Drag queens, stilettos and a stretch of 17th Street closed to traffic: Washington, D.C.’s 39th annual High Heel Race returns Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 10 p.m., with the course running from R Street to Church Street in Dupont Circle. The race began in 1986 with 25 contestants.
A Tradition Rooted in LGBTQ History
What started as an informal dash nearly four decades ago has grown into one of D.C.’s most recognizable fall events, and organizers describe it as more than just a race. The Rainbow History Project calls it a commemoration of LGBTQ history in the city, a framing that has stuck even as the event has scaled up. This year’s race is sponsored by Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, according to the Washington Blade. Racers hoping to compete this year can sign up at a registration tent on R Street by filling out the 17th Street High Heel Racer’s Registration and Authorization Form, per the same outlet.
Mayor Bowser posted about the event on X, writing, “Mark your calendars: our annual 17th St High Heel Race is happening Tuesday, October 27. Whether you’re participating in the race or cheering from the sidelines, we can’t wait to see you at this iconic community event.”
Last Year’s Race Drew Thousands — And a Winner From Montana
The scale of the event has become part of its draw. Thousands of spectators turned out for the 2025 edition, according to Washingtonian, which reported that runners took off at 9 p.m. and raced from P Street to S Street that year — a different stretch than the R Street-to-Church Street course planned for 2026. Lady Liberty took home the win in 2025, the magazine reported, while festivities around the race included music from DJ Alex Love, a drag performance, live acts and the event’s annual costume contest.
WJLA has reported that hundreds of racers typically take part each year, and that the 2025 field included at least one competitor who traveled all the way from Montana to run. City officials have repeatedly pointed to the race as emblematic of Washington’s LGBTQ+ community, the station noted, a sentiment echoed across years of coverage as the event has grown from a neighborhood curiosity into a citywide draw.
Some Longtime Attendees Say the City Has Changed the Vibe
Not everyone is thrilled with how the race has evolved. Dave Perruzza, who organized the event for 26 years before handing control over to the D.C. government in 2018, is among those who have watched the transition with mixed feelings, according to Washington City Paper. Perruzza told the paper, “They’ve ruined the charm of the event.” An anonymous longtime attendee quoted by the paper criticized added programming.
The paper also reported that community leaders and city officials were meeting regularly in 2024 to avoid a repeat of problems tied to alcohol at the 2023 race. Those conversations appear to be part of an ongoing effort to balance the event’s growing popularity with the neighborhood feel that longtime fans remember from its earlier, smaller-scale years.
A Preview Race and Familiar Faces Ahead of Tuesday
Ahead of the main event, Georgia Katinas, general manager of Annie’s Paramount Steak House, and Citrine the Queen, resident drag queen at JR’s Bar, joined Good Morning Washington to talk up this year’s festivities, according to WJLA. The segment featured a mini preview race between Brian, Roxanne and Citrine, with Citrine taking the win in the friendly warmup. Annie’s Paramount Steak House and JR’s Bar are both set to host pre- and post-race parties along 17th Street with entertainment and community activities, the station reported, and it recommended following @anniesparamountdc and @jrs_bar_dc on Instagram for event updates.
Whether this year’s edition settles the debate between those who miss the race’s scrappier roots and those embracing its bigger modern footprint remains to be seen. For now, the plan is simple: heels on, 17th Street closed, and thousands of spectators lining up once again to watch a tradition that has outlasted nearly four decades of change in the neighborhood it calls home.
