Kansas City’s robust LGBTQ+ community is offering a full slate of events as June's Pride Month kicks off nationwide.
Alongside annual traditions, more community-led organizations aim to blend queer celebration with activism amidst ongoing political tensions.
Events including the KC PrideFest will return to the city on June 5, featuring a slew of live performances, flash tattoos and piercings, and the June 6 parade, which starts in Westport and will end up at Theis Park.
Grassroots DIY event People’s Pride KC marks its fourth year hosting in the West Bottoms from June 27 to 28. The mission highlights celebrating queerness without the involvement of corporations or law enforcement, which organizers feel have interfered with celebrations in the past.
Flora Honey, one of the coordinators for People’s Pride, said the festival also aims to feature the whole spectrum of Pride that often goes overlooked.
“Everyone’s wanting to bring kink to Pride, but no one’s willing to pay homage to where it came from,” Honey said. “The white, cis-gay walking around a leather pup, who doesn't know anything about the culture, is going to be let in faster than the Black trans-woman sex worker walking around dressed as she is just because she's a Black trans woman.”
Local communities are pushing similar efforts. Vogue + Vaudeville by Moulin Noir Arts Collective allows newcomers to experience the energy of ballroom and burlesque culture.
Founder Moon Brown said that house ballroom was historically a lifeline for queer Black and brown people. Alongside learning ball language, she wants people to understand its rich history and infrastructure.
“What people see is the dip. They see the vogue,” Moon said. “They see the hands. But they don’t see the community behind it. Media focuses on the spectacle of ballroom, but it’s just always been more about survival and family and just creating spaces where people could belong.”
These are some of the Pride events taking place this month:
- QueerAokee — June 4: An interactive karaoke event spotlighting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ crowds from 7:30 -11 p.m., where the audience becomes a part of the entertainment. General admission is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- KC Pride Fest — June 5-7: An annual three-day event at Theis Park, south of the Nelson Atkin Museum of Art. The Pride Parade begins at 11 a.m. on June 6 starting at Westport Road and Broadway Boulevard. General admission costs $10 for adults. Children 12 and under are free.
- Pride Kickback + Blaque Liberation Bonfire — June 14: A free, 4 p.m. event at Swope Park is hosted by Nafasi TransCare Collective, featuring an open mic, vendors, music, and mutual aid.
- Treats and Beats: A People’s Pride Benefit — June 14: People’s Pride KC and WeLoveSxWrkrs hosts a free event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., providing baked goods from the local queer community with a DJ lineup.
- Vogue + Vaudeville — June 20: Hosted by Moulin Noir Arts Collective, this event brings ball and burlesque culture to Kansas City – ideal for those new to the scene. It starts at 6 p.m. at Red Light Studios with a $10 admission fee.
- People’s Pride KC — June 27-28: A free, two-day event in the West Bottoms. It highlights local groups including No Divide KC and WeLoveSxWrkrs. Sass-a-Brass, Kansas City’s only queer street parade brass band, who will lead the June 28 parade at 4 p.m. from West Bottoms Plant Co. to the Black Box.
Find more local Pride events here, including various attractions throughout June.
