It’s almost June, so that means it’s also almost Pride Month, when South Florida’s LGBTQ+ communities celebrate with street festivals, parades and pageantry.
Our roundup includes insider information on concerts, exhibits, panels and benefits staged to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York City, a pivotal moment in gay and lesbian history.
All through June — ‘Take PRIDE! A 100-Year Retrospective of LGBTQ+ Milestones’ exhibit
Galleria Fort Lauderdale and History Fort Lauderdale is hosting this exhibit of major moments in LGBTQ+ history — locally, statewide and nationally — throughout the month of June. The exhibit has free admission in June during mall hours, and it is located near Swarovski, between Macy’s and Dillard’s. Visit historyfortlauderdale.org.
June 1-Sept. 30 — ‘Stonewall “INN” Stonewall’
This immersive exhibit recreates the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar that on June 28, 1969, became ground zero for a riot between patrons and the New York Police Department. It features a video recording of the bartender who worked at Stonewall Inn and was there the night of the uprising. Admission to the exhibit is free. The Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library is at 1300 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Visit stonewall-museum.org/stonewall-inn-stonewall.
June 14 — LOVE IS LOVE…and an Open Bar
The Rebel Wine Bar in Oakland park will hold this social mixer and give a portion of the proceeds to the Stonewall Pride Parade & Street Festival, which takes place the next day in Wilton Manors (see the next news brief). There will be a beer and wine open bar as well as bar specials and giveaways. DJ Nat Smallish will spin vinyl. For 6 to 8 p.m., tickets are $35. For 6 to 9 p.m., tickets are $49. To order, go to rebelwinebar.com/pride2024.
June 15 — Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival
This all-day event on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors starts with a street festival from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, June 15, with more than 100 vendors and performances on seven stages, followed by a Glow Night Parade at 8 p.m.
“This event is about celebrating and supporting the LGBTQ+ community locally and across the globe,” said Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton. “We couldn’t be prouder to be a safe space for the more than 50,000 people who come together from all across the country and world to celebrate love, acceptance and inclusion.”
General admission tickets are available online now through Friday, June 14, for $10 per person and include festival entry at special prepaid lines. The day of the event, general admission tickets will be $13 per person and may be purchased with a credit card only (no cash accepted) at the main entrances. VIP tickets are available for $125 in advance or $175 the day of the event (air-conditioned tent, snacks, drinks) and $250 in advance and $275 the day of the event (air-conditioned tent, access to lounges, drinks, food).
There will also be a Women’s Lounge for $65 in advance ($85 the day of) and a Black Excellence Lounge for $65 admission ($85 the day of).
All Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride entrances, VIP tents and lounges are cashless. Visit stonewallpride.lgbt.
June 16 — FlockFest SPLASH
This pool party and T-dance will take place at The Easton Rooftop Pool & Lounge from noon to 5 p.m. This is a 21-and-older event. Spinning will be DJ Cesar HernandeZ. Early-bird tickets are $15 and $30 at the door (if available; credit/debit cards only ). VIP tickets are $75 and include access to special area and bar as well as valet parking and a $10 food voucher. To order, go to flockfestevents.org/splash. The Easton is located on the ninth floor of Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Downtown, 721 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale.
June 20 — “Dive into Pride”
This Pride Month event was rescheduled from Friday, June 14, because of weather. The International Swimming Hall of Fame,High Dive Globaland FLoatarama will all host what they are billing as an Exclusive High Dive Experience from 5 to 8 p.m. at the renovated Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center. There will be:
- High diving show
- Tour to the top of the tallest diving tower in the Western Hemisphere
- Virtual-reality, high-dive experience
- Open bar and appetizers
- Music from DJ Trevor Oldroyd
Tickets are $85. To order, go to highdiveglobal.ticketspice.com/dive-with-pride. The Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center is located at 501 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.
June 20 — ‘Introduction to Pride Authors from South Florida’
As this event’s title promises, Gregg Shapiro — himself an author of nine books and anchor on Queer News Tonight — will highlight notable authors in contemporary LGBTQ+ literature, including:
- Caridad Moro-Gronlier, newly named poet laureate of Miami-Dade County
- Julie Marie Wade, a 2024 Lambda Literary Award finalist
- Jubi Arriola-Headley, writer of the recently published poetry collection “Bound”
- Rick Karlin, author of “Last Call South Florida,” a history of LGBTQ+ bars from West Palm Beach to Key West
Admission is free for the discussion from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at the Boca Raton Public Library, 400 NW Second Ave. Visit bocalibrary.libcal.com.
June 27 — “Being Black & Gay”
Vocalist/author/activist Terry Dyer will perform an intimate concert accompanied by musician Christopher Hamblin at Hunters Nightclub on June 27. Doors open at 6 p.m.. with showtime set for 6:30 p.m. General admission is $25, and VIP seating costs $45 (includes a beverage). To order, go to huntersftlauderdale.com. A portion of the proceeds benefit Pridelines Youth Services. Hunters Nightclub is located at 2232-2238 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. Call 954-630-3556.
June 29 — Sixth Annual Family Pride Day at MODS
The Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale is having this free community event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For details, go to mods.org/event/sixth-annual-family-pride-day. Among the activities, guests can:
- Participate in a Rainbow Science Lab, make and take Pride flags, create colors with prisms, and design rainbow tie-dyed T-shirts
- Experience an explosion of colors with a Pride KaBOOM! Show
- Meet MODS’ resident animal ambassadors
- Meet partners and friends of the LGBTQ+ community
June 29 — The Stonewall Ball
This year, the fundraiser for the Compass Community Center (that serves Palm Beach County) will have the theme of“Love, Lights & Liberation.” There will be an award ceremony, co*cktail reception with light bites, live entertainment and a silent auction from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at Hilton West Palm Beach, 600 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. It will be followed by a dance party with DJ Legato, late-night snacks and a cash bar from 9 p.m. to midnight. Tickets for the awards ceremony and co*cktail reception are $150 per person. The dance party tickets are $50 per person. There are also elected official tickets for $500 and influencer tickets for $1,000 (recognition from the podium during the VIP Awards, as well as listed in the program marketing materials as supporters of the event). Visit compasslgbtq.com/stonewallball.
June 29 — ‘Pride: Then, Now & Forever: A Multigenerational Concert Celebration’
The Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida will share decades of music, stories and voices that resonate with LGBTQ+ audiences during its concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at The Parker, 707 NE Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale. In addition to chart-toppers such as “It’s Raining Men,” “Dancing Queen,” “Y.M.C.A.” and “Believe,” there will be the world premiere of “We’ve Come Through The Storm” and “Don’t Say Gay” (created exclusively for the GMCSF). Tickets range in price from $43.75 to $68.75. Visit gmcsf.org or parkerplayhouse.com.
