DALLAS — Summer has (unofficially) started, June is here and Pride Month is upon us!
According to the Library of Congress, LGBTQ+ Pride is celebrated in June in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, New York. History.com says police raided gay bars often, but patrons sparked a riot one night at the Stonewall Inn.
The riot then turned into "Gay Pride Day," then what's now known as Pride Month. LGBTQ+ people and allies spend all of June celebrating how far they've come and look at what needs to be done now.
The Dallas-Ft. Worth area has plenty of opportunities to show up and show out for the LGBTQ+ community.
Note: Many events not seen in the following list can be found on other websites like the Dallas Pride event calendar, Eventbrite, and Pridenton.
City of Dallas Pride Kick-Off
City of Dallas officials will be declaring the start of Pride Month with an unveiling of their Pride Flag. There will be two celebrations on Wednesday, June 1: one for 8 a.m. at Dallas Love Field, and one for noon at City Hall Plaza.
Silver Pride Coffee and Conversation
LGBT and allied seniors are welcome for coffee and conversation with the Silver Pride Project. The Project started in 2017 to support and meet the growing needs for LGBT seniors such as equality in health care, housing, and decreasing social isolation.
Coffee and Conversation will be on Wednesday, June 1 from 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Grauwyler Library.
Dallas Pride Festival & Parade
Dallas Pride is returning to Fair Park for their annual Music Festival on Saturday, June 4, then a Parade on Sunday, June 5
The Miller Lite Music Festival will run from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. with concerts, vendors, a Teen Pride Festival and a Family PRIDE Zone. In regards to ticket prices, Kids 12 and younger get in free, teens (13-19) pay $5, and adults pay $10.
The Parade kicks off at 2 p.m. Sunday starting at the Coliseum. The parade itself will be free. Parking in the State Fair Lots will be $10, and there will be food trucks and vendors.
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Locked In Love
This Pride Month, you can celebrate with a selfie at the Locked on Love gate in The Shops at Park Lane. The rainbow-colored gate is located between the Starbucks and Chipotle.
In addition to the sweet photo-op, you can either add your own lock to the gate or sign one of the locks that already attached. And don't worry! There will be Sharpies at the gate.
Pride in Bloom
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is celebrating Pride Month in the garden!
Pride in Bloom will be on Saturday, June 11, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
In addition to a Pride Pop-up Market and a floral wall, there will be live music performed by Scott Ayers (12-2 p.m.) and the Lake Highlands School of Music (2 p.m.).
Guests can also visit new Birds in Paradise-themed murals by artists MOM and Will Heron. One huge highlight will be a pair of 13-foot-tall floral peacocks with tails measuring over 36 feet across.
You're more than welcome to bring your own picnic as you celebrate Pride Month with friends and family.
Dallas Southern Pride: Juneteenth Unity Weekend
Dallas Southern Pride will have their Juneteenth Unity Weekend from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday, June 19. It's an annual celebration for Black LGBTQ+ people to celebrate their contributions to Black and American culture, liberation and community.
Unity Weekend will have plenty of events, as always. There will be the Juneteenth Unity Festival and pool party featuring performances from the City Girls, Saucy Santana and Moneybagg Yo. The event will be on Saturday, June 18 from 5-9 p.m. at the Samuell-Grand Aquatic Center.
The festival weekend also includes club events, parties and The Emancipation Ball.
Dallas' own Erica Banks and Yella Beezy are also set perform at the Mega Party at 10 p.m. Saturday at Amplified.
The weekend will end with a Sunday signature brunch hosted by Kirk Myers-Mill, president of Dallas Southern Pride.
"Juneteenth Unity Weekend is a celebration and representation of the many intersections and beautiful mosaics within the Black community,” said Myers-Hill. “The Black community is only as strong as its Black Gay brothers and sisters. Juneteenth is an opportunity to showcase unity and display the belief that we are all stronger together.”
Over 20,000 people across the U.S. are expected to show up. As of May 31, the only tickets available are general admission for $25.
Pride Block Party with Dallas Arts District
The Dallas Arts District will host the 2022 Pride Block Party with the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Museum of Asian Art and the Nasher Sculpture.
It starts at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 17.
It'll be their first fully in-person block party since 2020. There was a hybrid version last year with in-person performances and virtual programming. This year, they're coming back with a bang as the largest Pride event in Downtown Dallas.
There's a full schedule of events that'll keep the party going until midnight. It includes dance parties, board games, drag shows, presentations and performances by Mr. & Mrs. Dallas Southern Pride and Tommie Ross.
Pride Variety Night
Union Coffee on Cedar Springs Road will be hosting their second annual Pride Variety Night on June 17 at 7 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs and/or a blanket and enjoy a variety of act from queer performers.
If you're interested in performing yourself, be sure to fill out the interest form!
'Pridenton' kicks off events
The City of Denton’s Pride LGBTQ+ organization Pridenton is hosting several events for pride month.
The first event called Pride storytime kicks off Sunday, June 5 at Denton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
On June 17, the organization is hosting Night out on the Square at the Denton court house from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On June 18, is the Chosen Family Reunion at Harvest House from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., with special guest DJ Ursa Minor and more.
On June 25, is the Big Pride in Lil’ D Chalk & Chill at Oak Street Draft House. The chalking event starts at 8 a.m. and then the patio opens at 11 a.m.
On June 29, the organization is hosting at trans youth panel at North Branch Library – there will be a 6:30 p.m. mixer and the panel discussion will begin at 7 p.m.
For more information on Pridenton, click here.
If you know about any other Pride events in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, please email the information to digital@wfaa.com.
Have a story idea related to the North Texas LGBTQ+ community? Email WFAA producer Briahn Hawkins at bhawkins@wfaa.com or message them on Twitter @BriahnH.