Celebrate #OrlandoForAll and stand with our LGBTQ+ community at Pride Month events in June.
Updated May 31, 2024
Come one, come all to Orlando, named one of the best LGBTQ+ travel destinations in the 2022 Gay Travel Awards, as we celebrate Pulse Remembrance and Pride Month in the City Beautiful. Home to moving Pulse Remembrance tributes and globally recognized Pride events like GayDays, One Magical Weekend, Girls in Wonderland and The Pride Cup, Orlando is also celebrated for its inclusive community, welcoming spirit and diverse offerings for all ages and interests.
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“We want everyone to come to Florida and especially Orlando and enjoy the amazing opportunities that are available to travelers who want to join us,” says Tom Christ, co-founder of the KindRED Pride Foundation and co-producer of One Magical Weekend. “It’s more important than ever for our LGBTQ+ community, plus our allies, to come and support and stand with Florida.” Here’s how you can do just that this June.
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Here's a small taste of what you can look forward to when you celebrate Pride Month in Orlando, from vibrant drag shows, concerts and theme park events to thoughtful discussions, inclusive sporting events and some seriously fun pool parties. Plus, keep an eye out for delectable treats, colorful murals, LGBTQ+ owned businesses and more fun ways to celebrate #OrlandoForAll during your Pride Month visit.
Red Shirt Pride Day (June 1, 2024)
One of the most iconic annual events in LGBTQ+ history, RED Shirt Pride Day invites you to wear red on the first weekend in June and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community all around the world.
The 33-year tradition is inspired by the brave individuals who attended the very first “Gay and Lesbian Day” at Magic Kingdom® Park. These individuals, mostly strangers, wore red shirts so they could find each other easily in front of Cinderella Castle. Today, the KindRED Pride Foundation honors the courage of these bold individuals and invites like-minded people of all orientations to stand in solidarity for Diversity, Equality, Inclusion, Safe Expression and Kindness.
“Really, it’s the kick-off to Pride Month,” says Christ. “This is really one of the first destination [LGBTQ+] events that occurred in our community. Tens of thousands of people travel here every year [to celebrate].”
Whether you’re celebrating here in Orlando or halfway across the world, Christ invites you to, “put on a red shirt, kick off Pride Month and stand with our community, because it is so important for our voices to be heard.”
GayDays Orlando 2024 (May 30 – June 3, 2024)
Touted as the premier LGTBQ vacation experience, GayDays is a multi-day celebration featuring everything from foam parties and pageants to drag queen bingo and sensational theme park events. The iconic event got its start in the early ‘90s during the aforementioned Magic Kingdom meetup.
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The gathering has since evolved into one of the country’s most popular LGBTQ+ events, and DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld is the epicenter of the action. Choose from a variety of ticket types to enjoy daily parties and expos, exclusive merchandise, and more fabulous fun all weekend long.
Girls in Wonderland® (May 30 – June 3, 2024)
Girls in Wonderland is the country’s premier music and lifestyle festival for queer women, featuring daily concerts, dance parties, pool parties, comedy shows and more. It’s hosted this year at Springhill Suites by Marriott at Flamingo Crossings, with even more vibrant events throughout our main tourism districts.
One Magical Weekend (May 30 – June 1, 2024)
Heralded as one of the largest LGBTQ+ pride and music festivals in the world, One Magical Weekend offers a nonstop schedule of activities at Walt Disney World® Resort and the Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort. Highlights include a wet and wild celebration at Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, a pirate-themed extravaganza at House of Blues at Disney Springs®, and multiple pool parties and all hours dance-offs.
Considering Matthew Shepard (June 1 – 2, 2024)
Join Orlando Sings at Dr. Phillips for the Performing Arts for Considering Matthew Shepard, a compassionate musical response to the 1998 murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard. The Grammy-nominated, three-part program is a thoughtful reflection on Shepard’s life and legacy, featuring music, poetry and song for a truly moving evening.
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The Pride Cup (June 1 – 2, 2024)
Organized by the KindRED Pride Foundation, The Pride Cup is an annual LGBTQ+ sports competition held in Orlando the first weekend in June. Suit up for basketball, soccer, volleyball, pickleball, golf, kickball, adaptive sports and even cornhole and meet new friends from all over the country.
