Washington DC marks LGBTQ+ history with huge High Heel Race

Washington DC is celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month throughout October, with everything from community events and film screenings to thousands of people gathering for the city's famous High Heel Race.

The programme also marks 20 years of the Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs, giving this year's celebrations an additional milestone.

High Heel Race returns to Dupont Circle

One of the biggest dates is 27 October, when the 39th annual 17th Street High Heel Race takes over the area around Dupont Circle from 6pm.

Queens, kings and other participants will race along 17th Street in heels, but the evening has grown into much more than the race itself. Drag performances and crowds lining the street have turned it into one of Washington's best-known LGBTQ+ community traditions.

Before that, the Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs celebrates its 20th anniversary with a Birthday Bash at Penn Social on 15 October. The free event will recognise community leaders, artists, advocates and organisations that have helped shape LGBTQ+ life in the US capital.

The programme continues on 19 October with an opportunity to meet members of the Mayor's LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee.

Visitors staying until the end of the month have another interesting option on 29 October, when the DC Liberation Center hosts a screening of Swann Queen followed by a discussion about Washington's LGBTQ+ history.

The events make October an especially good time for LGBTQ+ travellers considering Washington, combining nightlife and community celebrations with opportunities to explore the people and movements that shaped the city's queer history.