Prince George's County plans Pride Walk and resource fair at National Harbor

Prince George’s County turned National Harbor into a public test of whether Pride meant more than symbolism. The Police Department’s 4th Annual Pride Walk was held Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at 146 National Plaza in Oxon Hill, with walkers using the Harbor trail before a finish-line party that included live music, activities, vendors and county resource tables.

The county’s message was not just celebration. Prince George’s County LGBTQIA+ Affairs listed support resources that include healthcare, legal assistance, crisis intervention and community programs, giving the event a practical layer for residents who may need more than a march and a photo opportunity. The Prince George’s County Memorial Library System’s Pride Heritage Hub was also among the county’s featured Pride Month resources.

Placing the walk at National Harbor made the event unusually visible. The waterfront development is one of the county’s best-known destinations, and the address on the county listing put Pride squarely in a commercial and tourist corridor rather than behind a government wall. County officials framed that setting as part of the point: a public celebration of inclusion in a place where residents, visitors and businesses all cross paths.

Prince George’s County said it celebrates LGBTQIA+ Pride Month and pointed residents to county events and services throughout June. The Pride Walk also appeared on the county homepage as a same-day featured event, underscoring that it was part of a broader countywide calendar rather than a stand-alone procession. National Harbor’s own Pride Month promotion highlighted the walk as one piece of a larger month of programming.

The event also fit into a short county history of Pride public events. County listings promoted a second annual Pride Walk at National Harbor in 2024, and National Harbor’s 2025 events included the department’s third annual walk at 150 National Plaza. Prince George’s County also held an official Pride Month reception in June 2024 for government employees, community leaders and students, signaling a continuing effort to place LGBTQ visibility inside county civic life.

That effort comes from one of Maryland’s largest law enforcement agencies. The Prince George’s County Police Department says it is the fourth largest in the state, with more than 1,500 officers and 300 civilians serving nearly 900,000 residents and business owners. In that context, a police-led Pride event carried more weight than a ceremonial appearance: it linked public safety, outreach and inclusion in one of the county’s most visible public settings.