Pride Prom

Safe Space NOVA and the City of Alexandria Office of the Arts are pleased to announce their 4^th annual regional Pride Prom! Pride Prom has been a tremendous support to LGBTQIA+ youth in the past and we aim to give another 300 queer and trans youth, from all over the DC-Maryland-Virginia metro area, a night to remember. Safe Space NOVA Prom Student Ambassadors have selected Enchanted Forest as their theme for 2025 because a land of mystical wonder, crystals, and dreams would be a needed escape from the dystopian nightmare we are just beginning. The socio-political climate has brought fear, insecurity, and helplessness to the forefront and administrative attacks on trans youth are not only palpable but consuming. On election night, The Trevor Project , the nation’s leading suicide prevention nonprofit dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth, reported crisis calls spiking by 700% as youth feared the worst. On inauguration day, there was a 33% increase in crisis calls. The need to feel safe, supported, and secure is at an all time high. Safe Space NOVA provides just that.

Safe Space NOVA’s 2025 Pride Prom: ENCHANTED FOREST

Friday, June 27, 2025, 7-11pm | Torpedo Factory Art Center | 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314

We welcome 9^th -12^th grade students from Northern VA and the surrounding areas*. Consistent with local school policies, attendees who are NOT high school students (ages 17-20) may ONLY attend if invited by a 9^th-12^th grade ticketed student. All attendees must have an individual ticket for entry. Please see the TICKET link above for rules. Safe Space NOVA reserves the right to refuse entry or ask ticketed guests to leave for violating the rules. All sales are final.

* Rising 9^th graders through current high school seniors

Tickets will be available ASAP starting at $38 pre-sale! This price includes access to fun, friends, and tons of fanfare! On-site activities such as collaborative art activation stations, dinner, dessert, entertainment, and prom swag are included in the cost of admission. All ticketed attendees are also eligible to win phenomenal door prizes including gift cards, amusement park tickets, bowling passes, books, board games, Pride apparel, and more! Additionally, attendees may purchase pride swag at the event through cash, charge, or Venmo.

Link to Get Tickets: https://givebutter.com/9ih0DT

Mix and Mingle Reception

Mexican (Taquitos, flautas, empanadas, mini burritos, beef taquitos, chips & queso)
Italian (flat bread pizza bar)
American (chicken tenders, veggie burger sliders, 100% beef cheeseburger sliders)
Mediterranean (Middle Eastern Mezze w/ Falafel Bites, Hummus, Spicy Feta Dip, Black Bean Dip)
Rainbow Shaped Fruit Charcuterie
Sundae Bar
Cotton Candy
Rainbow Beverage Station

Safe Space NOVA Pride Prom is also proud to partner with the growing list of donors including:

Entertainment Provided By

Getting There

Attendees may be dropped off and picked up at the corner of Fayette Alley/N. Union or Cameron St/N. Union. The entrance to Pride Prom is around the back of the building on the water side.
The Torpedo Factory Art Center is metro adjacent. From the King Street Metro, there is a free (DASH) King Street Trolley which runs every 15 minutes from the metro to Union Street until 11:00 PM.
Discounted Parking is available HB Parking, 300 N. Lee Street, via our ticket portal for $7.50. A digital parking pass will be mailed prior to the event which allows for payless entry and includes the walking directions (.2 miles) to the venue. The Rainbow Defense Coalition (@rdc_dmv) volunteers will be on hand assisting walkers in getting to the venue by walking under a (likely) sea of rainbow umbrellas.

About Safe Space NOVA’s Pride Prom

Pride Prom is an opportunity for LGBTQIA+ youth to attend a prom with pride; dress without distress – be it to impress, to represent, or to blend in; and joyfully dance alone, in groups, or without whomever you choose!

The History of Pride Prom: Beginning in 2017, the first regional Pride Prom proudly hosted over 200 youth from nearly 35 high schools spanning 5 counties! Pride Prom provides the region’s LGBTQIA+ youth (and their friends!) with a magical experience that rivals the traditional school-sponsored proms while ensuring a welcoming and safe atmosphere. We find it unacceptable that any youth feel excluded from the prom experience without compromising their true selves. Pride Prom is unique, in that it is boasts education, compassion, action AND celebration. In addition to a traditional dance, we also provide:

EDUCATION – Student have the unique opportunity to connect with LGBTQ-affirming organizations and local businesses which provide medical and mental health support to youth in Northern Virginia and beyond. This means that affirmation, validation, and support continue long after the event.
ACTION – Students apply to serve as Pride Prom Leaders who work from December through May creating their prom while learning advocacy skills which they are encouraged to turn into action within their communities.
COMPASSION – We ensure a quieter space for students who need to take a sensory break, read some queer fiction, or play board games with friends. We also recognize that sometimes moments of joy include bouts of sadness/anxiety so we have volunteer mental health professionals available to talk to and Free Mom Hugs^TM volunteers ready to remind attendees they are cared for.
CELEBRATION – Pride Prom is fun! Teens routinely report that it is their favorite day of the year and that they cannot wait for next year’s event! Adult chaperones and volunteers are equally delighted watching the attendees have the time of their lives. And as our longtime partner, the Torpedo Factory Art Center provides Artists-in-Residence who set up Art Activation Stations, aligned with the prom theme, to create visual magic with all who attend!

Pride Prom’s success depends on the support of our entire community. For sponsorship opportunities, please email amy@safespacenova.org. We welcome corporate matched donations. Additionally, those wishing to donate door prizes and decor may do so through MyRegistry.

A Look Back

Safe Space NOVA’s Pride Proms are life-changing and life-saving. Every year the Prom Ambassadors, Board Members, Safe Space NOVA volunteers, and vetted (and background-checked) chaperones welcome hundreds of strangers into a prom that surpasses your wildest dreams. While we truly hope students enjoy their own high school proms, we do take “prom planning” to the extreme and offer so much more than just a dance!

Last year, 150 students escaped from the socio-political darkness and into the light of validation, affirmation, and elation at Out of the Shadows: A Gothic (Pride) Prom. Attendees danced, donned witches hats, smiled with spooky ravens, snapped photos, glowed in the dark with giant spider webs, and devoured the dessert waffle bar! The event would not have been possible without our generous sponsors, donors, and volunteers. From all of us at Safe Space NOVA, we thank you.