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June is here, so get ready for rainbow flags and Pride month celebrations.
Massachusetts, the first state in the country to legalize same-sex marriage, has a rich history of LGBTQ+ Pride — especially in Boston. And throughout the month, there will be all sorts of ways to celebrate, from dance parties and boozy brunches to concerts and historical tours.
While this certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, here are a few Pride events to get you started.
Free Pride Flow/Strength Class
Sunday, June 2 — 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Down Under School of Yoga, 505 Tremont St., Boston
Down Under School of Yoga’s South End studio will host a free class with Lyndsay Allyn Cox, a Boston- and New York-based fitness instructor. The third annual “PRIDE Movement Mashup” features both strength training and vinyasa. While the class is free, attendees are encouraged to make a donation to Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth, a youth-led organization committed to social justice and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community. Don’t forget to bring your yoga mat!
First Fridays: Bold with Boudoir
Friday, June 7 — 5:30 p.m.
Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston,
To kick off Pride month, the Institute of Contemporary Art will be hosting its longstanding First Fridays series with Boudoir — a queer underground dance club that centers around music and art. The event will feature numerous sets from local DJs and attendants will also have the chance to explore the galleries. (Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. ICA members get in free.)
Boston Pride for the People parade and festival
Saturday, June 8 — 11 a.m.
Copley Square, Boston
Colorful floats, heart-pumping music, entertainment. Having a parade is the proper launch to Pride month nationally — and Boston has its own too. This year, Boston Pride for the People, a community-run organization that aims to empower and honor the LGBTQ+ community, will host the parade for the second time, after reviving the hallmark event last year. The parade will start in Copley Square, move through the South End and conclude on Boston Common with a festival. There will also be a block party at the City Hall Plaza for those 21 and over.
Pride Trivia Brunch
Saturday, June 22 — 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Club Café, 209 Columbus Ave., Boston
Put the mimosa order in because MassOpera and Opera On Tap will host their first Pride Trivia Cabaret Brunch since 2019 at Club Café. The brunch will take place in the Moonshine room (it’s giving classy early 1900s cabaret vibes). Apart from the trivia, the event will also feature performances from local musicians Abigail Whitney Smith, Donatella Fermata, Joshua Dixon Belt, Brittany Rolfs and Nicole Talbot.
Club Passim Performances
Saturday, June 22, 8 p.m.
Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Cambridge
If you’re more of a night owl, Club Passim will host its inaugural Pride Month event with the Folk Collective. (Fun fact: Club Passim is the same venue that Joan Baez and Bob Dylan played in before their big debut.)
The event will host six queer and trans musicians, including WBUR’s 2022 local Tiny Desk Contest favorite Lee Zangari. The performances will also be held in an in-the-round space for folks who prefer a more intimate vibe.
The Gibson House Museum
Throughout the month.
Gibson House Museum, 137 Beacon St., Boston
Boston has historically been a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ movement, and some of that history is preserved through Charlie Hammond Gibson, Jr., a writer and preservationist. In his early 20s, Gibson was part of the “bohemian” subculture, a term used to reference queer communities in the 1800s. As the last person to reside on 137 Beacon St., Gibson’s vision was to open his family’s Back Bay mansion to become a community gathering space that commemorates LGBTQ+ history through his personal life and literary endeavors.
In honor of Gibson’s upcoming 150th birthday, the Gibson House Museum will host a few special events for people who are interested in learning more about LGBTQ+ history in Boston. On June 4, the museum will host a talk that dives into works surrounding Boston’s gay subculture in the late 19th century. Additionally, the museum will offer “Charlie Gibson’s Queer Boston” tours from Thursday to Sunday throughout June.
