Leading up to Pride Month, here’s a list of LGBTQ+ events in Broward and Palm Beach counties
South Florida’s LGBTQ+ communities are gearing up for Pride Month in June, with street festivals, parades and pageantry.
But you don’t have to wait till then. Here’s insider information on concerts, exhibits, karaoke events, panels, bowling and bingo benefits coming up now and into June. There’s even a “RuPaul’s Drag Race” tour stop.
(Don’t forget to keep coming back to this roundup, as we will continue adding events.)
May 12, 21 and 31 — Karaoke Night, Legendary Bingo Night & Marlins event with GMCSF
The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida will host three events in Wilton Manors before their Pride Month Concert (see the June 24 and 25 Disney Pride in Concert information below).
First, there will be a night of karaoke, starting at 7 p.m. Friday, May 12, at Scandals Saloon, 3073 NE Sixth Ave., Wilton Manors. There is no admission fee or cover charge. Visit gmcsf.org/blog/f/karaoke-night-may-12.
A Legendary Bingo Night will be hosted by Jasmine Pryce Lords, who is billed as “South Florida’s Plus Sized Barbie and Bearded Beauty,” on Sunday, May 21, at Hamburger Mary’s, 2426 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. The event starts at 7 p.m., and 10 bingo card plays cost $20. Visit gmcsf.org/blog/f/legendary-bingo-night-may-21.
Lastly, the chorus will sing the U.S. national anthem during Miami Marlins Pride at The Park on Wednesday, May 31. The game against the San Diego Padres starts at 6:40 p.m. at loanDepot Park, 501 Marlins Way, Miami. A pre-game party will feature openly gay ex-MLB player Billy Bean in the Biscayne Bay Brew Hall. The special ticket package costs $24 and $45, and includes a bucket hat. To purchase, go to mlb.com/marlins/tickets/specials/pride-at-the-park or gmcsf.org/blog/f/miami-marlins-pride-at-the-park.
May 21 — Bowling with Friends
This bowling benefit is a fundraiser for The SMART Ride, which is a two-day, 165-mile bike ride from Miami to Key West to raise funds and awareness for Florida agencies that support people at risk for HIV/AIDS (this year it will be Nov. 17 to 18). The event starts at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 21, at Bowlero Dania Beach, 1841 Way Pointe Place. Tickets are $65 for individual bowlers or $375 per lane (with up to six people) at thesmartride.org.
May 31 — ‘Take Pride! A Retrospective of LGBTQ Life in South Florida’
Produced by History Fort Lauderdale, this “Take Pride!” exhibit traces the LGBTQ+ communities in South Florida from the 1940s through today with photographs, media stories, videos and costumes. It is free and open to the public throughout June at The Galleria Fort Lauderdale, 2414 E. Sunrise Blvd., during normal mall hours. An opening reception, set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, includes a screening of the short film, “Open Dialogues,” a photo tribute wall by Michael Murphy and entertainment. Reception tickets are $35 at historyfortlauderdale.org/museum or eventbrite.com.
June 3 — ‘Ann Hampton Callaway’s Love and Let Love: A Pride Celebration’
This concert produced by the GENVAS Venetian Arts Society spotlights Ann Hampton Callaway, probably best known for composing and singing the theme song for the TV series “The Nanny” as well as a Tony-nominated performance in the Broadway musical “Swing!” The performance will be part of the Café Society Pride Series, which “celebrates members of the LGBTQ community and presents LGBTQ artists whose life and work promotes the beauty and importance of acceptance and inclusion,” according to GENVAS’ website. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m. concert at Sunshine Cathedral Center for the Performing Arts, 1480 SW Ninth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. General admission tickets are $55 at genvas.org and sunshinecathedral.org.
)Jay Price takes a photo of others celebrating during the second annual FLoatarama in honor of Pride month on Saturday, June 12, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Chris Day/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
June 10 — Fourth Annual FLoatarama Flotilla
This year, the FLoatarama Flotilla is expected to include 40 boats decorated for Pride departing from Esplanade Park (400 SW Second St., downtown Fort Lauderdale) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 10, and cruising down the New River and up the Intracoastal Waterway before ending at Sunrise Bay. You can register a vessel for $30. Or, if you don’t have a vessel, you can purchase a VIP ticket for $125 that will get you aboard the 130-foot M/Y Catalina, which will lead the FLoatarama Flotilla with Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz as the grand marshal. To purchase, go to floatarama.org.
June 13 — Pride Month Mixer at Hunters Nightclub
This recently redesigned hotspot in Wilton Manors will host a fundraiser for Feeding South Florida. Each ticket gets you entrance to the VIP lounge and one drink. Organizers say each ticket sold will provide about 225 meals for some of the more than 1.1 million food-insecure people in the region. Feeding South Florida is a network of food banks serving Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. The event starts at 6 p.m. at Hunters Nightclub, 2232-2238 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. Tickets are $25 at feedingsouthflorida.org/pride.
June 17 — Stonewall Pride Parade & Street Festival
Once again staged in a blocked-off stretch of Wilton Drive in the heart of the bar/restaurant/retail part of Wilton Manors, this event will include the street festival from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 17, with the parade set to begin at 7 p.m. General admission is $8 in advance online (until June 16) at stonewallpride.lgbt and $10 at the gate. There is a two-tiered VIP admission for $125 and $225, as well as a PressPlay Women’s Lounge with $45 admission.
June 24 — Stonewall Ball
Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center in Palm Beach County will commemorate its 35th anniversary with a “Back To Our Future” Stonewall Ball on Saturday, June 24, that will have light bites, live entertainment, silent auction, an award presentation and a Lightning Dance Party with DJ Legato. The event, for adults only, will also feature drag queen appearances from Melissa St. John, Velvet Lenore and Rianna Petron. A VIP award and cocktail reception (tickets are $300 and $500) starts at 7 p.m., and the Lightning Dance Party ($45 each) is from 9 p.m. to midnight at Cox Science Center and Aquarium, 4801 Dreher Trail N., West Palm Beach. To purchase, go to compassglcc.com.
June 25 — ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ WERQ THE WORLD 2023 tour
This time around, the official international touring production from MTV’s hit faux-femme reality competition “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will have a steampunk vibe with a theme described as a “Sci-Fi adventure set in a dystopian future,” according to show producers. The cast will include Asia O’Hara, Bosco, Daya Betty, DeJa Skye, Jorgeous, Kandy Muse, Lady Camden, Laganja, Naomi Smalls and Plastique Tiara. Showtime is 8 p.m. Sunday, June 25, at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood. Tickets are $65 to $125 at vossevents.com/werq-the-world-tour. You can add an VIP Meet & Greet experience for an additional $150.
June 24 and 25 — Disney Pride in Concert
The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida will perform a concert of songs from the Disney songbook, including “The Lion King,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Zootopia” and “Coco.” By the way, costumes are encouraged. The Sunday, June 25, matinee performance will have a 2 p.m. pre-show, family-friendly event with face painting, glitter tattoos, a fairy godmother and a meet-and-greet photo opportunity with a South Florida Mermaid. The concert on June 24 starts at 8 p.m. and the concert on June 25 starts at 3 p.m. Both shows will be at The Parker, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale. Tickets range in price from $31.50 to $51.50 at parkerplayhouse.com and ticketmaster.com.
