WEDNESDAY 6/26
50 Years of Seattle Pride: Posters of Pride
(PRIDE) In the words of Harvey Milk, "It takes no compromise to give people their rights." MOHAI's latest exhibition pays tribute to 50 years of Seattle's rainbow-hued festivities with a curated selection of Pride posters. 50 Years of Seattle Pride: Posters of Pride draws special attention to the organizing efforts of the city's LGBTQ+ community, who commemorate the '69 Stonewall rebellion each June with queer-centered festivities. Visitors can view "digitized replicas" of Seattle Pride posters spanning five decades, including entries from the diverse, politically savvy '80s- and '90s-era Freedom Day Committee. (Museum of History & Industry, 860 Terry Ave N, 10 am-5 pm, $19-$25, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
THURSDAY 6/27
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(PRIDE) In the agonizing words of Kim Kardashian: I have the best advice for LGBTQ+ folks in Seattle—get your fucking ass up and dance. It seems like nobody wants to dance these days! And where better than at Kremwerk, where the dolls will sweat out their pride across three nights and four dance floors? This year's musical highlights include B-Complex, Bimbo Hypnosis, Miss Twink USA, Gag Reflex, JENNGREEN, and T.Reverie, along with tons of other local DJs and drag performers. (Kremwerk, 1809 Minor Ave #10, June 27-29, $59.48, 21+) AUDREY VANN
FRIDAY 6/28
(PRIDE) Celebrate trans joy with an evening of performances, community speakers, a resource fair, and "chill vibes." The Gender Justice League works to strengthen and connect the two-spirit, trans, and gender diverse (2STGD) community and its allies, a goal highlighted by this all-ages, free, and accessible event (masks are required in an effort to make it safe for immunocompromised community members). In a country that's increasingly passing laws restricting the rights of trans folx, it's more important than ever to be visible as we come together and celebrate trans lives. (Volunteer Park Amphitheater, 1400 E Prospect St, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
SATURDAY 6/29
(PRIDE) This event is sort of like if Seattle PrideFest got tangled up with the Capitol Hill Block Party. Outside of Queer/Bar, gaggles of queer icons will take the outdoor stage with music, drag, and burlesque performances. After last year's lineup boasted headliners Pabllo Vittar, Trixie Mattel, and Charo, it was hard to imagine what could top (or even match) that holy trinity, but they did it again! Queen of indie sleaze Santigold will headline with queer pop sister duo Tegan and Sara, "sugar trap" rapper Rico Nasty, art pop polymath Perfume Genius, and indie rock band Juliette & the Licks (fronted by none other than Juliette Lewis). Plus, RuPaul's Drag Race stars Shea Couleé, Alaska Thunderfuck, Detox, Roxxxy Andrews, Lady Camden, and Bosco will goop and gag the crowd alongside local drag talent. (Capitol Hill, 11th Ave between E Pike St and E Pine St, $59-$299, 21+) AUDREY VANN
Update: Perfume Genius announced on Instagram that he will no longer be performing this weekend. Sad!
SUNDAY 6/30
(PRIDE) Seattle's Pride Parade is a little more than a don't-miss—it's a gargantuan gathering of over 250 participating groups, with 300,000 spectators turning up to show off their sparkle. For the 50th anniversary this year, Seattle sports legends and power couple Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe will serve as the parade’s grand marshals as the event commemorates the first Seattle LGBTQIA+ gathering for collective resistance. Celebrations kick off with a pre-party at Westlake Park; the parade will start at 11 am at Fourth and Pike before marching loud and proud past two stages and concluding at Denny Way. Expect DJs, advocacy talks, food trucks, beer gardens, and traffic disruptions if for some ill-advised reason you attempt to drive downtown. (Downtown Seattle, Fourth and Pike, 11 am-3 pm, free, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
MONDAY 7/1
(COMEDY) Keep the Pride Month party going into July with Comedy Bar's weekly Queers to the Front showcase! When Andy Iwancio started Queers to the Front last year, she told The Stranger, "What we’re trying to do is create a space for queer folks to come grow their comedy in a space that will support radical ideas or stories that would be stifled elsewhere. Also, just to be a radically kind place for queer people to try out comedy for the first time." Iwancio passed the torch to producers Molina Molina and Ian Crowley at the end of 2023, and the evening has continued to flourish, drawing both beginners and big names and even invading Portland. If you want to perform, signups are open every Saturday from noon to 4 pm by emailing queerstothefrontcomedy@gmail.com. The lineup is announced on Sundays via the show's Instagram account. (Comedy/Bar, 210 Broadway E, 8:30 pm, $5, 21+) MEGAN SELING
TUESDAY 7/2
(MUSIC) For eight years now, I've been telling people that Horse Lords have reigned among the greatest live performers in underground rock. On this blog in 2022, I wrote, "Horse Lords have mastered the fine art of hypnosis through manic repetition in their epic compositions, but offering slight variations in riffs and intensities to maintain a vibrant edge. It would be easy to plunge into monotony with this approach, but Horse Lords—Max Eilbacher, Andrew Bernstein, Owen Gardner, and Sam Haberman—savvily alter their parts and forge fascinating microtonal textures to avoid stasis." All of that applies to their new live album, As It Happened: Horse Lords Live, which corrals HL songs dating back to 2014's Hidden Cities. But don't just take my word for it. Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy's also a fan. He told Stereogum: "I'm mesmerized by how impossible their music seems... It's not much you see anymore,... a real band forging a super-individual language." Dad-rock-icon validation! (Vera Project, 305 Harrison St, 7 pm, $19.06, all ages) DAVE SEGAL
There are so many more Pride events happening all over the city—see our comprehensive listings here.
