Just one day before the highly anticipated World Pride 2025 kickoff concert in Washington, D.C., headliner Shakira has canceled her performance due to ongoing technical problems with her equipment.
In a statement on Friday, the Capital Pride Alliance — the event's main organizer — expressed disappointment, saying, “Unforeseen circumstances have unfortunately led to the cancellation of the concert.” They added that details about a revised opening ceremony would be announced soon.
Shakira was set to headline Saturday night’s celebration at Nationals Park. However, technical complications stemming from her canceled Thursday night show at Boston’s Fenway Park made it impossible to transport her full tour setup to Washington in time. Jason Aldean’s scheduled performance at Fenway on Friday was also canceled, reportedly for similar reasons.
“Despite all efforts, it is no longer feasible to proceed with the planned performance,” said the Capital Pride Alliance.
While the opening concert is off, other scheduled citywide events for the weekend will go ahead, with a revised version of the kickoff ceremony being relocated and restructured.
The cancellation adds to a series of challenges for organizers. Already, World Pride 2025 has been impacted by political controversy, particularly surrounding President Donald Trump’s administration. LGBTQ+ advocates have voiced concerns about Trump’s policies, especially those affecting transgender rights and drag performances.
These concerns have prompted some international LGBTQ+ groups, such as Eagle Canada and the African Human Rights Coalition, to warn against travel to the U.S. due to fears that trans and nonbinary individuals might face discrimination or issues at border control.
As a result, some international attendees have decided to skip the event — either for safety reasons or as a protest. However, others are encouraging domestic participation in greater numbers to support the community and reclaim the event’s visibility.
Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos said that security fencing would be installed around the concert and rally set for the final weekend of World Pride on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Though early hotel bookings for the June 6–8 finale weekend were initially below last year’s numbers, Elliott Ferguson, president of Destination D.C., reported a recent uptick. “We’re now seeing a last-minute surge, especially from domestic travelers,” he said, suggesting that concerns over international turnout may have energized local and national attendees.