How Bazaar!
From 12 PM to 5 PM on the 4th Saturday of every month, MoCo Pride Center hosts an indoor vendor market called “How Bazaar!” The largest LGBQTIA+ marketplace in Montgomery County! From hidden gems to unique crafts made by LGBTQIA+ owned businesses, it’s a shopping experience like no other. Meet our rotating cast vendors and our season regulars. Come for the shopping, but stay for the friends, vibes, and entertainment.
You never know what you’re going to get, so don’t be afraid to BE BIZARRE!
Dates and Themes
-
1/24
How Bazaar returns in 2026 for a brand new season! Join us in January for our “New Beginnings” fresh start.
-
2/28
February’s “Love Wins” Valentines fest will be held exclusively online at our Digital Bazaar! Shop vendors from the comfort of your home.
-
3/28
For March, we’re embracing spring time! Let’s enjoy a “Flower Power” market together.
-
4/25
Celebrate Earth Day in April with a special eco-friendly market! This month’s theme is “Shop Green.”
-
5/23
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so this month we want to host a “Self-Care Saturday!”
-
6/28
This month’s market will be held at Pride in the Plaza! The application process for this event is different, so learn more on their site here.
-
7/25
No market this month! We have some work to do and some surprises in store for the end of 2026…
-
8/22
August is our “Back to School” market! Stock up on goodies for a packed fall season, just before our annual Block Party.
-
9/26
In September we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with our longtime friends at The Haus of What and our “Fiesta Arcoíris.”
-
10/24
Happy (early) Halloween! In October, celebrate spooky season at our “Ghouls, Gays, and Theys” market.
-
11/28
This November, we’re practicing gratitude. Join us for the “Community Togetherness” market!
-
12/26
On the day after Christmas this December, we’ll be putting on our Holiday Showcase once more to celebrate a beautiful year together!
Celebrating past vendors
Ever since our pilot event at our Grand Opening, the MoCo Pride Center team has been adapting what Montgomery County’s largest LGBTQIA+ vendor market can accomplish. Check out some of our past vendors at these events! Maybe you’ll see them around…
Baltimore Sip Society
One of our beloved regulars at How Bazaar! is Baltimore Sip Society (@baltimore.sipsociety)! Run by founders Aleisha and Lauston, this small business serves up sodas mixed with handmade flavored syrups, and with extra goodies to boot! BSS started as Aleisha's flavorful vision to bring a unique, elevated drink experience to their home city, and they've only continued to grow from there. From curating unforgettable tastes to capturing the perfect shot, they’re building more than a brand — they’re creating a movement for the discerning sip. Their flavor combinations are unbelievable, they always bring a signature menu for our market, and we can't wait to get our refill on!
17th & Granville
Another longtime partner, 17th & Granville (@17thandgranville) is a Black and nonbinary-led lifestyle brand designing gender-free apparel rooted in identity, safety, and self-expression. Their clothes are made for those too often erased by mainstream fashion—especially Black, Brown, queer, and trans people.
Each piece is soft, accessible, and affirming—built to feel like home. They carry all of their unique styles in sizes XS-5X and use organic & recycled materials. You can even order commissions if you like their designs!
You can feel extra good about supporting them, because A portion of every purchase supports BIPOC- and LGBTQ+-led businesses, mutual aid efforts, and grassroots projects—especially those focused on housing, healing, and justice. Empower all bodies and find your swag!
Zines by K.S. Brenowitz
K. S. Brenowitz (Kat for short, they/she) is a writer and illustrator transplanted from caves-of-steel NYC to the short buildings of DC. Main weapons of choice are dip pens, ink, and a twisted sense of humor. K.S. is an artist with a sweet hat, a sense of the dramatic, and a fondness for eyeballs. Check out their incredible multimedia collages, illustrations, and printed patches! If you like robots and self-care, their works might be for you.
How Bazaar! is not just a vendor’s market, it’s a celebration of the “queer” in every sense of the word. Each month, you can find a featured entertainer in addition to our regular Drag Story Hour, hosted by the Haus of What!
We’ve had singers decked out in butterflies, sword-wielding bellydancers, costumed face painters, drag of all sorts… what will we come up with next?
Take a look and get to know some of our past featured performers!
There’s even more
to see!
Register to attend
Planning to come to a How Bazaar! market? Enter your information below!
Frequently asked questions
-
How Bazaar! is always held INSIDE on Floor 2 of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center:
4805 Edgemoor Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814When the weather permits, we can also be outdoo
-
Vendors are chosen for the market by the MoCo Pride Center team 2 weeks before the date of the market. All vendors will receive confirmation of their selection around this time.
-
Vendors are responsible for bringing everything that they need to operate their own booth — this includes a TABLE! We have a very limited number of extra tables to provide. Please ask in advance if you would need a table provided, and know that we cannot accommodate everyone.
However, we do have many extra chairs. During the event, we’re happy to provide vendors with additional seating.
-
The loading dock for the building will be open beginning at 10AM for setup on Wellness Weekends, and open again at 5PM for breakdown. The entrance is located on Edgemoor Lane, just past the blue “Geste” awning.
-
The market runs from 12PM to 5PM every time. Vendors can choose to leave early if they’d like, but our hard cut-off is 5PM.
-
To apply to the market is totally free! If you are selected as a vendor for the market, there are various pricing tiers:
Prime spot table: $150-$200
Regular table: $60
Free and sliding scale: $0-$40Money is never a barrier to access at MoCo Pride Center. If you can’t afford the table fee this month, don’t worry! Sign up for our free and sliding scale option. If you can afford to pay a little extra to support another community member, we appreciate your contribution!
-
Once the vendors are selected, they will be forwarded payment instructions with a link to our payment platform, GiveLively. Please do not pay before you are formally selected!
-
We hope not! Just typical chatter and some light music to set the mood :)
Sign up to apply!
Sign up to apply!
Each month, we select a handful of vendors that apply based on theme and space allowance. Don't worry: if you're not selected for one of our events, you may very well be invited back for another date! We look forward to seeing you again no matter what.
Applications for June’s date of How Bazaar! — 6/28 — must go through the official Montgomery County Pride in the Plaza application page! Check the website here to learn more about this special event date. For all other dates, please fill out the application below. You must apply for each month separately!
If you ever have questions about the selection process, you can email the MoCo Pride Center team at hello@mocopridecenter.org, or our vendor coordinator Lamonte at lamonte@mocopridecenter.org.