Fashion show and lip-sync duel among Pride in the Plaza highlights

Montgomery County is looking to end Pride Month on a high note with Pride in the Plaza, a festival held Sunday in downtown Silver Spring that features events including a fashion show, lip-sync contest and mini-prom.

“This is Montgomery County’s annual celebration of Pride and a festival of love, unity and community,” said Phillip Alexander Downie, CEO of the MoCo Pride Center, an umbrella organization of local LGBTQIA+ advocacy, arts, culture and service groups that partners with the county to host the event.

THE free festivalhosted by MoCo Pride Centers’ Live in Your Truth programs, will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on Veterans Plaza at 1 Veterans Place. Free parking will be available for the event in the Ellsworth Drive parking lot adjacent to Veterans Plaza.

It's important for all of us to celebrate Pride Month, County Executive Marc Elrich said in a county release about the festival. We want everyone to know that they belong here in this community. Pride in the Plaza is a fun way to do that, and its reputation as one of the area's most popular events is well-deserved. I encourage everyone to take a look.

According to the release, the Pride in the Plaza festival features food, live music, a family zone and a resource and vendor fair. Between noon and 5 p.m., the festival will feature local nonprofits, queer-owned businesses, artists and networks that provide services to local LGBTQIA+ communities. Downie said more than 120 vendors are expected.

Were here in downtown Silver Spring to celebrate our incredibly diverse community [and] also provide a plethora of wellness resources to make them aware of the accessibility of wellness resources that exist throughout our county year-round and throughout the region, of course, Downie said.

A new addition to this year's festival is Unleash Your Pride, a fashion show hosted by fashion designer and drag performer Jayzeer Shantey that will take place in the Silver Spring Civic building on the square, according to Downie.

The festival's main stage on the plaza will host two of the festival's hottest attractions: the 2024 Drag Duels Lip Sync Championship and the fourth annual Pride in the Plaza Mini-Ball, which Downie is billing as an inclusive event that celebrates people of all queer people. the spaces.

We always have [end] “The night with our mini-ball,” Downie said. “It’s all about ballroom culture, and if you haven’t heard of it, it’s a fantastic event. It’s a wonderful display of community and culture that I [encourage] everyone to come and see.

Pride in the Plaza will also offer free HIV and STI testing, as well as Mpox vaccinations in the festival's Health Services Room on the second floor of the municipal building, according to the county release. In honor of National HIV Testing Day, people who get tested will receive a $15 gift card while supplies last.

Now in its fourth year, Downie said the festival has grown since its inception. This year, organizers were able to expand access to cool, quiet indoor spaces, which will give attendees a break from the heat and noise of the main stage, he added.

It started as a smaller event, but has grown significantly over the years, from one small stage to three stages today, Downie said.

The festival is open to the public, but attendees are strongly encouraged to register in advance, according to the county. The first 500 people to arrive will receive a free T-shirt commemorating the event.

Queer, trans and non-binary people have existed since the dawn of time and in every facet of society, Downie said. We’re just trying to create spaces and educate our entire community that there’s a place for everyone and there’s a space for everyone.

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