Welcome to Pride Month, Toronto! The beginning of June marks the beginning of this month-long celebration of the city’s 2SLGBTQ+ population. In a regular year, Pride Toronto sees folks take to the streets with one of the liveliest and largest events in the city. The festival typically draws in upwards of 500,000 to 1 million participants for the week and around 100,000 for the parade itself. That’s quite the crowd!
Of course, this year is not regular. Although the in-person festivities are a no-go, there are still tons of ways to celebrate with COVID-19 safety in mind.
Here are all the best ways to celebrate Pride Month in Toronto this June.
PRIDE TORONTO – PHYGITAL PRIDE FESTIVAL
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It’s the 40th annual Pride Toronto, but the first Phygitial Festival. This year, Pride is running a hybrid physical and digital celebration. All month long, you can catch an exciting lineup of events and activities to enjoy from home or from a social distance. Some of the highlights include…
Queer Becoming – From June 4th – June 30th, tune into this collaboration between Pride Toronto and TIFF. The two powerhouse organizations preset a series of films that change the narrative from “coming out” to “coming into” queer identity, community, and family. There are loads of great films lined up.
May I Take Your Arm? – This piece of performance art is all about exploring who we are to each other. It was originally created as an interactive piece in 2018, but has since been reimagined as a 7-part multidisciplinary follow-at-home experience.
ON-FOOT Toronto “Gaybourhood” Music Tour – This self-guided walking tour takes you through Toronto’s most iconic 2SLGBTQ+ music venues. With stories told podcast-style along the way through the ON-FOOT App, this experience is fully immersive.
Pride Parade – Of course, the most famous Pride Toronto event is the iconic parade. Although it is NOT taking place in person this year, you can log on to a virtual version. Streaming live at the end of the month, the digital parade will showcase Toronto’s 40-year history of pride in the city.
Where: Most events happening online
When: Check out the full calendar of events here
INSIDE OUT FILM FESTIVAL
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The Inside Out Virtual Film Festival is running for the first week of June, with a stellar lineup of 2SLGBTQ+ cinematic experiences in store. Log on to the Digital Cinema for exclusive screenings and virtual events. The Ontario-Wide festival is the largest of its kind in Canada and has amazing screenings happening every evening until June 6th.
Where: Check it out online
When: Ends Sunday, June 6th
TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY PRIDE EVENTS
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The Toronto Public Library is holding a whole host of literary-themed Pride events this year; all of which can be enjoyed from home. Their lineup is age-inclusive, with a collection of events suitable for folks at any life stage. Some of the highlights include…
Read with Pride: Young Adult Edition – This book club virtual stream features awesome 2SLGBTQ+ literary works for Young Adults. The hosts will walk you through their picks for great summer reading. This event is happening in multiple parts, so you can tune in twice for even more content.
Pride Month Filmmaker Talks – In partnership with Trinity Square Video, the Toronto Public Library is hosting a collection of 2SLGBTQ+ filmmakers to discuss their works. Some of the folks being showcased include Alison Duke, John Greyson, Thirza Cuthand.
Live Rainbow Storytime – Get the little ones involved with this live streamed event tailor made for kids 5 and under. The special Rainbow Storytime will feature songs, rhymes, and of course great stories.
The Toronto Public Library is also hosting virtual writing workshops and trivia nights for 2SLGBTQ+ teens.
Where: Events happening online
When: Check out the full schedule here
Happy Pride Month, Toronto!
