. If my behavior is viewed as disruptive by the Pride Bands Board and/or parade organizers, I may be removed from the event without refund.
- I understand that if large instruments, i.e. sousaphones or percussion are rented, I will incur the rental fee personally. I also understand that if an instrument cannot be borrowed or rented, I will need to bring my own in order to participate.
- I understand that we will be outside in the heat for several hours prior and during the parade, and that we will walk as much as 2 miles. All participants will carry their own instruments or equipment.
- I understand that I participate in this event at my own risk, and will not hold Pride Bands Alliance, its leadership, its members or participants responsible for any injury or expense incurred by me related to this event. I also understand that should my behavior or participation in this activity expose Pride Bands Alliance, its leadership or its participant to claims for damages of any kind, I will hold them harmless and indemnify them.