Orlando Gay Chorus Performances (Select Dates, May 22 – June 9, 2024)
One of the largest mixed LGBTQ+ choruses in the country, the Orlando Gay Chorus seeks to create understanding, change and love through the arts. Catch their spring concert, The Gay Agenda Revealed, at the Ritz Theater in Sanford (May 22) and at Dr. Phillips for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando (June 2) and give them a chance to set the record “straight.”
You can also catch the Orlando Gay Chorus small ensembles at Timucua Arts Foundation, where they’ll perform a special sneak peek of A Lotta Night Music (June 9). This special cabaret performance happens once every four years ahead of the quadrennial GALA Choruses Festival, which unites over 190 national LGBTQ choruses in Minneapolis.
Art With Purpose at Orlando Museum of Art (June 7, 2024)
LGBTQ+ students and their families, allies and loved ones are invited to experience the power of art in a welcoming and inclusive space at the Orlando Museum of Art. Explore powerful queer stories, identities and artists from the museum’s permanent collection, then let loose with a reflective art journaling workshop led by an LGBTQ+ artist. Preregistration is required for the Art With Purpose program.
Love Is Universal Nights (Select Dates, June 6 – 28, 2024)
Let your pride shine at the Red Coconut Club in Universal CityWalk, part of Universal Orlando Resort. Every Thursday and Friday evening this June, you can celebrate with exclusive drinks, merchandise, a DJ and live entertainment.
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Renaissance Theatre Company Performances (Select Dates)
A staple of Orlando’s diverse, inclusive arts scene, Renaissance Theatre Company hosts weekly Off The Record drag shows with fun themes and photo ops. Dressing up is definitely encouraged.
New this summer, you can also join the Ren for ‘24 (June 13 – Aug. 11), a roaring twenties experience that promises music, dancing, and intrigue galore. Trust us: You won’t want to miss the afterparty, where you can see some of Orlando’s most beloved drag queens and join the fun out on the dance floor.
The Pendulum of Pride: A History of LGBTQ Resilience in Florida (June 9, 2024)
Join David Matteson, former board president for the LGBTQ History Museum of Central Florida, to learn about A History of LGBTQ Resilience in Florida. The lecture will be hosted at the Orange County Regional History Center in downtown Orlando and is free with registration.
Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Presents: Peace by Piece (June 9, 2024)
Dream of a brighter future alongside the Central Florida Sounds of Freedom, who will present the final concert of their 2023-24 season at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Peace by Piece will weave together melodies that reflect the nostalgia of the past alongside aspirations for a brighter future, performed by an LGBTQ+ community concert band, marching band and color guard.
Zebra Youth Pride Prom: Masquerade (June 14, 2024)
Zebra Youth, which provides support and services to LGBTQ youth in Central Florida, will host their annual youth Pride Prom at The Abbey in downtown Orlando. Guests are invited to dress up for the Masquerade themed event, and all forms of gender expression are welcome. Choose from two events: ages 13 – 17 from 6 – 8 p.m. and ages 18 – 24 from 9 – 11 p.m. Photo ID is required.
Pride Parties at Cocktails & Screams (June 16 & 20, 2024)
Join horror-themed bar Cocktails & Screams for two thrilling pride parties in the heart of downtown Orlando. First up is Who’s Your Daddy, a high-energy pride burlesque show featuring the country’s largest LGBTQ+ burlesque troupe, Les Vixens. Next, put your paws up and sing your heart out at The Born This Way Ball: Gaga Pride Party, featuring Orlando’s No. 1 Lady Gaga impersonator, Mr. Mrs. Adrien.
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Pride in our City: Orlando City & Orlando Pride Games (June 21 – 22, 2024)
Don your purple and join the Pride in Our City soccer celebrations at downtown Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium. The National Women’s Soccer League’s Orlando Pride will take on Utah Royals FC on June 21, while Major League Soccer’s Orlando City Soccer Club will face off against Chicago Fire FC on June 22. Both matches will include a special celebration of our vibrant LGBTQ+ community and recognize the eight-year anniversary of the Pulse tragedy.
Discover: Summer Soccer in Orlando
Orlando Out Fest at Fringe ArtSpace (June 27 – 30, 2024)
Beloved for its inclusive, uncensored and accessible performing arts culture, Orlando Fringe will host its inaugural Orlando Out Fest at Fringe ArtSpace in downtown Orlando. The four-day festival will showcase LGBTQ+ stories, artists and history for a one-of-a-kind celebration of creativity, diversity and love.
