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Reinvent how you celebrate Pride.
By Alice Kelly — Written on Jun 04, 2020
Last year marked the 50th Anniversary since the Stonewall Riots kickstarted the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBTQ right in the United States. Five million people attended World Pride in New York City in 2019, a gathering that's hard to comprehend in our era of social distancing.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the cancellation of Pride parades and parties across the globe, Pride itself will continue on with or without in-person gatherings.
The creativity and strength of the LQBTQIA+ community are visible in this year’s reimagined Pride events. This community knows how to turn adversity into triumph, so, in spite of the global pandemic, Pride events are all virtual this year.
Every cloud has a silver lining, so consider this as an opportunity to attend more Pride events than ever before — all without leaving the house or taking a day off work.
Here's how to celebrate Pride Month virtually with some of the most vibrant and celebratory events happening throughout the month.
June 5
- Kick-off Pride celebration with the Boston Pride 2020 Flag Raising Ceremony. The event is being live-streamed with musical performances and guest speakers.
- Gather your pals for a Netflix party after the event because season 5 of Queer Eye airs on this day, too!
- Dance all day and night with the 12-hour We’re Still Here global live stream, a vibrant virtual festival of LGBTQIA+ performers and artists.
June 7
- The New York City AIDS Walk is one of the most important annual Pride events and is being reimagined this year with an interactive webcast, hosted by surprise celebrity guests and DJs.
June 8
- Boston Pride is hosting an LGBTQ Veterans Panel Discussion live where you can hear from brave service people who highlight the challenges of the community in the military.
- Sit down with “Queer the Table: A Virtual Roundtable”, a panel of food industry experts exploring the role the queer community plays in the world of food and hospitality.
June 9
- Criminal Queerness Arts Festival gives a stage to queer playwrights. The event starts on June 9 but carries on throughout the month, so be sure to tune in whenever.
June 11
- Queerantine Queeraoke is set to be a hilarious and vibrant stream of DJ sets, trivia quizzes and, of course, karaoke dance breaks.
- “Pride Shorts With Vimeo” showcases stories from emerging artists that are all under 20 minutes. The live-streamed event will also feature a Q&A with the filmmakers.
June 12
- The historic Stonewall Inn will be streaming a live happy hour from where Pride began. Make your own cocktail and join in on the fun.
June 13
- LA Pride is going virtual this year with performances from The Pussycat Dolls, Trixie Mattel, Mj Rodriguez, Sandra Bernhard, Bob the Drag Queen, Hayley Kiyoko, Justin Tranter, and more. Also, look out for historical vignettes and in-depth interviews with changemakers.
June 18
- Toronto Pride hosts The Link Up, a virtual DJ event with Afro beats and dancehall tracks spinning all day.
June 19
- One of the most exciting events on this year's Pride calendar has to be NYC Pride and GLAAD’ “Pride 2020 DragFest.” It will star 100 drag performers in the world’s largest digital drag festival in a weekend-long event.
June 20
- In an event that celebrates both Pride and World Refugee Day, this panel shares stories and art from displaced people who identify as LGBTQ. LGBTQ Digital Pride and Migration 2020: Looking Backward and Moving Forward Together is a 2-hour live stream available on Eventbrite.
- Denver Pride’s Virtual 5K Run/Walk has been reimagined to encourage people to be active during this time. Register and you’ll have a week to complete the event and submit your time.
June 25
- The intersection of racial issues and LGBTQIA+ issues will be of particular importance this year. Cincinnati’s Black Pride rises to the occasion.
- So many LGBTQ people miss out on a prom experience that allows them to fully express their true selves. The Openhouse-SF “LGBTQ Senior Prom” brings together older people for a night of dancing and celebration.
June 27
- Drag Queen and activist Marti Gould Cummings is hosting a live 45-minute workout dance class that will have you catwalk-ready at home.
- Pride organizations around the world will come together for Global Pride 2020, a 24-hour live-streamed event featuring musical and artistic performances, plus speeches from activists and campaigners.
June 28
- The good thing about NYC Virtual Pride is you’ll actually be able to hear and see headliner Janelle Monae without having to elbow through crowds!
Show your support for the LGBT community by observing, listening, educating yourself, and having fun!
Alice Kelly is a writer with a passion for lifestyle, entertainment, and trending topics.