Sunday Love 2025 has begun
Community First, Audience Second
Sunday, March 9th, marked the ninth season of Flash’s Sunday Love, the beloved spring and summer daytime gathering that has become a sanctuary for the D.C. music and arts community. More than just a party, Sunday Love is a ritual, a space where people return week after week, forming bonds through music, movement, and shared experience. Featuring a lineup of international and national DJs and local DJs, this event isn’t just about sound; it’s about the connections that grow within it.
Since 2019, I’ve had the privilege of serving as Wellness Director, curating and programming an experience that nurtures mind and body before the music takes over. Kicking off at 3PM, the wellness hour sets the tone, offering a pause before the pulse of the dance floor begins. Over time, I’ve come to realize that the underground thrives not on spectacle alone but on relationships. Sunday Love is not merely an event - it’s a community.
The true magic of Sunday Love lies in the people who return, week after week, drawn by more than just the music. It’s a testament to the power of shared experiences. This is about participation, about creating a space where attendees feel a sense of ownership. Challenges in event spaces do arise everywhere, whether in the form of discrimination, harassment, or personal struggles. These are the moments to hold space and give the community a platform to discuss these issues, and create an environment where individuals feel seen, heard, and valued.
Community First, Audience Second
Sunday, March 9th, marked the ninth season of Sunday Love at Flash, a spring and summer tradition that has become a sanctuary for D.C.’s music and arts community. More than just a party, Sunday Love is a ritual, a space where people return week after week, forming bonds through music, movement, and shared experience. With a carefully curated lineup of international, national, and local DJs, this event isn’t just about sound, it’s about the connections that grow within it.
Since 2019, I’ve had the privilege of being on the production team and serving as Wellness Director, curating experiences that nurture the mind and body before the music takes over. Kicking off at 3PM, the wellness hour offers a moment of pause before the pulse of the dance floor begins. Over time, I’ve come to realize that the underground thrives not just on spectacle but on relationships. Sunday Love is not merely an event -it’s a community.
Listening Beyond the Beat
Much of my programming inspiration comes from the subtle, unspoken cues within the community, the in-between moments. I listen not just to the music, but to the murmurs. Conversations between strangers meeting over tea in the wellness space. First-timers hesitating at the door, then dissolving into the rhythm of the night. The way people interact with the artisans whose crafts line our vendor area.
Metrics can track attendance, but they can’t capture the catharsis of collective movement. Creative direction is inspired by these lived experiences.
The Ritual of Gathering
Yesterday’s Sunday Love Opening Party felt like a reunion, a homecoming of familiar faces and first-timers stepping into the ritual. The energy was buzzing… and you could sense the newcomers feeling it.
Coming back after a five-month break, I felt some anxiety returning to a city that had been deeply impacted by national shifts. I have friends who have or are losing their jobs, and friends who feel they are unwanted because of what they identify as. But then, in that space, it felt like a collective exhale. A moment to fill the void of comfort, to forget the weight of the outside world, and let go into the music.
The opening wellness ceremony was a beautiful, grounding experience. Over forty of us packed into the room, charging a crystal (a welcome gift from our wellness guide) to remind us to continue our own rituals beyond this space. We set intentions together, bathed in healing sound, and then stepped onto the rooftop to dance, and shop, and reconnect with friends and artisans at the Love Bazaar.
This is an invitation: Join us any Sunday until November 2nd, our season closing party. May the energy of these gatherings carry into your day, your week, and however you choose to participate, know that you are in community.