The DC Police Department tells Washingtonian it has “formally” rescinded a request that the National Park Service close Dupont Circle park this coming weekend. Chief Pamela Smith “has heard from community members and understands how significant Dupont Circle Park is to the Pride celebration,” a spokesperson tells us. You can read Smith’s letter below, which says that “Historically, there have been significant challenges in Dupont Circle Park after formal Pride events have concluded” and cites incidents in 2019, 2023, and 2024 that Smith says caused damage to the park and its historic fountain.
The Park Service, accordingly, announced plans to close the park Monday evening. The Washington Post reported late Tuesday morning that the Park Service had canceled plans to close the park, citing a tweet from DC Councilmember Zachary Parker. Park Service spokesperson Mike Litterst was unable to confirm Parker’s announcement when Washingtonian asked him to confirm the move this morning and has not yet responded to questions about whether NPS will keep the park open.
The uncertain state of Dupont Circle’s park’s availability is something of a synecdoche for WorldPride, whose much-anticipated rollout in DC has been rather bumpy.
President Trump’s efforts to insert himself into multiple facets of everyday life in DC since he took office this spring colored the festival earlier this year after his hostile takeover of the Kennedy Center and the subsequent news that the center had canceled a planned Pride concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (the chorus said it got no explanation; the center said the cancellation happened before Trump came aboard but wasn’t announced until afterward).
Companies like Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte walked back plans to sponsor the event as the administration attacked trans rights and what it calls “DEI” efforts. Some countries have issued travel warnings to the US, which has dissuaded some international attendees. Hotel bookings have been soft, the Washington Blade reported last week. And then this past Friday, a planned Saturday kickoff concert by Shakira at Nationals Park was canceled, apparently because of problems with her touring production.
Though “gayborhoods” have become less gay in DC in recent years, Dupont Circle remains the heart of gay DC, with multiple sites of historic interest. The park has been central to Pride celebrations since the mid-1970s.
Recession of Request for Anti Scale Fencing Dupont Circle Park 6-3-25 by Washingtonian Magazine on Scribd
This story will be updated.
Andrew Beaujon joined Washingtonian in late 2014. He was previously with the Poynter Institute, TBD.com, and Washington City Paper. He lives in Del Ray.
