by Jas Keimig
Hi, gay! It's queer Christmas season, aka Pride!
This June marks 50 years of Pride here in the Emerald City, and as such, there are tons of events celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. Go have a little ki at the Very Mini Kiki Ball in the Central District, learn about Seattle's history of pinkwashing with Dean Spade, and finally learn how to ride a bike at Friends on Bikes and Queer the Land's bike workshops. While this whole month is a moment of celebration, we must also remember that queer and trans rights are under threat nationwide, with over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures. As much as we need to use this time to heal, we also need to build community, organize, and protect those on the frontlines.
Although Seattle officially celebrates Pride on the last weekend of June (this year, June 28—30), this list also includes Pride events later in the summer and year. Pride is all the time!
June 5, 4:30—7:30 p.m.
Garfield Community Center
2323 E. Cherry St.
June's You Are Now is the first in a series of Very Mini Kiki Balls happening this summer, designed for all those who want to have a lil' ki and some fun. "Whether you're a newbie dipping your toes in the scene or an established girl getting ready to do your big one, this event is open to all. Come show us what you've been cooking in the lab," Seattle Kiki Sessions wrote about the event on its Instagram. Commentated by Notorious 007, the event is free entry, all ages, with free food and health resources. Note: This event will start on time "due to venue restrictions and the commentator being a Virgo."
June 5, 7—8 p.m.
Elliott Bay Book Company
1521 10th Ave.
As part of The Seattle Public Library's Seattle Reads event series on Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower, the library is partnering with Elliott Bay and Clarion West on a conversation about Butler's influence on queer writers, with Ambler Flame, Anastacia-Rene, and Nisi Shawl. Unmissable!
June 6, 5—10 p.m.
Pioneer Square
Pioneer Square Art Walk is celebrating Pride this year with a "Pride in Seattle: 50th Anniversary Art Exhibit" at RailSpur. Curated by youth interns at Seattle Pride and Seattle's LGBTQ+ Center, the exhibition is about highlighting queer experiences through multiple lenses.
June 7—9
Burien Town Square Park
480 SW 152nd St., Burien
Burien is celebrating Pride early with a three-day festival. On Friday, there will be a street dance party from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. with live music and food; on Saturday, there will be an all-day street festival from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with vendors, a beer garden, live music, food, and a kids area. The weekend concludes on Sunday with an all-you-can-eat pancakes bonanza from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and FIVE hours of drag queen bingo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
June 8, 6:30—9 p.m.
SIFF Cinema Egyptian
805 E. Pine St.
The queen herself, Ts Madison, is back in Seattle to host the Lavender Rights Project's Black Trans Comedy Showcase fundraiser at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian. Featuring comedians Sunkee Angel, Quei Tann, and Mx. Dahlia Belle, the night is a much-needed moment of joy and laughter in the midst of ongoing attacks nationwide on trans rights and communities. All the money raised will go toward secure housing, legal protections, and the well-being of Black trans people in Washington State. The night will also feature raffle prizes as well as a meal — be sure to bring ca$h to tip the performers!
June 8, 13, 29
Queer the Land House
Throughout the month of June, Queer the Land and Friends on Bikes have collaborated on an events series connecting queer, trans, Black, Indigenous People of Color with biking! On June 8, they'll be hosting a bike maintenance workshop on how to fix your bike at Bike Works Warehouse. On June 13, you can attend a bike clinic at the QTL House to learn and/or practice bike riding in a friendly environment. Then, on June 29, there will be a chill, 7-mile Pride Ride from QTL House on Beacon Hill!
June 9, 7 p.m.
Northwest Film Forum
1515 12th Ave.
"Pinkwashing" is a term used to describe the practice of governments labeling themselves as "gay-friendly" in order to cover up their extreme human rights abuses. One of the biggest culprits of this is Israel, which uses gay tourism as an attempt to hide its violent colonization of Palestine. More from Northwest Film Forum: "In 2012, activists in the Pacific Northwest responded to an Israeli Consulate-funded pinkwashing tour featuring Israeli gay and lesbian activists that was coming to the region. Local queer activists for Palestine solidarity exposed the 'Rainbow Generations' tour as pro-Israel propaganda and got some of the events, including the tour's centerpiece event hosted by the City of Seattle's LGBT Commission, cancelled. A significant backlash ensued involving the Seattle City Council and some of Seattle's leading organizations dedicated to LGBT issues and HIV awareness. Through the inspiring story of these activists' victory, Pinkwashing Exposed explores how pinkwashing works and what local activists are doing to fight back."
