The month of June is marked as International Pride month, a 30-day long celebration of the LGBTQIA community and the individuals. Since the world seemingly came to a pause last two years, queer folks have been alienated from the community we hold so dear too. In case you feel safe enough to step out and celebrate, we’ve curated a list of some major LGBTQIA events planned across India:
1) The Lalit Ashok – Kitty Ko, Bengaluru
The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group has collaborated with The Keshav Suri Foundation to set up something interesting at their property in Bengaluru. The hotel will be opening the doors of Kitty Ko, one of the most inclusive nightclubs in the city, to celebrate young queer talent. Along with a string of performances, the hotel will also be hosting a drag performance by Prateek Sachdeva (@bettanaanstop) on June 17th.
2) Loud & Proud Karaoke Night – Unlocked, Gurugram
What better way to celebrate Pride month than by singing your heart out to Taylor Swift, BTS, AP Dhillion and more. You get the picture, right? Unlocked Bar & Kitchen will be hosting a series of events for LGBTQIA folks, including a Karaoke Night. Aptly titled ‘Loud and Proud,’ the event will be hosted by Rishab Nanda on June 9th, 2022, from 7.30pm.
3) Drag Party – Unlocked, Gurugram
If you don’t want to restrict yourself to the mic, the same team from Unlocked, Gurugram, is hosting a ‘Drag Party’ on June 25th, 2022. The event will be hosted by Lush Monsoon (@lushmonsoon), a drag performer based out of Delhi. You are promised “an amazing evening to party your woes away, with the tastiest snacks, the most lit cocktails, and the best crowd!” Enough reason to catch it, we think.
4) Queer Rated Comedy – Mumbai
Now, something for our Mumbai readers. A collective of LGBTQIA performers called Queer Rated Comedy will be performing a bunch of shows across Mumbai. The last one will be on July 16th at Powai Social. The lineup includes Navin Noronha, Aayushi Jagad, Ritushree Panigrahi and Madvendra Singh Rathod. The listing says: “Celebrate pride month with this amazing lineup and let your rainbow colours unfurl. Welcome to an all-inclusive comedy show where comedians who are part of the LGBTQ+ community share their Queer Rated stories and jokes with the world.”
5) Short & Salty (Theatre) – Pioneer Hall, Mumbai
In early July, the Gaysi family will be collaborating with InQueerable Happenings to present the highly acclaimed ‘Short & Salty’ theatre production at Pioneer Hall, Mumbai. The play had its premiere in 2019, exactly 377 days after Section 377 was abolished by the Supreme Court of India. It is organised by InQueerable Happenings, an initiative which provides a platform for queer content. As per the Gaysi family, the play is scheduled for July 2nd, and is free for all.
(Image credits – Unlocked, Gurugram & InQueerable Happenings)
