The Toronto Pride event round-up for students

Every June, the streets of Toronto get a little more colourful. Pride in this city is a pretty big deal, and one of the best ways to kick o! the summer. With events like the famed Pride Parade on June 23rd with this year’s Grand Marshall Gigi Gorgeous,  drag shows with queens from all around the world, and tons of music, there’s a celebration for everyone. We’ve put together a list of some of the most exciting Pride events happening in Toronto this month, for you to get loud and proud:

Already thinking of going to the parades on Pride weekend? Why not join in with Humber LGBTQ+! They’ll be marching in all three parades throughout the weekend, with Sunday’s Pride Parade open to all! If you register ahead of time you can even join them for t-shirt decorating and get access to other marching materials. You don’t need to be a Humber or Guelph Humber student to march with them, so feel free to invite friends and family! You can find all the details on their registration form. The Humber LGBTQ+ Resource Centre has more events and contests planned for the entire month of June! Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date with all the Pride fun!

West Queen West’s artsy Gladstone Hotel goes by The Gaystone for the month of June, which acts as a pretty good indicator for the amount of Pride-themed events they host (not to mention their Sunday Drag Brunches and weekly screenings of RuPaul’s Drag Race!). This June you can catch events like L Word Trivia, a Trans/Non-Binary Cabaret, and a Queer Makers Market. On top of all that, The Gladstone’s That’s So Gay Art Show will be celebrating it’s 10th year in collaboration with Nuit Rose, so if you’re into the art scene make sure to stop by and see some work by talented LGBTTI2QQ artists!

Pride Toronto has received backlash in the past for it’s corporate sponsors, which is where Alternative Pride Toronto comes in. Funded only by a non-profit group from Vancouver, the event aims to bring an alternative to the traditional Pride events, with warehouse takeovers, gallery parties, and DJ shows galore. The four-day festival is focused on the underground queer house and techno scene, so make sure to bust out the neon for this one!

Want to dance among the dinosaurs? The Royal Ontario Museum is hosting their own Pride Party for their third #FNLROM event of the month on June 14th! Explore the ROM with a drink in hand to the sounds of all your favourite queer Toronto DJ’s and drag performances. There will be unique food vendors with treats like liquid nitrogen ice cream and Filipino street food for those late night munchies, and exclusive photography exhibits to peruse throughout the night.

If you’re not into the party scene, there’s still options for you! Toronto staple Second City is performing their Sketch Comedy Extravaganza Eleganza throughout the month of June, written and performed by some of the city’s best queer comedians. The show has been nominated for numerous awards, sells out often, and is being presented for it’s final run, so make sure to catch it while you can!

Inspired by Toronto’s annual Nuit Blanche, Nuit Rose is an art festival and crawl focused on LGBTQ+ artists and performers, back for it’s 6th year on June 15th. The event features queer art from local and international artists, including installations, music, dance, poetry, sculpture, and more, displayed in neighbourhoods across the city. The event starts at 7 pm, with a Light Parade at 8:30 pm, and did we mention it’s all completely free?!

Dive into Pride weekend with a trip to the aquarium! On June 21st, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is hosting their 4th Night at the Aqueerium, with entertainment by

the Spice Queens, DJ Cozmic Cat, and Lucie Tic. You can dance the night away with the octopus and the jellyfish Little Mermaid style, and without the weekday field trips running through halls!. You can score early-bird tickets until June 7th, so don’t miss out! (Singing lobster not guaranteed.)

Toronto’s Green Space Festival  is going on throughout Pride weekend, with events featuring DJ’s and drag queens both local and international, with all proceeds going towards The 519 Church Street Community Centre. One stand out event is their annual Starry Night, on June 20th, where you can catch performances from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 contestants Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, Silky Nutmeg Ganache and A’keria Chanel Davenport, and their One World: Afro House event with Naomi Smalls! If you’re dying to meet the queens up close and personal, you can also buy a ticket for the Starry Night Meet & Greet and/or the Naomi Smalls Meet & Greet on their site!