Leesburg approves temporary rainbow crosswalk pilot and waives fees for Pride festival

The Leesburg Town Council on May 11 approved two requests from Equality Loudoun: a temporary, 90‑day pilot to paint a rainbow crosswalk at Harrison Street where the W&OD Trail crosses near Ranson/Refow (adjacent to Ida Lee Park) and a waiver of town event fees for the Loudoun Pride Festival, not to exceed $11,000.

Supporters said the crosswalk and festival will increase visibility and signal welcome to LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. Candice Tuck, who identified herself as representing Equality Loudoun, PFLAG Ashburn‑Loudoun County and the Loudoun Pride Foundation, told the council the crosswalk “is an effort to show that without reservation, without hesitation, that Leesburg is open and inclusive.” The Pride festival, scheduled for May 31, expects roughly 5,000 attendees and charges a $5 entrance fee.

Town staff briefed the council on logistics, costs and public‑safety measures. Town staff member Stacy Trask told council the surface conditions and traffic patterns have been reviewed and that staff recommends treating the painting as a temporary program for about 90 days so a formal policy and application process can be drafted. Trask said half the street would be painted at a time, that painting…