Austin celebrates Pride two months out of the year: in June during national Pride Month and in August, when the city holds its main Pride parade. That means there’s twice as many opportunities to celebrate LGBTQ+ history and identity.
Here’s a list of things to do around the area during this first round of festivities, from book clubs to art markets to drag performances.
Pride Flag Raising Ceremony, June 3
Travis County Judge Andy Brown will host the fifth annual pride flag raising ceremony from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 700 Lavaca St. The free event includes vendors, artists and interaction with LGBTQ+ leaders.
UMLAUF After Dark: PRIDE, June 3
The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum near Barton Springs will hold a party with music, food, karaoke, aerial performances and an artist showcase on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is $12 per person; you can buy tickets online or at the door.
Austin Public Library events, June 3-30
The city’s library system is hosting Pride events at multiple branches all month long. You can go to a queer tarot show, screenings of LGBTQ+ movies like I Saw the TV Glow, an ice cream social, dancing lessons and, of course, LGBTQ-themed book discussions.
All the events are free. Find a full list of them on the library system’s website.
Queerbomb, June 7
Queerbomb is a free annual Pride celebration created in 2010 “to push back against corporate-centric pride’s exclusionary rhetoric” and “insistence on ‘family friendliness.’” The community-funded picnic doesn’t accept business sponsorships. This year’s Queerbomb will take place at the Capitol from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers say more information is coming; check the group's social media for updates.
Round Rock Pride, June 7
The Austin suburb’s free Pride festival will take place from 2 to 7 p.m. at Centennial Plaza. There will be food trucks, a lineup of performers and goods for sale from local artists.
Pride Party x The Little Gay Shop, June 8
The Little Gay Shop, an Austin store selling art and books from LGBTQ+ creators, will host a Pride market featuring dozens of queer-owned businesses. The free, family- and pet-friendly event includes a drag queen story hour for kids, book signings with local authors and free drinks for adults 21 and older. The indoor-outdoor event takes place at Distribution Hall in East Austin from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
UMLAUF Family Day: PRIDE, June 8
The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden is also hosting a free Pride event for LGBTQ+ youth from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can attend a queer comic workshop, do arts and crafts, and listen to book readings with ASL interpretation.
Neon Rainbows’ PRIDE & the Gay Ole Opry Drag Show, June 21
Neon Rainbows, an organization that puts on queer country events around Austin, will hold a Pride celebration at Cheer Up Charlies from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. The party will kick off with two-stepping before a drag show starts at 11 p.m. The event is free and open to adults 21 and older.
Pride Bar Crawl, June 21
A Pride bar crawl will kick off at Thirsty Nickel on Sixth Street starting at 4 p.m. The go-at-your-own-pace event features multiple bars in downtown Austin, an afterparty from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Tiger Lilly, Pride-themed merch and drinks included in the cost of admission. Tickets are $24 per person, with prices set to go up after June 7. Proceeds will go to The Trevor Project, a nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth.
Pease Park Pride Picnic, June 28
The Pease Park Conservancy will host a Pride picnic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can take part in a book swap, go to a clay workshop, buy some shaved ice or dance to the DJ. The event is free and family-friendly.
Taylor Pride, June 28
The city of Taylor is hosting its fifth annual Pride celebration from 4 to 10 p.m. in Heritage Square Park. The free festival features music, local vendors and themed merch. A list of vendors isn’t available to the public yet; check for updates on the event's website.
