How to celebrate and support Pride month as an event creator

It’s not too late to throw your hat into the ring and get involved with one of the brightest, most historically important months of the year. As an event creator, you’re used to working under pressure anyway, right? 

If you’ve always wanted to show your support for Pride, we say there really is no time like the present. Over the course of the next few weeks and beyond, there’s no reason you can’t hone your events so that they can be a true catalyst for positive change.

Let’s get stuck in 👀👇. Here’s how to celebrate and support Pride as an event creator this year, and every year:

Scrub up on your history

Pride month is celebrated in June to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. This pivotal historical moment occurred when police raided the Stonewall Inn in Manhattan – a popular bar among the LGBTQ+ community – triggering a series of aggressive confrontations over the next few days. This moment in history is now viewed as a key tipping point for gay rights in America, and was marked the following year with the first ever Pride March on 28th June 1970.

If you didn’t know this ☝️– or don’t know much more than this – it’s time to get your research-hat on. It’s so important to fully appreciate the significance of Pride if you’re invested in supporting and celebrating it; from its historical roots to the issues, threats, and developments affecting LGBTQ+ people today. 

Partner with the LGBTQ+ community

Second port of call: seeking out partnerships with people in the LGBTQ+ community to find out what might be the most effective ways for you to show your support as an event creator.

You might be surprised at what you learn – for example, your local community might be in need of a platform for LGBTQ+ voices and talent, whether artists, musicians or writers. Or your resources might be better off channelled into organising an educational event for your local community, or even signing up your team to volunteer for a relevant cause. 

Make sure all your events are genuinely inclusive

From choosing a venue with a reputation for being inclusive, to doing your due diligence with suppliers – there’s a lot to be said for walking the walk, rather than just talking the talk when it comes to acceptance and inclusivity. 

Tip: We’ve got an article covering the various ways you can foster LGBTQ+ inclusivity at your events, which is worth checking out. 

Raise money for an LGBTQ+ charity

Raising money for a charity such as the Human Dignity Trust or Just Like Us through your events can be one of the most effective ways to impact meaningful change. You could set up donations at the point of ticket sale through your event registration platform, or pledge to donate a percentage of every ticket sale to charity. 

Tip: Find out how you can accept donations from your event attendees with Ticket Tailor >

Alternatively (or as well as), you could set up a charity donation point at your event – say, by giving attendees the chance to donate when they buy a drink at the bar. Better yet, get creative and design your very own themed cocktail, with a set amount of every sale going to charity (for example, a pound or dollar per cocktail).

Raise awareness through your events

Raising awareness can come in many forms – from inspirational talks through to using thought-provoking decor and signage at your events. Think: gender neutral toilets, inspirational quotes, and informative content (whether that’s in the form of neatly stacked flyers or scrawled artistically across the walls of your venue). It’s all about getting people thinking, talking, and wondering what they might be able to do to make a difference. 

Host a full-blown Pride event

Why not put your event planning skills to their best possible use by hosting a Pride street party, club night, festival or other community event? If you decide to take the plunge and get your Pride-party on, it’s a really good idea to first define a clear goal for your event. Do you want to raise money for a specific charity? To educate and raise awareness? Or simply provide a big dose of inclusive, technicolour fun for your community? Defining a core objective from the offset will help you plan your event in the most efficient, effective way possible. To get you started, here are some…

🌈 Pride month event ideas

• Outdoor Pride movie cinema screening – some great LGBTQ+ titles include Dancing Queens, Paris Is Burning, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Supernova and Straight Up (although the list is practically endless!)
• Virtual Pride talking circle – like this inspirational Zoom event from the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice
• Pride street party or parade – like this awesome event in Miami, USA
• Pride festival with live music, inspirational talks and creative workshops 
• Drag bingo
• Pride in the Park – like this fun day out in Bournemouth, UK
• Pride book club – to read and share ideas about LGBTQ+ literature 
• Educational talk from an influential figure
• Pride sporting events – taking inspiration from the IGLA LGBTQ+ aquatics championships (the world’s biggest LGBTQ+ aquatics event!)
• Family Pride day out with crafts, Tombola, bouncy castles and other kids’ activities – like this Pride Family Fun Day in Marsden, UK
• Pride tour of important historic sites and monuments
• Pride after party in a bar or nightclub – like this fabulous nightclub event in Sante Fe, USA
• Pride day party – like this ultra-snazzy happening in Los Angeles, USA
• Pride student event – taking inspiration from this epic National Student Pride event at the University of Westminster, UK

How Ticket Tailor can support you 

If you’re looking to raise money for a good cause this Pride month, you might be interested to know about these handy Ticket Tailor features:

• Accept donations at the point of sale when you sell tickets online
• Enjoy free event ticketing if your events are free entry 
• Get 20% discount if you’re a registered charity

And that’s a wrap! We hope these tips have been useful. Ultimately, as an event planner, you have a wonderful opportunity to uplift and support the LGBTQ+ community as Pride month rolls around each year. Through educating yourself, listening to LGBTQ+ voices, and making it your mission to foster acceptance and inclusivity – you, and your events, have the potential to make a real difference. That’s something worth celebrating.