This year's Pride month has already given us a wealth of spectacular events and gatherings, and with Dublin's Pride Parade taking place tomorrow 25 June, it's all about to kick into high gear.
This year's celebrations are especially momentous as it marks the first time Pride festivities can take place in person in two years, after the outbreak of Covid-19 put parades and gatherings on hold.
Dublin Pride is, of course, the centrepiece of an assortment of events taking place across the country this weekend, and will coordinate with a variety of spectacular events across the city.
If crowds aren't your thing, or a parade just isn't for you just yet, there are many other small and intimate events to enjoy, from comedy cabaret shows to a picnic for trans folk. There's truly something for everyone this year!
Here's our round up of some of the most exciting Pride events taking place this weekend:
Friday, 24 July
Celebrating the Bear community is a two-day festival of their own, starting with the Bears Upstairs and Bears Downstairs parties on Friday night in Wiley Fox featuring drinks, food and music. The main event, however, is the Capel Street Party at 4pm on Saturday at Panti Quarter.
Revolting Women: A Rebel Cabaret
Held in the Teacher's Club in Dublin, Revolting Women: A Rebel Cabaret amplifies the voices of fearless women who came before us and changed Ireland as we know it. It promises to be an engrossing tale of women in Irish history who have fought for their country, the vote, equal pay, equal rights, bodily autonomy, dignity and respect. Starts at 7:30pm.
Mark T Cox – Friday Night Pride
International cabaret star Mark T Cox returns to Dublin, for a special one-off show at The Sugar Club this Pride weekend. The glamour! After nearly 10 years on London's queer entertainment scene, Ireland’s favourite piano toy boy is making his homecoming, queen!
Slide in for a night of camp pop songs, naughty stories, lols and divilment. Starts at 7:30pm.
Saturday, 25 June
Taking place from 12pm-3pm, Dublin Pride promises to be a spectacular and inspiring celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as a continuation of its legacy as a protest against discrimination towards the community. With over 13,000 people registered for the Parade and the March – two distinct events that merge together – it's sure to be a dazzling event. Find all the information you need about it here.
Dublin Pride Festival 2022 at Merrion Square
The Dublin Pride Festival returns with a bang to Merrion Square on Saturday, 25 June, with a full-day programme lined up for you from 1:00PM -7:30PM. This is a free, non-ticketed event.
Mother is celebrating the return to in-person events with a show-stopping two-night bumper crop of performers. Kicking off on Saturday night at The National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, will be sets from Brazilian superstar ANITTA, the Mother DJs, Le Boom and Elaine Mai. There will also be Drag Aerobics, a drag show from Haus of W.I.G and plenty of food and drink stalls to keep you fuelled.
Start your day right with a visit to the famous Outhouse Pride Breakfast, which has become a mainstay of the Pride calendar. The Outhouse team will be fuelling revelers with a delicious continental breakfast and some drinks to get the body right for the night ahead. Breakfast runs from 10-12pm and kicks off at the Outhouse LGBT Resource Centre on 105 Capel Street, Dublin.
Hosted by this The Wild Geeze – a self-professed happy trail blazing comedy duo who perform comedic songs, burlesque, comedy and vagina puppetry– this is a comedy cabaret filled with queerness, fearlessness and female finesse in Kavanaghs, a Stoneybatter institution. Featuring the talents of slam poet Julie Goo and drag kings Julian Mandrews & Lady Grew, it's guaranteed to be some craic.
Pride in Print: Showcase of Irish Trans Performance
The Small Trans Library Dublin will host an exhibit of collaborations between Irish trans artists and writers, a pop-up library of free LGBT+ books, and an evening showcase of Irish trans comedy, music and performance, all in one place.
Taking place in the Boys' School of Smock Alley Theatre, the works cross a range of mediums and are by turns angry, exuberant, sensual and grief-stricken, while the evening showcase will feature songwriter and musician Annie Sherry, actor and comedian Allie O'Rourke and more.
Euphoria Pride Party – The Well, Dublin
Already a major player in European nightlife, Euphoria continue their streak of hosting unforgettable parties around Dublin with their Pride Party this weekend. Featuring three DJs, including Brazilian DJ Felipe Lira – a renowned DJ and superstar in his home country – it's sure to be a night of banging tunes and good fun. Tickets are on sale now through Eventbrite.
Delving into the underbelly of queer culture, THISISPOPBABY present an unflinching and provocative new dance-theatre show about desire, intimacy, isolation and addiction.
Party Scene is a collaboration between choreographer Philip Connaughton and writer/director Phillip McMahon, with a company of incredible performers, that celebrates the sweaty high of the session but asks tough questions about drugs, sex, consent and mental health in the queer community. Tickets are on sale now and start at €16.
Sunday, 26 July
Following on from their no doubt jaw-dropping Saturday set, Mother will once again light up Collins Barracks with another thrilling assortment of performances. Headlining Sunday's set is Peaches and Rina Sawayama, alongside the Mother DJs and Tara Kumar. Also there on the night is the Sing Along Social and Stephen Dowling. Not to be missed.
With the Library mindful of the mountain of Pride events folks have lined up next week, we thought we'd let folks wind down festivities with our first Trans Picnic of the year on SUNDAY 26th JUNE, 3pm at the Iveagh Gardens!
— Small Trans Library Dublin (@translibdub) June 15, 2022
Come along for books, snacks, refreshments and chats! pic.twitter.com/KFpu56fBa7
Trans Picnic in the Iveagh Gardens
The Small Trans Library will also host its first ever trans picnic in Dublin's Iveagh Gardens. Taking place in the scenic gardens at 3pm, it'll include nibbles, drinks, books and chats and is the perfect way to wind down with potentially new friends after the Pride festivities.
Non-Alcoholic Pride Party (18+)
For those wanting to escape the energetic, bustling and sometimes hectic nature of the Pride Parade, Outhouse are back to hosting their 'Non-alcoholic Pride Party' for those who wish to celebrate Pride in their own way and are happy to sit down, mingle and enjoy the chats with other LGBTQIA+ people in a calm and safe environment. From 1-5pm.
Here are some more events happening later in the year...
- Wicklow Pride Festival – 1-30 June
- INTIMATE exhibition and book launch – June 29
- Mayo Pride – 2 July
- Limerick Pride – 9 July
- Carlow Pride – 10 July
- Dundalk Pride – 11-16 July
- Trans and Intersex Pride – 16 July
- Belfast Pride – 30 July
- Galway Pride – 8-14 August
- Waterford Pride – 19-21 August
