Summer’s here, and if the rainbow flag at Jake’s Grill I pass every day on my way to the office is any indicator, so is Pride. 2019 festivities officially kick off on Saturday, but events have been rolling all month. Here’s one queer’s take on the rest of June’s best and brightest.

Q Center Resilience Campaign

All month long
N Mississippi’s queer community center is in the midst of a month-long fundraising campaign, and if you can give, you should. The Center provides a staggering number of queer support groups, community programs, and anti-hate initiatives, and they need to round up $25k by July 1 for critical improvements to their space. If you’re into drinking where you donate, Ecliptic Brewing will contribute a portion of its June 27 profits to the Center.

Waterfront Festival and Parade

June 15-16, Tom McCall Waterfront Park
To quote scripture*: baby, this is what you came for. Skies look sunny for the 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee parade, which will be followed by a trans Pride march at 3:30 p.m. and the Portland Dyke March at 6 p.m. While you’re buzzing around the waterfront festival, consider snagging a ticket for the Sunday’s Big Gay Boat Ride with Rupaul's Drag Race queens Yuhua Hamasaki and Kelly Mantle.

Pride Month Programming

June 21-22, Clinton Street Theater
Portland’s year-round Rocky Horror home brings gender-bending tales new and old to the silver screen. Into the Mirror, screening Friday, is a neon-drenched London drag story that hit UK festivals last year. Saturdays are for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which, on top of being a stone-cold queer classic, stars Guy Pearce (this writer’s first Big Gay Crush) in outfits that will send you clutching for the nearest-available pearls.

Portland Gay Men’s Chorus: Stonewall Riot! Soundtrack to a Revolution

June 22, Keller Auditorium
The Portland Gay Men's Chorus commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots with a program of hits from 1969. Expect Elvis, the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, and more (fingers crossed for a big "Space Oddity" moment—would also settle for the Even Stevens moon landing song). There will also be… wait for it...a wine auction.

*the Rihanna/Calvin Harris joint that Taylor Swift co-wrote under Bond-villain pseudonym Nils Sjöberg