Montgomery County is currently looking for sponsors, volunteers, and exhibitors for the fourth annual Pride in the Plaza festival.
The festival, held in partnership with the county’s Live in Your Truth Programs and the MoCo Pride Center, will be held on Sunday, June 30, from noon to 8 p.m. at Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring. The day will include food, live music, a family zone, a resource and vendor fair, the 2024 Drag Duels championship competition, and the fourth annual Pride in the Plaza Mini-Ball, featuring a free voguing competition with cash prizes.
From noon to 5 p.m., Pride in the Plaza will showcase a diverse cross-section of local nonprofit organizations, LGBTQIA+-owned businesses, artists, and networks sharing information about their services for the county’s LGBTQIA+ communities. Free HIV and STI screenings will be provided in the Pride in the Plaza Health Services Suite, located on the second floor of the Silver Spring Civic Building. In honor of National HIV Testing Day, individuals who get tested will receive a $15 gift card while supplies last.
The free voguing competition, which will start at 5 p.m., is being held in collaboration with the Capitol Ballroom Council.
“It is important for all of us to recognize Pride Month,” County Executive Marc Elrich said in a press release. “We want everyone to know that they have a place here in this community. Pride in the Plaza is a fun way to do that, and its reputation as one of the most popular events in the region is well deserved. I encourage everyone to check it out.”
Pride in the Plaza admission is free, and the first 500 attendees will receive a commemorative t-shirt. Tickets and information for volunteers, exhibitors, and sponsors can be found at liveinyourtruth.org.
Photo: © pyty – stock.adobe.com / Montgomery County Graphic