Happy Pride Month! For many of us, every month is gay, but this one is special. The sun is out (not consistently, but we're manifesting it), and it's time to celebrate and to commemorate the Vancouver 2SLGBTQIA+ community’s joy, diversity and resilience.
With Vancouver’s annual Pride parade not until July 31, here are some events to check out to celebrate in the meantime. There are as many ways to celebrate Pride as there are to be Queer, which is to say, many, so we've compiled a list of events that range from warehouse drag parties to youth scavenger hunts.
UBC Drag — June 8 and 22, Koerner’s Pub at UBC
UBC Drag hosts a biweekly show by and for students in partnership with The Pride Collective at Koerner’s Pub. The event is 19+.
Flaming Balloon Youth Workshops: Free creative youth workshops for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ & and questioning youth — June 7, 8, 15 and 20 at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden + Roundhouse Community Centre
Check out these creative movement and artistic workshops for youth (which means ages 16–20-ish) taught and facilitated by local creatives, including UBC alums Angelic Goldsky, Alger Ji-Liang and Merissa Victor. Goldsky describes the workshop in their Instagram post as a chance to “learn some skills in a LGBTQ+ friendly environment from a healing justice perspective, from some wonderful community-engaged mentors.” Three workshops will culminate in a performance on June 20. Check out the post for more information on how to register!
5X Pride with Bianca Maieli + MTOORAY (No Nazar, LA) — June 17, Beaumont Studios
Local Queer South Asian community organization Sher Vancouver is collaborating the Punjabi Market Collective to host a pride event aimed at Queer South Asian youth. Attendees will watch and discuss internationally-acclaimed documentary Emergence: Out of the Shadows, then party with drag queen Jolene Sloan and DJs.
Queer Arts Festival — June 18 to July 8, various locations
The Queer Arts Festival is an annual transdisciplinary event, featuring everything from visual art to horror films to blues music, all around the theme of “haunting.” Costs and accessibility vary for each event, but most are around $20.
Queer Adventures! Scavenger Hunt at The Museum of Vancouver — June 25, Museum of Vancouver
Explore local history with Queer and Trans youth group Mycelium and document your experience with polaroid cameras. This free event is open to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth aged 16–29 years old.
Objects of Pride — June 29, Museum of Vancouver
This virtual show and tell, hosted by Museum of Vancouver, provides participants with the opportunity to share an object that connects them to their 2SLGBTQIA+ experience. Join their Zoom on June 29th to connect to COVID-safe community.
Babes On Babes — June 30, Fortune Sound Club
Babes on Babes is “a collective of artists, DJs and event producers with the shared passion to showcase and celebrate local and international Queer talent.” This 19+ dance party at the Fortune Sound Club is a chance to celebrate pride month as gays have been doing for decades: shaking ass.
Man Up — June 25 at 550 Malkin Ave
Although both the performers and theme at the May 25 version of recurring drag night/dance party Man Up have yet to be announced, you can expect creativity, raunchiness and a warehouse full of celebratory homos amped up for Pride. Remember to bring cash to tip the performers if you can!