After a year of no pride parades, we decided that enjoying Washington D.C. pride wasn’t enough. One week after Capital Pride, we made the trek to Maryland for Baltimore Gay Pride.
This time there were no 100-year storms, just heat. It was a fun parade and a very different experience than D.C. pride.
A volleyball team playing in front of the Baltimore Times newspaper building.
The “Clack that Fan” booth at Baltimore Pride.
A Pope-lookalike in the Baltimore pride parade.
Michael and I with our new peach fan at Grand Central in Baltimore.
A rainbow decorated building along the gay pride route.
The upstairs dance floor of the Baltimore Eagle during pride.
Dogs at Baltimore gay pride.
A drag queen posing along the Baltimore gay pride route.
Flags at the pride parade in Baltimore.
Massive bratwursts and lemonade at Baltimore pride.
Panic at the Parade
We didn’t make it to Baltimore in time for brunch, so we are famished by the time we get to the festival.
There is a vendor with oversized bratwursts that look delicious, so I fork over $10 and make quite the scene eating like a hog-person.
I regret my decision about 30 minutes later and quickly realize that there are no porta-potties along the parade route. I have white shorts on and I am more-than-a-little-panicked that I am about to be a viral Instagram sensation for all of the wrong reasons. Luckily, I manage to power-walk to an Asian restaurant along the parade route before I am publicly shamed.
Turns out that I am also not the only one in our group in need after eating street food — so I basically saved Pride for everyone. You’re welcome.
People posing at Grand Central nightclub in Baltimore.
People posing at Grand Central nightclub in Baltimore.
The Baltimore gay pride parade.
Rainbow flags at the Baltimore Gay Pride Parade.
The festival at Baltimore gay pride.
There were a lot of street vendors at the Baltimore gay pride parade, but very few sold fans.
The Baltimore gay pride parade.
That Baltimore Pricing
My favorite thing about Baltimore is that it’s so damn cheap.
We go into a liquor store on the parade route and they only charge us $2 per beer for a premium brand. The Baltimore gay bars also have drink specials, which is highly unusual for the busiest weekend of the year.
One of the strangest things about Baltimore gay pride is that the straight bars seem completely oblivious to the festivities. Back in D.C., virtually every business near the parade route has a rainbow flag up. But most of the straight bars along the Baltimore gay pride route are rainbow-free and practically abandoned. (Which is why I am able to get rescued by the Chinese restaurant restroom, so good for us.)
There were several step-teams at the Baltimore gay pride parade. I have no idea how they weren’t sweating.
Drag queens in the Baltimore gay pride parade.
A pop-up clothing store in an old school bus.
People dancing outside of Grand Central gay bar in Baltimore.
The crowd at the Baltimore Eagle nightclub during gay pride.
A collection of beer signs, including National Bohemian.
Baltimore Beer
There is a beer called “National Bohemian” that I am mildly obsessed with. We noticed it on our first trip to Baltimore because so many people were drinking it and we’d never seen the can before.
Apparently the locals refer to it as “Natty Boh” and it’s owned by the same beer conglomeration that makes Pabst Blue Ribbon and Colt 45.
I suspect one of the reasons why we had never heard of National Bohemian is because it is a hyper-local beer, with over 90 percent of sales being made in the Baltimore area.
At least we know now how to order it properly — “The Bohemian beer” gets a raised eyebrow and a loud sigh from bartenders.
National Bohemian Beer at the Drinkery bar in Baltimore.
A man clacking the fan at “The Drinkery” bar in Baltimore.
The Baltimore gay pride parade.
Gay novelty items at a Baltimore gay pride festival booth. I love the Strangers with Candy pillow!
A drag queen at Baltimore pride.
Can you spot us on the security camera at the Drinkery?
A random miniature poodle inside of the gay bar.
A drag queen at Baltimore gay pride.
Rainbow flags at the Baltimore Gay Pride Parade.
A Pope-lookalike in the Baltimore pride parade.
A random Old Bay seasoning car at Baltimore pride.
The outside patio crowd at the Baltimore Eagle bar.
The drive back to D.C. is a slog.
We keep running into D.C. residents throughout our entire time in Baltimore. However, there are two unique things about our group:
- The terrible, rotten, no-good decision to eat greasy street food, and,
- We did not get a hotel in Baltimore for the weekend.
Because we have to go back to Virginia to take the dogs out, I volunteer for designated driver duty. I am only going to have the car for a few more weeks anyway, so I am happy to take one last long drive.
I got some podcasts in while everyone else slept. It was a great way to end our first pride season in the DMV area — although next year, we are totally avoiding sketchy street vendors and getting a hotel. ✊
No Comments