Loud, Proud and Without the Crowd: A rundown of RI Pride events

While this year’s Rhode Island Pridefest and Parade will not go on, there are still plenty of Pride events to attend in Rhode Island. As we enter the final week of June, I’ve compiled a list of Pride activities you can attend before the month ends.

South Kingston Pride will be on June 24 from 3 – 8pm. Likewise, Love to All Project in collaboration with Brown and RISD students is hosting Providence Pride 2021. The march will occur on June 26 from 1 – 3pm and is unaffiliated with RI Pride.  

Warwick will be hosting two events. First, on June 23 at 9am, SAGE-RI is hosting a workshop called “Providing Care to LGBT Older Adults.” The workshop is aimed toward those who work in long-term care or assisted living facilities who are interested in delivering quality care for LGBT elders, such as administrators, directors of nursing, social workers, and staff developers in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Attendees can also attend this event virtually. 

The second Warwick event is a special storytime perfect for families. On June 26 at 1pm, families can attend Drag Story Time, an event all about being true to yourself and accepting others. The event will feature queens Ninny Nothin and Randi Xtra Xtra. 

Newport will also be hosting several events. First, on June 24 from 6 – 7pm, Newport Art Museum is hosting Scandalous Conduct: Newport 1919, an event in which attendees can learn little-known facts about Naval culture in 1919 Newport. On Saturday, June 26, Newport will also be hosting its Newport Pride Ride from 11am – noon and its Newport Pride Market and Festival from 11am through June 28 at 3pm. Newport is also hosting its Pride Afterdark event, for which registration has already closed. 

For those who prefer to remain cautious about COVID, there are a few virtual Pride events as well. Among them is Thundermist’s Trans Health Provider Talks: Trans-Affirming OB/GYN CARE, which is being hosted by Thundermist Health Center on June 23 and June 29 from 7 – 8pm. On June 28 at 7pm, SAGE-RI Short Film Fest will be premiering a series of LGBT short films, with opportunities to ask the filmmakers questions at the end of the screenings. Finally, on June 29 from 7 – 8:30pm, Lesbian Legacies – Archiving Our Lives in Rhode Island, an open discussion welcome to all lesbians, will be hosted over Zoom. 

Options RI is a wonderful resource for Pride events and ticket information. Visit them at optionsri.org.