Celebrate

Spokane’s queer community is alive and well and growing by leaps and bounds! So mark June on your calendar as a month of LGBTQ+ celebration. These vibrant events will help remind us that love is love is love—and we’re all in this together. Add some fun to your life with PRIDE.

June 2, 2023: Queer Art Walk

Former Spokane arts commissioner, Andrew Whitver launched this annual event in 2019 to celebrate the many talents of local LGBTQ+ artisans. Today, it’s one of the most popular Pride events in the city, featuring more than a dozen artists at six high profile Spokane galleries.

June 9, 2023: Spokane Rainbow Festival

This lively event in Riverfront Park marks the beginning of Spokane’s annual LGBTQ+ celebration. In 2022, 24,000 people turned out to dance, listen to music, eat great food, spend money, watch fireworks and commune with the city’s queer and queer friendly population. This year’s gathering will be even more exciting, so slip into your favorite rainbow attire and head for the park.

June 10, 2023: Spokane Pride Parade

This year marks the 31st annual Spokane Pride Parade and Festival. Thanks to the hard work of Spokane Pride and other organizations, the day will begin at noon at 507 N. Howard Street with a march through downtown Spokane. It will continue at the festival in Riverfront Park. Nearly 3,000 people marched in the 2022 parade, and even more are set to turn out in 2023. For more about the parade and festival, visit https://www.spokanepride.org/,

June 17: Spokane Pride Bar Crawl

The Globe Bar & Kitchen, Spokane’s premier LGBTQ+ club will join Boombox, Borracho Tacos & Tequileria, Fast Eddies and the Red Lion Pub to make this year’s Spokane Pride Bar Crawl even more spectacular than their

2022 event. Buy your tickets, then make your way to these five watering holes to celebrate the Inland Northwest’s queer communities. It begins at 204 N. Division Street at 4:00 pm and wraps up at midnight. For more information, visit https://www.crawlwith.us/spokane/pride.

June 24: Queer & Weird Book Club with Ness Ness Halls welcomes readers of every kind at their Queer & Weird Book Club for Auntie’s Bookstore on the 4th Saturday of each month—especially on June 24, 2023 for Pride month. What started as a small gathering of enthusiastic readers has been growing like a weed, so don’t miss your chance to talk books with an all-inclusive gathering. June’s title is Harrow the Ninth by award winning science fiction and fantasy author Tamsyn Muir.

June 24: Dungeons & Drag Queens at the Bing

Dozens of cities have welcomed this troop of improvisational performers and Spokane will join their ranks on June 24 at 8:00 pm at the Bing Crosby Theator (901 W. Sprague Avenue) . Comedian Paul Curry will be the enchanting Dungeon Master for three glamorous drag queen Dungeons & Dragons players as the mysteries unfold, live on stage. Musician Carson Grubb will add a soundtrack to the event, and the audience will have opportunities to join in the high-rolling hilarity. For more information, visit https:// bingcrosbytheater.com/coming-events/ dungeons-drag-queens.

June 24: Pride in Perry

Celebrate the Odyssey Youth Movement’s annual Pride in Perry event on June 24, from 12:00 pm until 5:00 pm at 1121 S. Perry Street. Explore the OYM gathering place and learn about all of the services they offer Spokane’s young people, fill you belly with delicious food, listen to live music and shop at queer friendly vendor booths for a full day of all-inclusive fun. Did we miss your Pride event for June? Email Kelly Milner Halls at editor@ spokanecda.com to be sure it’s included next year!