The party may have started at Faneuil Hall this past Saturday, but with more than 50 events, Boston Pride Week is far from over.
Those interested in the arts, activism or simply looking to have an exciting evening can find something in the Boston Pride calendar, with events running through Sunday night. In keeping with Pride’s “Stronger Together” theme for 2017, organizers hope the week can serve as a rallying point for the local LGBTQ community.
“It’s a good year to focus back on our internal community,” says Malcolm Carey, Board of Directors treasurer. “In today’s political climate, we need to stand stronger together in order to prevail.”
Eager to show your support? Learn more about some of these signature Pride events.
Pride Lights
Pride Lights marks the ceremonial beginning of Pride Week. The large evergreen tree at the corner of Clarendon and Tremont streets will light up to honor the lives lost during the AIDS/HIV epidemic, as well as the Boston LGBTQ community’s resistance to intolerance. The illumination ceremony is accompanied by performances, games and music hosted jointly by the Boston Center for the Arts and Boston Pride.
June 6, 6:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m., The Plaza at the Boston Center for the Arts, corner of Clarendon and Tremont Streets, Boston, free, bostonpride.org/pridelights
Pride Night @ Fenway Park
Kick start your weekend with a little baseball at the fifth annual Pride Night. The festivities begin with a pregame Pride Party on the Right Field Roof Deck. Before the Red Sox take on the Detroit Tigers, the New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus will lead the audience in the national anthem. Additionally, a member of the Boston Pride community and auction winner is throwing the first pitch. Proceeds will go to Boston Pride.
June 9, 7:10 p.m,, 4 Yawkey Way, Boston, $43 (includes pre-game Pride Party), bostonpride.org/fenway
Boston Pride Parade, Festival and Concert
It wouldn’t be Pride Week without the annual parade. Starting at Copley Square, an expected 38,000 individuals and 300 contingents are marching over two miles through Back Bay and the Boston Common. A pride tradition in its 47th year, this year’s parade will feature survivors from the Pulse Orlando tragedy. The parade ends at City Hall Plaza, the site of the Boston Pride Festival and Concert. Attendees can munch on delectable bites at the Food Court, visit over 100 LGBTQ-friendly business and non-profit vendor vendors, as well as jam out at the annual concert with headliners Lillie McCloud, Carlito Olivero and Fantine.
Parade, June 10, noon, starts at Boylston St. and Clarendon St., Boston, free, bostonpride.org/parade; Festival and Concert, June 10, 11 a.m.- 7 p.m., City Hall Plaza, Boston, free, bostonpride.org/festival
Stronger Together Rally
A new event to the Boston Pride lineup, marchers can show solidarity with marginalized groups at the Stronger Together Rally, which coincides with the Global Equality March for Unity and Pride happening in Washington D.C. and othercities across the country. While Saturday’s parade focuses on supporting LGBTQ rights, the rally on Sunday advocates for “equal rights for everyone,” according to the event’s website, including women, people of color, immigrants and other historically discriminated communities.
June 11, 11 p.m., corner of Beacon and Charles St., Boston, free, bostonpride.org/rally
Block Parties
Pride Week concludes with a pair of block parties in two distinct Boston neighborhoods: Back Bay and Jamaica Plain. You won’t want to miss the all-day blow out, with food, drinks, a live DJ and plenty of dancing. The JP Block Party also features the Divas, Dogs and Drag Show, where you can adopt a rescue dog from PAWS New England and take part in the fun as several drag queens and kings perform.
Back Bay Block Party, June 11, 1 p.m.-9 p.m., St. James Ave. and Berkeley St., Boston, free 1-3 p.m., suggested donation of $15 thereafter, bostonpride.org/backbay; JP Block Party, June 11, 1 p.m.-8 p.m., corner of Perkins and Centre streets, Jamaica Plain, free before 2 p.m., suggested donation of $15 thereafter, bostonpride.org/jp
