CONNECTICUT, USA — June is Pride Month across the country, and there will be plenty of events all over the state to celebrate!
If you have a Pride Month event you'd like for us to include? Email us at newstips@fox61.com
June 1
The 6th Annual Middletown PrideFEST will take place on Saturday, June 1 with a rain date of June 2. The festival will begin at noon and last to 10 p.m. in downtown Middletown. It's an all-afternoon celebration on Main Street that will combine exhibitors, entertainers, food, activities for all ages including a 21+ area, and will feature the Pride March from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The Town of Hamden and the Hamden PRIDE Committee will hold their Pride Fest on June 1 at the Town Center Park from noon to 4 p.m. The festival will feature an all-female band, Sister Funk, and a Connecticut-based professional circus company, Circus Splendiferous. Festivities are free, and a family-friendly celebration will include kid-friendly performances, various food trucks, a DJ, live musicians, vendors, and fun activities.
Dive into a sea of love and acceptance, and celebrate with Mystic Aquarium's Party with Pride event! This is the aquarium's second year holding the celebration, and it will happen from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and feature a drag performance by the Trailer Park Girls, an African Penguin meet and greet, a reptile meet and greet, party snacks, and drinks available for purchase!
Ridgefield will hold its 5th Annual Pride in the Park celebration on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at Ballard Park on Main Street. The celebration will include a parade around the park starting at 1 p.m. The event is free to attend and open to the public, catering to families with various activities, crafts, and informational tables geared towards all ages!
Join Shelton's Mayor Mark Lauretti as the city recognizes Pride Month with a flag-raising ceremony and proclamation at Veterans Memorial Park. The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. during the Food Trucks on the River event. Admission is free.
Pride is for pups as well! Head to the Shops at Farmington Valley in Canton for the 4th Annual Pups & Pride Parade and Art Show on Saturday! This event takes place from 10 a.m. to noon and is free and open to the public. It will begin with a parade at the Canton Dog Park at 10 a.m., where attendees and their dogs can walk together along the scenic Farmington River Rail Trail and culminate at the shops at Farmington Valley where guests can enjoy an array of activities!
June 2
Watertown's Pride Party will occur on Sunday, June 2, from noon to 4 p.m. The family-friendly celebration will feature activities like a raffle and silent auction, goodie bags, and all-day attendees can enjoy food and dessert from local businesses, bracelet-making, tie dye, kindness rock painting, and more! The event will take place at the Veterans Memorial Park Pavilion on Nova Scotia Hill Road.
June 3
The city of New Britain will have a pride flag raising event, emceed by John Board, to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community for the seventh consecutive year. The celebration will take place at 9:30 a.m. outside City Hall, and will include multiple statewide and local leaders. The YWCA - New Britain organization will be recognized for its role in the community, according to the city, with Tracey Madden-Hennessey as guest speaker.
More information about the event can be found here.
Hartford's annual Capitol Pride Flag Raising Ceremony will be held at the south side of the Connecticut State Capitol on 210 Capitol Avenue at 1 p.m. Multiple state officials will be in attendance, including Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, State Treasurer Erick Russell, Comptroller Sean Scanlon, State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan, Executive Director of the Health Collective David Grant, Executive Director of the CWCSEO Melvette Hill and Joe Grabarz of Gallo and Robinson.
June 7
While Mystic will be having Pride Week from June 2-9, their Party in the Park celebration will take place Friday, June 7, with a rain date that Saturday. The party begins at 6 p.m. and will run to 8 p.m., featuring DJ Gadget. It is a family-friendly event, and Mystic encourages everyone to enjoy the celebration.
Mansfield's Celebrate Pride Festival will be held Friday, June 7, starting at 7 p.m. at Betsy Paterson Square in Downtown Storrs! Open to all, the event will include music, games, selfie stations, a "Strut your Stuff" dance-off, free flags, and pronoun pins. UConn Dairy Bar ice cream and tie-dye your Pride shirts are available for purchase, and there will be a drag queen story time at 8 p.m.
Rose City Pride in Norwich has a host of programs and activities in June! The celebration begins on the first Friday, June 7, at 6 p.m. with a pride flag-raising ceremony at City Hall Plaza with a performance by Caleb Morgan and a keynote address by Chevelle Moss-Savage; following the flag-raising; everyone is invited to participate in "Chalk Your Walk" mural-making on Chestnut Street near City Hall. There will be a Pride Party at Strange Bew Pub on Water Street at 9 p.m. to conclude the day.
There will be events during the month. Learn more about the Pride celebrations here.
June 9
The town of Glastonbury will be holding their first annual Pride Festival at the Hubbard Green, located at 1944 Main Street, from 3-7 p.m., featuring over 40 community organizations and vendors. The free, family-friendly event will include dog adoption, performers, a bookmobile, and a DJ. Parking will be at Glastonbury High School, located at 330 Hubbard Street.
June 14
From June 14-22, the 37th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival returns! Most films will be screened at Cinestudio on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford, and the closing night will be held at the Connecticut Science Center in downtown Hartford. In addition, there will be some virtual-only exclusives for film fans to enjoy at home.
June 20
The city of New Britain will be holding a community roundtable discussion, titled "Faith+Pride," hosted by the town's Pride group. The event is sponsored by the New Britain Human Rights and Opportunities Commission and is intended to "bring together community, city, and religious leaders," according to a Facebook post about the event. It will take place at the New Britain Senior Center on 55 Pearl Street from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
June 22
West Hartford's Pride Planning Committee will hold the 5th Annual West Hartford Pride celebration on Saturday, June 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public! The festival will take place in the parking lot of West Hartford Town Hall. Crowd favorites Sister Funk and Ms. Bonnie Petit will be returning, and newcomers like The Kentucky Gentleman will also be featured. The festival isn't the only Pride Month event happening in West Hartford.
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This is an ongoing list. If you'd like your Pride Month event to be included, please email newstips@fox61.com!
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