Here's how to celebrate Gay Pride in Boston

To kick off Pride Month in BOston, the top of the iconic Prudential Center tower will be lit on Saturday, June 1, in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the rainbow of lights again on Saturday, June 8, in celebration of the Pride parade and festival.

The BIPOQ Pride DTX block party returns on Saturday, June 1, to take over Summer Street Plaza in Downtown Crossing. In partnership with FROLIC, a production and events organization that centers queer and trans people of color, it’s a dance party with DJ Live and additional live entertainment, plus a beer garden for 21-plus visitors. 

In Boston, queer individuals have been making history for centuries. The Freedom Trail has a new walking tour that illuminates the lives, loves and fights for liberty within Boston’s LGBTQ+ community. The Freedom Trail Foundation offers the Rainbow Revolutionaries tour on Saturdays and Sundays throughout June (except June 8), departing at 10:45am from Boston Common behind the Robert Gould Shaw and Massachusetts 54th Regiment Memorial. Tickets are $8-$17. 

Bring your pup to mingle during Pride Week at the Liberty Hotel. Yappier Hour in the Yard kicks things off on Monday, June 3, from 5:30-8pm, where you can pick up goodies for your best friend courtesy of Red Dog Spa, with Onyva Dog Spa onsite to do complimentary brush-and-fluff sessions. JP Licks will be selling treats for humans and dogs alike, tunes will be provided by DJ Skoolyahd and drinks will be flowing from the cash bar. This event is free though RSVPs are requested.

Celebrate Pride with laughs on Wednesday, June 5, at Night Shift Brewing in Everett. Headliner AJ Hapenny and comedians Trevor Dion, Brian Plumb, Chris Post, Jennifer Dwyer and Maxwell Schultz bring the jokes, while Night Shift offers a variety of craft beverages. Don't miss Fruity with a Booty, a raspberry-grapefruit wheat ale brewed in collaboration with—and in support of—Boston Proud. The show starts at 7pm. Tickets are $30 and a portion will be donated to Boston Proud.

Toast Pride with a glass of summer water on Thursday, June 6, from 6:30-8:30pm. A Pride-themed rosé wine dinner at Clink at the Liberty Hotel promises a vibrant culinary journey, with courses like frog legs meunière and rosé-mango halo halo, all expertly paired with a pink drink. Tickets are $115.

Whether or not you indulge in the rosé dinner, you can head to the Liberty Hotel afterwards to celebrate in high fashion. On Thursday, June 6, beginning at 9pm, a special Pride fashion show features dark-couture looks by Matthew Charles Knight, who is showcasing his latest collection called "Rise of Lilith.” With a DJ spinning from 8pm onward, specialty drinks and a photobooth add to the fun. This event is free though RSVPs are requested.

Enjoy dinner and a show at the Beehive on Thursday, June 6. Honeytrap Burlesque presents an evening of exciting performances by Mistress Manifest and Delysia Fox alongside drag queen Scarlett Lane. Dinner reservations including seats near the stage open at 5pm and the show starts at 8:30pm. A 10% entertainment fee is added to all purchases after 8pm.

On Friday, June 7, head to the rooftop at the Revere Hotel for a silent disco party. This event, hosted by LesbianNightLife, will have three DJs battling it out on a multi-channel headphone system, so that attendees can choose their favorite music. Feel out hip hop, Top 40, house, Latin and old-school remixes—or just enjoy the view and some great cocktails. Tickets are $28.

Before the Pride parade on Saturday, June 8, fuel up at OAK Long Bar + Kitchen. Located near where the route begins, the Copley Square landmark invites parade participants and spectators to visit the patio for complimentary Nespresso coffee and espresso between 9-11am to get the energy high early. The Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel will open for brunch at its usual hour of 7am and will have gluten-free, rainbow-glazed heart-shaped pancakes on special. Available daily for breakfast and brunch for the entire month of June, each order of pancakes donates $1 to the Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY).