2023 Pride Guide: 13 Intersectional Pride Events That Celebrate Our Diversity
Our Pride Guide provides events, panels, and parties that shine a light on the too-often marginalized groups within the LGBTQ+ community.
While the entire LGBTQ+ community is marginalized, most still carry a lot of privilege – especially if we’re white and cis-gendered. This Pride, it’s time to advocate and shine a light on those within the queer community who face multiple social injustices.
While the entire LGBTQ+ community is marginalized, most still carry a lot of privilege – especially if we’re white and cis-gendered. This Pride, it’s time to advocate and shine a light on those within the queer community who face multiple social injustices.
Pride organizers around the world are recognizing this and there’s a shift in event programming to highlight diversity in the truest sense of the word. More and more Pride Month events are dedicating themselves to the intersectionality of the LGBTQ+ community with events that amplify queer people of color, queer people with disabilities, and other overlooked groups.
We’ve highlighted our top 13 Pride events from Amsterdam to Seattle. Our list of picks celebrates our unique diversity and also acknowledges that there’s more work to be done to ensure that everyone is fully seen and represented within the queer community and mainstream queer culture. These events take that positive step forward.
Seattle Pride (June 1-26)
The grungy Pacific Northwest capital sent a crystal-clear message last year when it announced it was breaking ties with Amazon as a Pride Month sponsor. Citing political donations to anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers among other corporate behavior, Seattle Pride is determined to make Pride authentic. And turning away Amazon’s deep pockets isn’t the only way event organizers are doing that. The free, quarterly PRIDE Speaks lecture series cover issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community, including the intersection of the queer community with mental health and visible and invisible disabilities.
Pride Month programming features more niche events and puts queer people with disabilities at the forefront of event planning. For the big parade on June 25 and the Pride in the Park event on June 3, priority seating, ADA restrooms, and interpreters will, of course, be available. But there will also be designated assistants to support individuals in accessing food and beverages at these events. And Pride in the Park will debut a new decompression space designed by The Arc of King County which promotes and protects the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Seattle Pride continues its reparations model for parade seating from last year. BIPOC attendees can use the code “STARDUST” for a 50% discount on seating. Event organizers say it’s not an assumption of lack of wealth but “our way of working to address the historical and ongoing damage to the Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.”
Pride Toronto (June 1-30)
Canada’s largest Pride event has outlined Indigenous solidarity and advocacy goals through 2027. And it’s incredibly comprehensive, from incorporating the two-spirit acronym (2S) to ongoing training on racism for all event staff to prioritizing Indigenous art and programming. And to kick off Pride, Two-Spirited People of the First Nations will host Toronto’s second annual 2-Spirit Pow Wow on May 27 for a day of food, music, dancing, and shining a light on the Two-Spirit community in Canada.
In addition to the Two-Spirit and Indigenous Community Advisory Committee, Pride Toronto has other intersectional committees such as the Rainbow Senior Community Advisory Committee and the Sober Oasis Community Advisory Committee. Pride Toronto says these superheroes “work tirelessly to ensure that our community voices are heard, represented, and celebrated in all their glory!” Other intersectional events in June include Pride Shabbat on June 16 and Rainbow Seniors Pride on June 17.
Lesbians Who Tech: Pride Summit (June 12-16)
“Queer. Inclusive. Badass.” That’s the tagline for Lesbians Who Tech (LWT), an organization committed to connecting queer women, non-binary, and trans people in the tech industry, an industry heavily dominated by white, cis-hetero men. LWT’s annual Pride Summit is so much more than a work conference with past guest speakers such as Stacey Abrams, Megan Rapinoe, Kamala Harris, and more. But here’s the best part: These keynotes are free and online. And breakout sessions, networking, and career fairs are all online and free, too. There are also free in-person networking events in Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City throughout Pride Month. You just need to register for the free summit ticket online to attend. Whether you attend virtual workshops or an in-person event, it’s a great way for any queer womxn in media to get their name and resume in the door with some of the most impressive tech companies and media companies around the world.
NYC Pride (June 15-26)
NYC Pride, the largest Pride celebration in the world, isn’t holding back. This year’s theme “Strength in Solidarity” promotes the “power and resiliency” of our community amid “a backdrop of increased attacks against members of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially in the form of legislation and physical violence that directly targets trans and BIPOC individuals.” It’s an empowering theme and the events are just as inspiring. Sure, there will be the historic March on June 25, but there’s so much more in this year’s lineup to explore. The Brunch, a 21+ event on June 18, isn’t just another drag brunch. It’s a queer, epicurious curation of Juneteenth food stories from Black LGBTQIA+ chefs. And to kick off Pride Month, Hebro Pride Happy Hour on June 1 celebrates the gay Jewish community in New York.
As for parties, this year’s Teaze event focuses on the “celebration of Queer Existence” with BIPOC headliners such as the Black Trans Femmes in the Arts Collective. And Femme Fatale has been renamed and reimagined as Bliss Days, a welcoming celebration for all LGBTQIA+ womxn, not just cis femmes.
Trans Pride of Mobile (All Year Round)
Rainbow Pride of Mobile in Mobile, Alabama isn’t the state’s largest Pride organization or event, but they do have the most robust programming for trans and non-binary people. Trans Pride of Mobile, an outreach arm of MobPride, hosts family beach days as well as longer Trans Beach Trips along the Gulf Coast throughout the year for trans and non-binary folks of all ages to feel safe and supported in swimwear. Unlike several Pride events that are usually scheduled for June, the annual Pridefest celebration is usually held the second week of April. Rainbow Pride of Mobile will host its 3rd Annual Family Pride Picnic at the large Jimmie Morris Pavilion at Langan Park from 12 to 4 pm on Sunday, September 17, 2023. Attendees are encouraged to bring everything they need for a picnic, such as folding chairs, a picnic blanket, snacks, water, sun protection, and bags for garbage collection.
