“Hi, Gay! Happy Pride Month.“

June kicks off a season of LGBTQ+ Pride events across globe to celebrate and honor the community, while also continuing the battle for rights and freedoms for all. The pandemic setback many Pride events for the past two years, and this summer will be a comeback for several American cities, such as Los Angeles. 

From the West Coast to New York City and Philadelphia, check out 7 different Prides to attend each weekend across the United States to keep the celebrations going all summer:

* With tips and details from a Visit The USA press release

Philly Pride
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 2-5

One of the first things you may notice about The Gayborhood — the name Philadelphia gave its gay neighborhood — are the rainbows adorning its street signs every day of the year. The flags are part of the legacy of this longtime LGBTQ+ area, where there’s no shortage of local LGBTQ+ haunts after the Pride parade, including Giovanni’s Room, a LGBTQ+ bookstore that’s also an AIDS-fundraising thrift store, the two-story U Bar, flirty hangouts Tabu and Woody’s, and drag venue ICandy. *

LA Pride
Los Angeles, California
June 10-12

LA Pride is a three-day affair that takes place in West Hollywood, the heart of Southern California’s LGBTQ+ culture. The festival features musical performances, parties, exhibits and, of course, a rainbow-colored parade. While in LA, you’ll find dedicated LGBTQ+ museums like June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives and ONE Archives Gallery and Museum, which house a monumental collection of LGBTQ+ history. In the evening, stroll down Santa Monica Boulevard, a rainbow-lined stretch of bars and clubs including The Abbey, a long-standing gay bar since 1971 popular for its martinis, dancing and celebrity sightings. *

Make sure to check out the LA Pride in the Park on June 11 in LA State Historic Park with Christina Aguilera and Anitta headlining!

Chicago Pride Fest
Chicago, Illinois
June 18-19

Chicago throws a major party each June, and everyone’s invited. The centerpiece event of the two-day Pride festival along Halsted Street is a 6.4km parade, with dazzling marching bands and performers atop floats. While you’re on Halsted Street, look out for the Legacy Walk, where 35 seven-meter-high Rainbow Pylons honor the legacies of important figures within the LGBTQ+ community. Beyond the parade, street fairs, concerts, drag shows, plays and dance parties bustle through the city, especially in Chicago’s two LGBTQ+ neighborhoods: Boystown in East Lakeview and Girlstown in Andersonville. Two unmissable picks include LGBTQ+-friendly independent bookstore Women & Children First, and drag queen hangout, Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club. *

NYC Pride
New York, New York
June 26

Pride in New York City ripples through the whole city, which truly never sleeps on Pride day. The annual parade winds through the historic neighborhood of Greenwich Village, where the Stonewall Riots first occurred in 1969 and kick-started the global gay rights movement. After the Parade, bars and clubs host blowout parties across Manhattan, many of which don’t require tickets or advance planning. When you’re not out until the early hours, take a stroll through the Village’s charming, narrow streets and venture into iconic LGBTQ+ venues; piano bars like Marie’s Crisis and the Duplex, dance and drag clubs like The Monster and Pieces, vintage taverns like Julius, and lesbian bars Henrietta Hudson and Cubby Hole. *

Pride Island returns June 25-26 with Kim Petras, Lil’ Kim, Netta, and more!

Long Beach Pride
Long Beach, CA
July 9-10

A relaxed atmosphere, SoCal beaches, delicious food, theaters, and a vibrant art scene make Long Beach a unique LGBTQ+ destination. This summer, Long Beach Pride returns to an in-person event after going virtual in 2021. In addition to the stages and musical entertainment (performances from Iggy Azalea and Paulina Rubio on July 10), they’ll be creating multiple activations and attractions that will bring guests and sponsors together in an environment that entertains, educates and inspires.

San Diego Pride
San Diego, CA
July 15-16

San Diego Pride weekend kicks off with the rally on July 15, where inspiring speakers will attend, recognition of LGBTQ+ leaders, and Pride flag raising. Before the parade on July 16, the annual Pride 5k takes places where runners and walkers dress in their favorite rainbow and Pride gear. The parade is among the largest Prides in the U.S., attracting over 300,000 cheering supporters, and the festival takes place both Saturday and Sunday in Balboa Park with community resources, booths, and four stages of live entertainment.

Austin Pride
Austin, TX
August 11-13

Skipping a few weeks for a Pride in August, Austin devotes an entire week to Pride with parades, festivals, and concerts. Not to be missed include the Continental Club, Austin’s trademark live music hub, or The White Horse if you’d rather get up and dance. Austin’s evening parade begins downtown at the State Capitol and heads from Congress Avenue to the Warehouse District. Off the parade route there’s plenty more to experience; the South Congress neighborhood is jam packed with local eateries, quirky shops and live music venues like costume-and-vintage emporium Lucy in Disguise with Diamonds, and Oilcan Harry’s, Austin’s oldest LGBTQ+ bar. *

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