Discover: Inside Fringe ArtSpace
Sunset at the Zoo: LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration (June 28, 2024)
Join a family-friendly LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration, featuring themed crafts and family activities, local vendors, food trucks and a DJ. It’s all part of Sunset at the Zoo at the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens.
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2024 Pulse Remembrance Events in Orlando
Every year on June 12, also known as #OrlandoUnitedDay, Orlando’s community comes together to honor and remember the 49 lives lost at Pulse Nightclub on June 12, 2016.
“I think Orlando was always a diverse community,” says Christ, “Since the Pulse tragedy, Orlando has really changed the focus. The community and the world came together and supported Orlando… I think that’s really unified this community and made us stronger.”
8th Annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run (June 8, 2024)
Lace up your sneakers and don your brightest gear for the 8th Annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run, being held in Orlando’s City District. The colorful 4.9K race honors the 49 angels, their families, the survivors and first responders of the Pulse nightclub tragedy. Net proceeds from the race will go toward the Orlando United Pulse Memorial with the goal to construct a memorial at the Pulse site.
Prayer Ribbons Memorial Exhibition (June 10 – 16, 2024)
Following the Pulse tragedy, Prayer Ribbons from Provincetown, Massachusetts were displayed at Harry P. Leu Gardens and Orlando City Hall Plaza to remind our community that cities around the country were supporting Orlando after its darkest day. The Prayer Ribbons Memorial Exhibition will be on display at Orlando City Hall Plaza from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, featuring gold-lettered names of the 49 victims along with colorful ribbons bearing messages of hope.
Pulse Day of Remembrance: 49 Bells Ceremony (June 12, 2024)
At 4 p.m., the First United Methodist Church of Orlando will reverberate with the sounds of the 49 Bells Ceremony. The ceremony originated as part of the One Orlando Alliance’s “Acts of Love and Kindness,” intended to inspire the Orlando community to share stories and show love, support and kindness to all people.
Pulse Day of Remembrance: Pulse Remembrance Ceremony (June 12, 2024)
The annual Pulse Remembrance Ceremony invites the community to honor and remember all those affected by the Pulse tragedy. This year’s event will be hosted at Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. It’s free to attend, but advance registration and tickets are required. If you are unable to attend in person, you can also livestream the ceremony via the Pulse Orlando website.
LBGTQ+ Owned Businesses in Orlando
Show your love and support for Orlando’s LGBTQ+ community by shopping and dining local during your stay. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite LGBTQ+ owned restaurants, nightspots and more to help you celebrate.
Dining
- Bites & Bubbles: Light bites, craft cocktails, wine and more in Orlando’s Mills 50 district.
- Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’: Celebrity chef-owned restaurant serving Florida-style comfort fare at Disney Springs.
- Se7en Bites: Nostalgic comfort fare with a modern twist in Orlando’s Milk District.
- The Glass Knife: Colorful pastries, cakes, desserts and savory fare in Winter Park.
- Hamburger Mary’s: A downtown City District staple known for their weekend drag brunches, themed variety shows and more spirited special events.
- Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria: Creative sandwiches, teas and sweets in the Milk District.
- The Hammered Lamb: An inclusive neighborhood pub in Orlando’s Ivanhoe Village District
- Wafu: Japanese soft serve shop at East End Market in the Audubon Park Garden District.
Shopping
- Maffrey’s Good Goods: Boutique gift shop with locally inspired, woman owned and eco-conscious goods in Orlando’s SODO District.
- The Ancient Olive Gourmet: Gourmet food, gifts and supplies from around the globe, located along Park Avenue in Winter Park.
- Out of the Closet: Thrift store with a good cause in the Mills 50 District.
Entertainment & Nightlife
- Central Florida Community Arts: A local music and performing arts group dedicated to creating a safe, affordable and inclusive arts scene.
- Orlando Gay Chorus: One of the country’s largest mixed LGBTQ+ choruses.
- Savoy Orlando: One of Orlando’s top gay bars, Savoy features multiple rooms with dancers, billiards and live entertainment.
- Southern Nights: LGBTQ+ friendly Milk District nightclub with themed nights, burlesque acts and a weekly Girl the Party celebration.
Map of 2024 Pulse Remembrance & Pride Month Events in Orlando
Use this map to track down all the Pulse Remembrance and Pride Month events and celebrations throughout Orlando this June.
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