Guide to Pride 2020: Virtual Events and Destinations to Celebrate 50 Years of Pride
Every June, the world recognizes and celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community in what has become known as Pride Month, and this year commemorates 50 years of Pride! To refresh your memory, the Gay Liberation Movement began in New York City after the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969 and one year later, in 1970, the first Pride celebration took place. Then, just three years later, the very first Toronto Pride took place!
Colourful and bold celebrations occur around the world annually, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many have been canceled. Luckily, organizations that are hosting Pride events have decided to take things digital so you can participate safely no matter where you are! Furthermore, because Pride was started by trans and non-gender conforming people of colour, many events will celebrate and advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement, too.
To honour the LGBTQIA+ community, we’ve rounded up virtual events and destinations around the world that celebrate 50 years of Pride.
Worldwide Virtual Events
Global Pride: Saturday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m. PT
- Welcome to the first worldwide LGBTQ+ event! Hosted by Todrick Hall and starring world leaders, royalty, pop stars, and drag queens, this 24-hour global livestream will put the Black Lives Matter movement at its centre.
Can’t Cancel Pride: Thursday, June 25 at 9 p.m. ET
- Sia, Adam Lambert, Billy Porter, Katy Perry, and more artists are slated to perform at “Can’t Cancel Pride,” a benefit concert that will be aired on iHeartRadio. Donations will go to organizations like The Trevor Project, GLAAD, and the National Black Justice Coalition, as well as towards COVID-19 relief for the LGBTQ+ community.
She’s a Riot—Black Trans Lives Matter and Pride Virtual Fundraiser: Thursday, June 25 at 5 p.m. PT
- Presented by Deryck Todd, this virtual rally, march, and music fundraiser will feature many stars from the LGBTQ+ community, including Billy Porter and MJ Rodriguez. All proceeds will be donated to the Marsha P Johnson Institute!
It Gets Better: A Digital Pride Experience: Wednesday, June 24 – Friday, June 26 at 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT
- Hosted by actress, singer, drag queen, and activist Miss Peppermint, the It Gets Better Project is a three-day “Pride extravaganza” that will feature musicians, artists, drag queens, and more from around the world.
#VirtualPride with GayTravel.com: Sunday, June 28
- Hosted by GayTravel.com, this event encourages people to virtually show their pride by joining virtualpride.com or using the hashtag #VirtualPride on Twitter. A schedule will be released closer to the day of the event and you can sign up here for details.
Netflix Pride Special presented by Most: Tuesday, June 30 at 4 p.m. PT
- A digital event for reflection and celebration hosted by Chaka Khan, Laverne Cox, and Peppermint, presented by Most! Benefiting OutRight, The Marsha P Johnson Institute, and the Trans Justice Funding Project. Watch on Netflix YouTube.
Celebrate Pride wherever you are with Spotify’s playlists and podcasts
- Spotify has curated several playlists to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, encouraging listeners to find their “perfect Pride soundtrack.” Turn it up!
Canada Virtual Events
Toronto, Ontario
- Trans Pride: June 26, 2020 at 1 p.m. –3 p.m. ET
- Livestream on Twitch
- Dyke Pride: June 27, 2020 at 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET
- Livestream on Twitch
- Online Pride Parade: June 28, 2020 at 2 p.m. – 4:30 p.m ET
- Livestream on Twitch
- Blockorama: June 28, 2020 at 8 p.m. to June 29, 2020 at 1 a.m. ET
- The largest and longest-running stage at Pride Toronto, Blockorama features local black performers from Toronto’s Black Queer and Trans* communities!
- Livestream on Twitch
Montréal, Québec
- Fierté MTL: August 10, 2020 to August 16, 2020
- Following the announcement by the Government of Québec on April 10, 2020 that festivals will not be held until August 31, Fierté MTL will be offering an alternative program of celebrating LGBTQ+ communities in the coming weeks.
Calgary, Alberta
- Calgary Pride Festival: August 28, 2020 to September 6, 2020
Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Halifax Pride: July 16, 2020 to July 26, 2020
- Halifax Pride will be hosting online events in addition to a number of safe, socially distant outdoor activities shaped by public health guidelines.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- Virtual Pride Parade: June 20, 2020
- Rewatch on Facebook
- Two Spirit Ball: July 31, 2020
- Streaming from Saskatoon Pride on Treaty 6 territory, the Two Spirit Ball is a virtual event that will bring Two Spirit/Indigiqueer artists across Turtle Island right to your home!
Vancouver, British Columbia
- Vancouver Pride Week: July 27, 2020 to August 2, 2020
- Event calendar can be found here
Victoria, British Columbia
- The Big Gay Dog Walk: July 3, 2020 at 7 p.m. PT
- Stream on YouTube
- Virtual Pride Festival: July 5, 2020 at 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. PT
- See their Facebook event page
When you feel ready to travel again, check out our guide to LGBTQ2-Friendly Cities in Canada.
What is Expedia doing to support the LGBTQIA+ Community?
Over the past decade, our parent company Expedia Group has been committed to the LGBTQIA community through:
- Our Inclusion Business Group, Pride, has 1,057 members in 15 countries across 22 chapters
- Growing and innovating our LGBTQIA policies including adding personal pronouns into Workday, launching industry-leading transgender healthcare benefits for US employees and offering global gender-neutral parental leave
- Supporting public policy commitments to LGBTQIA rights by sponsoring/signing the US Equality Act and UN Standards of Conduct for Business, joining the Washington Won’t Discriminate business coalition, and supporting the Amicus Brief against HB2
- Partnering with International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) to expand LGBT+ welcoming hotel inventory within our portfolio
- Creating resources for our customers to access LGBTQ-Welcoming hotel inventory via Expedia LGBT Destinations and LGBTQIA-Friendly Travel Blogs; as well as Orbitz Gay & Lesbian friendly travel and Pride Travel Guide
- This year EG received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index
Which digital event will you be tuning into this Pride?
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