Celebrate Pride Month at Home With These Virtual Events + Performances

This June will be different. Cities across the country, known for their month-long LGBTQ+ festivals, marquee parades and lively parties, canceled events amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But that doesn't mean Pride is canceled. The celebration is just going online. If you're looking for ways to celebrate Pride Month at home with your family, there are tons of organizations throwing virtual events such as New York City non-profit The Center's annual Garden Party event which will take place virtually this year on June 22 at 6 p.m. EST. Don your rainbow best and follow along with NYC chefs with their Pride-inspired food menus and cocktails and mocktails to make at home.

Museum buildings may be shuttered amid the pandemic, but museums around the world have launched virtual exhibitions to browse online and keep art alive. And during Pride Month, you can learn more about LGBTQ+ artists through Google Arts & Culture's virtual collections, from Frida Kahlo to Keith Haring. New York's Columbus Museum of Art even released a virtual walkthrough of their Art After Stonewall exhibit, which chronicles how the LGBT liberation movement impacted art in the '70s and '80s.

If you've never heard of Drag Queen Story Hour, it's exactly what it sounds like. Drag queens visit libraries and schools to read popular children's books and interact with kids. The events help children learn about gender fluidity and the acceptance of people's differences all while creating a positive literary experience. And while DQSH's in-person readings have been canceled throughout the summer, many drag queens are still reading online through the organization's Facebook page and chapter pages. These streams are a great way to teach children about acceptance and start a conversation about not bullying at school.

Going for a walk or a run, while following safe, socially distanced recommendations, is one of the best ways to let off steam and combat stress during this pandemic. And this June, the city of Denver is calling on LGBTQ runners around the world to take part in their virtual Pride 5K on June 20 and 21 to raise money for Colorado LGBTQ communities. The "race" will have a virtual leaderboard and prizes will be awarded to runners with the top 10 finishing times.