The Kennedy Center Scraps a Week of Pride Month Events

For years, the Kennedy Center has promoted LGBTQ-related material, causes, and events. In fact, this summer, it was slated to host a week chock-full of Pride-themed events for the biennial World Pride festival. But in a surprising turn, the center slammed the brakes last week, canceling the entire “Tapestry of Pride” week outright.

The Tapestry of Pride website still lingers online, a hollow shell of scrapped plans, but the Kennedy Center’s cancellation of the weeklong event seems set in stone. But various reports allege that the Kennedy Center has been practically mute since making the announcement. Those upset with its decision, however, have been anything but.

Michael Roest, founder and director of the International Pride Orchestra, had a performance scheduled at the Kennedy Center—an event that is now canceled. “They went from very eager to host to nothing,” he told The Associated Press. “We have not since heard a word from anybody at the Kennedy Center, but that’s not going to stop us.” Roest—and others whose LGBTQ events were canceled—have relocated to other venues. Now, Roest considers the famous theater as nothing short of “a hostile performance space.”

Monica Alford, an event planner, went further, claiming that the Kennedy Center canceling Pride events does the “community a disservice”—“not just the queer community,” she added, “but the entire community.” And yet, while the performance venue has remained relatively mum, many speculate that its move aligns with recent actions from the Trump administration.

In February, President Donald Trump laid out a bold vision to restore the Kennedy Center’s greatness. “I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture,” he declared in a Truth Social post. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation. For the Kennedy Center, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!”

True to his promise, Trump swiftly removed the Kennedy Center’s president and chairman, stating he intended to make himself the chairman to enforce his vow to end “Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth” and similar events. The iconic venue, once decorated with rainbow lights, now permanently glows in red, white, and blue under Trump’s directive.

Roma Daravi, the center’s vice president of public relations, said, “The lights are a beautiful reminder of the American spirit,” adding, “The red, white, and blue colors are a powerful symbol of unity and our nation’s commitment to bringing people together. What better place for that than at the Kennedy Center, America’s institution for the arts?”

Ultimately, some have concluded that the cancellation of events like the Tapestry of Pride week aligns sharply with Trump’s vision, marking a decisive shift toward his cultural priorities. Regardless, Family Research Council’s Meg Kilgannon told The Washington Stand, “Pride Month has begun to feel less celebratory and more mandatory—especially at the Kennedy Center, where rainbow lights burned for every major and minor holiday.”

“If we must display colored lights on this landmark,” she concluded, “the current red, white, and blue lights are much more universal and appropriate.”

Originally published by The Washington Stand

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