After Successful Weekend Festival, Reston Pride Organizers Plan for 2020

Organizers of the Reston Pride Festival, which was held on Saturday (June 1), have already set the date for the next festival after this year’s successful event.

A tentative date for next year’s festival is June 6, 2020.

More than 5,000 people took part in the festival, which featured choral groups, dancers, speakers and dozens of exhibitors and vendors.

Since its inaugural event at a local church two years ago, the festival has rapidly expanded. The event was cosponsored by three Reston churches: the Universalist Unitarian Church in Reston, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, and United Christian Paris.

During the event, state Del. Ken Plum (D-36th) said the festival was an example of Reston’s reputation as an “open community.” State Del. Danica Roem (D-13th) also delivered remarks at the event.

Organizers recapped the event, which was staffed by more than 60 volunteers:

In addition to community choirs and speakers, attendees at Reston Pride were treated a variety of musical performances. Delta B Knyght, a DC-based drag performer, and Ken Williamson, minister of music for Washington Plaza Baptist Church, were the emcees for the event. Rev. Michelle Nickens, minister of Washington Plaza Baptist Church, penned and performed Reston Pride Blues, a catchy song designed to capture the spirit of Reston Pride Monika Chaturvedi and friends provided a bit of international flair with a Bollywood Dance performance.

Musician Laura Tsaggaris closed out the festival with her unique sound of modern folk music. Lake Anne Merchants and Professionals provided a moon bounce, bubbles and chalk, an interactive snow cone maker and transformed the Lake Anne horse sculpture into a unicorn, making the event truly family-oriented.

A location for next year’s festival has not been announced.

Photos via Chip McCrea Photography