Amid days of uncertainty, it now appears that a historic D.C. park that played an important role in D.C. Pride for decades will be closed this weekend.
The National Park Service and U.S. Park Police decided to close Dupont Circle Park for WorldPride DC this weekend, government sources said.
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WATCH HEREEight-foot-tall metal fencing now surrounds the popular gathering spot at the heart of a bustling neighborhood.
The park closed at 6 p.m. Thursday and will reopen at 6 p.m. Sunday, according to records from the U.S. Department of the Interior.
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SIGN UP The closure area includes the Dupont Memorial Fountain, plus the grassy areas and sidewalks in the center of Dupont Circle. Roads around the traffic circle are not slated to close, according to a map provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Dupont Circle Park is a symbolic location for many in the LGBTQ+ community. It’s known as a gathering place for people to celebrate their commitment to inclusion. It’s especially important during Pride weekend, said Ashley Smith, board president of the Capital Pride Alliance.
Vincent Slatt, an ANC commissioner who’s part of the ANC Rainbow Caucus, said Dupont Circle is important to local queer history.
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“This is the historic site. This is the gay neighborhood, We had our first AIDS vigils here in 1983 during Pride. To close this off and rip it out of the heart of the gay community during World Pride is pretty shocking,” he said.
'We were furious': Some local officials opposed closure
Jeffrey Rueckgauer, an ANC commissioner representing Dupont Circle, wished the community and WorldPride had been involved in the decision-making, even if the park still ended up closing.
“We were furious,” Rueckgauer said. “We all understand the importance of keeping people safe and avoiding damage and destruction, but the way this was done is completely cart before the horse. There was absolutely zero public engagement with the stakeholders.”
The Capital Pride Alliance released a statement criticizing the move, saying the decision to close the park was made without consulting the organization, which plans D.C.’s annual Pride parade.
“The Capital Pride Alliance is frustrated and disappointed in the National Park Service’s decision - again - to close Dupont Circle during the culmination of WorldPride this weekend. This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It’s much more than a park, for generations it’s been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ+ community, hosting first amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting,” the statement said.
No official events were scheduled in the park, according to the statement.
Not everyone is unhappy with the decision. One neighborhood resident told News4 why they support it.
“It just gets really dirty. It just gets super trashy and, just, maybe a lot of people drinking,” the P Street NW resident said. “Yeah, it has to be closed. I really support that.”
Mixed messages before closure
The status of park access during Pride festivities has been up in the air all week.
The Park Service issued a statement Tuesday morning saying Dupont Circle Park would be closed over the weekend after Park Police and D.C. police requested the closure. The Park Service cited a history of destructive and disorderly behavior during unpermitted activities during past D.C. Pride weekends. In 2023, the Dupont Circle fountain sustained $175,000 in damage, Park Police said.
Later Tuesday, D.C. Council members Brooke Pinto and Zachary Parker said they spoke with Metropolitan Police Department Chief of Police Pamela Smith and were told Dupont Circle Park would not be closed for the weekend.
Smith withdrew D.C. police's request to close the park and requested anti-scale fencing not be erected around the park after listening to community leaders and residents, according to a letter sent to U.S. Park Police.
Park Police and NPS have not returned News4's calls for comment.
