June is Pride month, a time for the LGBTQ+ community to be loud, proud and a little bit sloppy. It’s also a time to celebrate the strides made since the advent of the gay rights movement, and to advocate for change today. In honor of that legacy, we’re bringing you five Pride-related events to jumpstart your June. Happy Pride to one and all!
Thursday, June 6
Drag queens make everything more festive – including bingo! The Brighton branch of the Boston public library hosts a teen-friendly Drag Queen bingo event, which is open to ages 16 and up. If you’re wondering what it’s like to turn the campiest of performance arts into a game of chance that may also include some light gambling, look no further.
June 4 – 30
The Coolidge Corner Theater celebrates Pride with a series of films from the “new queer cinema” of the 1990s. This cinematic movement introduced more daring, grittier depictions of LGBTQ life into the independent film scene, and pushed the envelope aesthetically. The Coolidge is showing six pictures from the genre throughout the month. This Sunday, it presents Gus Van Sant’s “My Own Private Idaho,” which happens to have been a life-changing title for WBUR film critic Sean Burns. Burns saw the film, which stars Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix as wayward young street hustlers, on opening night in 1991. “‘My Own Private Idaho’ was a revelation to this 16-year-old-boy,” Burns writes. “It felt like a whole movie made out of things you weren’t supposed to be allowed to do in movies.” Check out Burns’ overview of the entire retrospective here.
Friday, June 7
On the first Friday of every month, the Museum of Fine Arts stays open until 9 p.m., transforming with music, drink and partying crowds. This month’s First Friday is Pride-themed, featuring a drag story hour, art making and a set by DJ Dayglow. Tickets tend to sell out, so snag yours while you can.
Saturday, June 8
It isn’t Pride without the Pride parade. This is the second year that the grassroots organization Boston Pride For the People has organized the city’s annual Pride march, with the aim of centering more marginalized LGBTQ identities and de-emphasizing the presence of corporations at Pride. The march kicks off at 11 a.m. in Copley Square and culminates in a festival on Boston Common.
Sunday, June 9
If you’re looking for something a little more educational to celebrate Pride, try a walking tour of queer history in Boston. You’ll learn about the city’s history of LGBTQ activism, get the scoop on Boston marriages and hear some juicy gay goss about some of the area’s most notable figures.
