The 6 best LGBTQ things in Madrid that you can do right now

If you find yourself once in a while humming ‘Chueca es genial’ or ‘Adiós botella’, that means Kika Lorace has done her job well: see, she's not only one of Madrid's favourite drag queens, but she's also a singer and a DJ who penned those local party classics. During the last couple of months while we've been staying home, Kika has invited us into her home every Friday to join her in a house party, and she keeps the party going all June as well. Look out for the Sunday pool party on the 7th!

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Este DOMINGO a las 20:00 h en directo desde Instagram 🩱💕

Una publicación compartida de Kika Lorace. Superlativa #lqsa (@kikalorace) el 4 Jun, 2020 a las 3:23 PDT

Until Madrid heads into Phase 3, bars and nightclubs have to keep their doors closed. But those with terraces do get to open these outdoor spaces until 2am, as long as they (and we) stick to safety guidelines of keeping distance between tables, disinfecting between clients, etc. And one of Madrid's most famous LGBTQ nightclubs, Boite, has announced its moving the party outside to the terrace in Plaza del Carmen, every day from 6pm!

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MAÑANA desde 18H inauguramos ☀️BOITE LA TERRAZA 🌴 todos los días. Plaza del Carmen, muchas ganas de volver a veros y disfrutar juntos! 🍸os esperamos en vuestra casa! 🌈 👉Proximamente disponible reservas! #boitelaterraza #boitemadrid #gaymadrid #madridgay

Una publicación compartida de BoiteMadrid (@boitemadrid) el 4 Jun, 2020 a las 12:16 PDT

We still need to wait a while until we can get let it all hang out at a We Party event like the one they put on in La Riviera or, indeed, until we can get out onto the streets like we usually do during Pride. Music blasting, drinks in crowds of revellers ... it would seem that reality is still a ways off. But that's no excuse not to throw your own party at home. And although we know that it won't be the same, the folks at We Party are sharing a session you can join a full volume in your living room (and invite the neighbours to do the same, of course).

This year you won't be able to attend a big demonstration, or any concerts in Chueca's squares, or parades in Plaza de Callao, but LGBTQ Pride spirit of celebration and strength will still be out in force, even if it's through our screens. MADO, the organisation that plans the main activities, have decided to transfer the programming from the city streets to the digital arena on the same dates that the Pride was to be held in Madrid, from July 1 to 5. There will also be activities on June 28, LGBTQ Pride Day. MADO says, 'Pride can provide a dose of energy and a message of overcoming and resilience, qualities inherent in the LGTBQ community, which has already had to deal with another pandemic, that of HIV, and centuries of discrimination.'

Not all of the activities on during Pride are on in the city centre, nor are they all organised by MADO. Orgullo Vallekano is an organisation that also works hard every year to bring diversity to the celebrations and enrich the neighbourhoods of Villa de Vallecas and Puente de Vallecas. One way to be more inclusive is to hold open assemblies. At the moment they can accept only ten people in person, but you can also follow them online every Monday at 7pm (in Spanish).

Very soon, Madrid hotels will be opening their doors with complete service. And one that we can't wait to get back to is the Axel, the first hotel in Madrid catering to the LGBTQ community. We're excited to be surrounded once again by the good vibes, and also the rooftop bar in the Barrio de las Letras offers a city view that's hard to beat.