Pride Month Events You Can Join From Your Couch

June 2021 marks the 51^st pride month and this year, it’s going to be different. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, millions of people from across the world will come together to celebrate Pride Month in line with this year’s theme, ‘The Fight Continues.’

Before we continue, here's some background. Pride Month takes place in June every year to coincide with the Stonewall Riots of 1969. The summer of ’69 saw Armstrong’s giant leap for mankind, the age of flower power, and more. But what also happened that June was something that reshaped the way we view people’s rights as individuals. And it all began at Stonewall Inn, a dingy little gay bar tucked away on Manhattan’s Christopher Street. Read more about it here.

This year, various LGBTQ+ organisations from different parts of the globe are finding new ways to maintain community during Pride Month, and have created virtual spaces for queer discourse, awareness, music, and live events. Here are some of the most exciting virtual events for Pride Month you can 'join'.

READ: Pride Month: 7 Countries with Liberal LGBTQ Laws

San Francisco

The San Francisco Pride Parade stands cancelled this year, but the city is going for a virtual event line-up including a mix of in-person, outdoor and online events, including Pride Movie Nights with screenings of “In the Heights” and “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,” along with live prescreening entertainment. For more information, visit sfpride.org

Toronto

Toronto launched Pride Month by raising the rainbow and transgender flags virtually at City Hall on June 1. The long list of events that will be streamed live through this week include a glimpse of all the top-tier queer musicians on one stage with music video-style performances featuring Roney X and Tafari Anthony, whose albums should already be on your Pride playlist. Scroll through the full festival line-up online here. The events can be directly accessed on their Instagram and YouTube handle.

Berlin

Berlin’s Pride, also known as Christopher Street Day (CSD), usually starts with The Lesbisch-Schwule-Stadfest. This year, CSD-Pride Week is planned for June 26-29 with small events taking place around the city. Check it out here.

Norway

Norway’s Oslo Pride is the largest celebration of queer love and diversity in the country. This year a 10-day festival will be held from June 18-27 June with a mix of physical events in the capital and virtual ones on the Oslo Pride 2021 website. 

The Erie Virtual Pride Festival
The Northwest Pennsylvania Pride Alliance will host its Erie Virtual Pride Festival which will be available on the NWPA Pride Alliance's Facebook page and the Erie Playhouse's YouTube channel.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Erie Playhouse (@erie_playhouse)

PrideFest will feature Playhouse performances of scenes from the Broadway shows Rent, Into the Woods, and Kinky Boots. 

Sacramento Pride March and Festival

Sacramento will live stream Remo Virtual Pride with virtual programmes like live music, yoga, and LGBTQ panels on June 5. You can access the festivities here.

READ: 5 LGBTQ+ Monuments Around the World

Denver Pride Parade

The Denver Pride Parade will be live-streamed on Facebook and on DenverPride.org. The line-up of events includes the Denver Pride 5K virtual run where participants may race as individuals or start a "team" to have friends and family join in virtually on their mobile-friendly participant portal on June 26. On June 27, the Coors Light Virtual Denver Pride Parade can be watched along the parade “route” at home. The parade will be featured on Facebook Live with rules and regulations in place.