Celebrate Pride Month with 18 St. Louis festivals and events (2024)

June is Pride Month in the United States and, St. Louis being St. Louis, we are naturally celebrating with a whole raft of festivals, parties, presentations, parades, drag shows, art, music and the Demon Queen of Polka and Baklava.

Here are some of the events in June where you can celebrate.

Soulard Pride

If it starts with a golf cart parade, can it get any better than that? Maybe. The Soulard Pride event continues with entertainment on two stages, vendors, food, drink, a kids corner and a story hour.

Six Flags Pride Celebration

Divas of the Grove, a group of drag performers, will provide the live entertainment, and DJ Mego will spin the tunes for dancing at this annual event. Parts of the park will be open for nighttime fun, including several rides and places to get food, drink and retail goodies.

Drop-In Collection Tour: Proud Art

Leonardo da Vinci probably was. David Hockney certainly is. Pablo Picasso definitely was not. Every Friday and Saturday in June, the St. Louis Art Museum will have hourlong tours of the works of LGBTQ artists in their collection. The tour will include artists such as Andy Warhol, Rosa Bonheur and Julie Mehretu.

Pride Month at MoBot

The Missouri Botanical Garden is celebrating Pride Month, but they are not as yet saying exactly how. Here is the information they offer: “Join us throughout the month of June for activities designed to educate, raise awareness, and provide a safe, inclusive space for our LGBTQIA community.”

‘5 On Your Side’ Pride Special

News anchors from KSDK-Channel 5 will host a panel discussion with local members of the LGBTQ community who will share their views and experiences. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Pride Art

Art meets the unbeatable, if slightly weird, views from the roof of the City Museum in this blend of art, music, food, drink and a giant praying mantis. The art is by local artists with live art by Cranky Yellow, the music is provided by DJ Jillian, some of the drink is from 4 Hands Brewing and the food and praying mantis all come courtesy of the City Museum.

Faeded Dance Party

This month, First Fridays becomes Fabulous Fridays with a Pride-themed dance party at the Grand Arts District’s two adjacent art museums. Drag artist Maxi Glamour, “The Demon Queen of Polka and Baklava,” will perform at what is being promoted as a “high-fantasy dance party and musical spectacle.” An official after party will be held at Sophie’s Artist Lounge, 3333 Washington Avenue, Suite 102.

Gateway to Pride

For the first time, a full-scale exhibit about the LGBTQ community in the St. Louis area gets a place at a major local museum. The exhibit, which will be on display for more than a year, will use oral histories, artifacts and images to tell the unknown, forgotten and ignored history of a community.

Pride DJ Night

Dance the night away (or at least until 9 p.m.) to club and disco music from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s as spun by LGBTQ DJs. C’mon everybody, sing along! “At first I was afraid, I was petrified …”

Pride Crafternoon

Teenagers, children 5 and older and their caregivers are invited to make Pride-related crafts at the library. All supplies will be provided.

Preserving Queer History: Legacy Interviews

Historian Steven Brawley will explain how to conduct legacy interviews, with an eye especially toward collecting information about local LGBTQ history.

St. Charles Pride Festival

Last year’s first-ever pride parade at the St. Charles Pride Festival was so successful, they are looking into doing it again. This family-friendly event will be co-hosted by drag queens Akasha Royale (Miss Gay Missouri America 2023) and Roxxy Malone (Miss Gay Gateway America 2019), and other entertainers will include Grayson Jostes.

Let’s Play Sexual Health Trivia

St. Louis loves trivia and, judging by the sky-high local rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea, we don’t know much about sexual health. This sexual health trivia game at the public library will especially feature questions about LGBTQ history, in honor of Pride Month.

Made with Pride Pop-Up Market

The Tower Grove Pride organization is back for the third time to present this pop-up market, featuring the wares of LGBTQ artists, makers and retailers. Musicians and drag entertainers will perform on a stage, and of course plenty of food and drink will be available inside at the Food Court.

Pride Unified: A Ball for All

This is the inaugural year for this event, which features the Out in STL Influential Awards, plus a DJ and dancing, a costume contest for the best “express yourself” attire and drag performances.

Queer Writes

Local LGBTQ writers will read from their works on the Missouri History Museum stage. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

PrideFest