At this screening of Pinkwashing Exposed, director Dean Spade and a panel of local activists will be on deck to talk about the documentary.
June 22, 1 p.m.—Late
Georgetown
It's never too late to have your first Pride. So hats off to Georgetown for organizing its first, which is going down June 22 across the neighborhood. The afternoon starts with a neighborhood hang at Bloom Bistro featuring family-friendly fun (and a clown!!). Then, at 3 p.m., Dykes on Bikes will escort a gay parade starting at Oxbow Park and ending on Airport Way. From 4 p.m. on, fams can hang at the Trailer Park Mall with 21+ shenanigans including free weddings at the Shotgun Ceremonies Wedding Chapel; music and performances from DJ Rainbow Tay, SUX, Jackie Hell, and Mikey Moo at Star Brass Works; DJ Wax Witch and Hot Dog Prom at Seattle Tavern; and Gully at 9lb Hammer.
June 22, 5:45—10 p.m.
Emerald City Trapeze
2702 6th Ave. S.
There's truly nothing gayer than a circus (and trapeze), and Emerald City Trapeze is providing you with both on June 22. This Pride season, it is hosting an 18+ open house for the circus-curious to come and try out different circus disciplines alongside actual circus professions. Those who are interested can stay for an evening performance of Radical Resilience, its Pride edition of its Circus Etc. Cabaret. Important to note, that this is a dry event, so it'll only be serving nonalcoholic drinks all night (including a new one called gender fluid, delish!).
June 28, 5—10 p.m.
Volunteer Park
1247 15th Ave. E.
One of my favorite Pride events is Trans Pride in Volunteer Park. Every year, trans people and their allies gather in Volunteer Park to watch performances, listen to speeches, and connect with community organizations at the resource fair. Masks are required at this event, so just a heads-up. Details are still being hashed out, so watch the Trans Pride Instagram space for more updates.
June 29, 3—8:30 p.m.
Pier 62
1951 Alaskan Way
The sun! The sea air! It must be Indigiqueer Festival! Another one of my favorite Pride events! Go and bask in queer Native brilliance at this event that centers Indigiqueer joy and healing on the Salish Sea. The afternoon will be filled with food from Native vendors, an Indigiqueer art market, a print-making activity, a plant medicine care tent, as well as performances from Indigenous drag, music, and dance artists.
July 2—Aug. 28
Queer the Land House
For those with kiddos, Queer the Land is hosting a summer camp this summer for children ages 7—12. Activities include local field trips, herb identification and plant walks, basic plant care, garden art, journaling, and more.
July 13, 12—6 p.m.
We're still a little ways out from Tacoma Pride, but save the date! The all-ages street festival will feature a main stage hosted by ALMA Tacoma, queer and BIPOC entertainers, as well as a beer garden, Makers market, and more.
July 27, 5 p.m.
Madame Lou's
2505 1st Ave.
Okay, yes, this technically isn't a Pride event, but I would be remiss for not including a night of cool queers doing cool things. Come through to see sets from bands like Sister Wife Sex Strike, Black Ends, and Rat Queen as well as drag performances from Rowan Ruthless, Diamond Lil, Issa Man, Jizzuhbell, and Mimi Gina, all hosted by Jane Don't.
Aug. 23—25
Seattle
Now in its seventh year, Northwest Black Pride Weekend is back to celebrate the beauty of the Black queer community. More details incoming, but save the date!
Aug. 31
Alki Beach
1702 Alki Ave. SW
Feel the sun, smell the Puget Sound air, and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community at Alki Beach Pride. More details will be announced soon, but expect music, vendors, and a whole lot of rainbow fun.
Jas Keimig is a writer and critic based in Seattle. They previously worked on staff at The Stranger, covering visual art, film, music, and stickers. Their work has also appeared in Crosscut, South Seattle Emerald, i-D, Netflix, and The Ticket. They also co-write Unstreamable for Scarecrow Video, a column and screening series highlighting films you can't find on streaming services. They won a game show once.
📸 Featured Image: Performer Cherri Bepsi flashes a peace sign at last weekend's White Center Pride. (Photo: Susan Fried)
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