Twin Cities Pride (June 1-26)
Most Pride events have a day of festival fun – usually in a park – and a night of 21+ parties – usually in a club – that caters primarily to queers who drink. But what about non-drinkers? In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Twin Cities Pride, supports Sober Pride Minnesota which puts on a series of alcohol-free events in June, from grilling in the park to a dance party.
And while most Pride events have priority seating or ADA bathrooms, Twin Cities Pride will also offer resources to LGBTQ+ people with disabilities you can’t see such as neurodivergent and deaf queers. The Pride festival will partner with Minnesota Deaf Queers, and both the park festival and the official parade will have special tents to provide Pride attendees with autism a quiet escape space. Check out the full schedule of Pride-related events in the Twin Cities area.
Pride Amsterdam (August 1-7)
Amsterdam has one of the coolest Pride events on the planet. You can’t compete with rainbow barges floating down picturesque canals. But there’s more to the city’s event than just the Canal Parade. The theme this year is “#YouAreIncluded” and it’s changing the focus of Pride Amsterdam to celebrate the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community. According to the online mission statement, “The #YouAreIncluded theme represents both individuals and groups fighting for equal rights. Visibility is therefore of great importance and helps in helping the many activities that are organized to bring people together.”
One queer group typically not as visible at Pride parties is seniors; so, Pride Amsterdam is making one of this year’s marquee events just for LGBTQ+ seniors with the Senior Pride Concert in the Nieuwmarkt outdoor square on August 3.
UK Black Pride (August 20, 2023)
While most cities in the U.S. celebrate Pride in June, much of Europe celebrates in July or August such as UK Black Pride. Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ+ African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Caribbean heritage, UK Black Pride will take place at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This year’s theme hasn’t been announced yet, but last year focused on power – the power of queer Black women who founded UK Black Pride, the queer Black women who have fought for LGBTQ+ rights for decades, and the queer Black women of today creating art and policy change for a new generation.
“Each year, we consider how – through programming, protest, and politics – we can create space where our identities and our cultures can be expressed safely, in partnership with councils and venues that understand how important our communities are to us,” said Lady Phyll, the co-founder and CEO of UK Black Pride.
Drag Queen Story Hour (All Year Round)
Even if your town doesn’t have a robust lineup of Pride events for families and kids, there’s probably a Drag Queen Story Hour nearby or online. The organization is all about changing perspectives and gender bias through heart-warming children’s books readings and story times with “glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models.” Readings during Pride Month, such as Drag Queen Storytime Kentucky’s Dragtivity Pride Day, are a great way to teach kids about LGBTQ+ history and what Pride Month means.
Capital Pride – Washington, DC (May 22 – June 11)
Book your flights now because 2025 will be a big year for Washington, DC as it will celebrate 50 years of Pride and host InterPride’s WorldPride 2025 from May 23 – June 8, 2025. But while we wait, DC will host tons of can’t-miss events this year, including the recent celebration of DC Black Pride during the Memorial Day Weekend.
In addition to the big Capital Pride parade on June 10, the Capital Pride Alliance has several diverse events scheduled such as the Trans Pride Pool Party on June 10 as well as year-round programming which includes a Black Lesbian Support Group at The D.C. Center.
Reykjavik Pride (August 8 -13)
Corporations aren’t allowed to have a presence in parades and parties at Reykjavik Pride like we’re so used to seeing in the U.S. and much of Europe. And without all those logos and marketing activations, Reykjavik Pride is something truly authentic. Because the programming leading up to the big parade is so intentional in its connections to queer people today and the world around us. While this year’s agenda hasn’t been released, last year’s Pride covered numerous niche groups and topics within the LGBTQ+ community that most larger (and corporate-sponsored) Prides festivals overlook. Specific events from last year catered to niche groups such as Gaymers and polyamorous families. There was a panel on domestic violence within the LGBTQ+ community, too.
LA Pride (June 7-24)
As most Pride events return to in-person post-pandemic, LA Pride’s signature events are back and bigger than ever, from the parade on June 11 to the family-friendly ‘Pride is Universal’ night at Universal Studios Hollywood. But this year, to kick off the main Pride weekend, LA Pride is partnering with the iconic Getty Museum to talk about the queer art world – specifically LGBTQ+ photography. On June 7, the LA Pride Salon Series will present “Queering the Lens,” a panel featuring three BIPOC Los Angeles-based photographers Rick Castro, Amina Cruz, and Texas Isaiah creating “powerful artwork that spotlights and celebrates under-represented LGBTQ+ communities.”
Vancouver Pride Society (All Year Round)
The Vancouver Pride Parade isn’t until August 6, however, Pride programming is ongoing at the Vancouver Pride Society. And as most celebrate Pride in June, Vancouver will have several events for the LGBTQ+ community, too. But what makes Vancouver’s events stand out is the emphasis on physical activities and queer wellness – from breathing and mindfulness workshops to circuit training for non-binary athletes. There’s even an evening guided meditation session on June 8 just for queer, trans, Black, and Indigenous people of color to provide “a welcoming space to heal, rest, and be in a community for QTBIPOC folks.”
Click here to check out the IGLTA’s calendar for upcoming Pride-related festivals, parades, and events.
