Striding proudly into its 31st year, Dublin LGBT Pride has grown from a one-day parade into a musical, theatrical, colourful extravaganza celebrating the culture and achievements of the LGBT community spanning several weeks. From photography to pole-dance, political quizzing to pub quizzes: here’s our pick of Pride.
If you’re interested in the representation of LGBT Dublin through art, there are some fantastic-looking exhibitions to check out. The Art of Boys and Girls (opening Thursday 5 June, 7pm, at The Front Lounge, 33/34 Parliament Street) explores depictions of the human form in all its guises, aiming to push the limits of gender representation. Belonging: Irish Queer Youth (opening Saturday 21 June, 10am, at the National Photographic Archive, Temple Bar) is an exhibition of BeLonG To’s work to support LGBT youth and to change the face of Ireland. The photographs document young people in Pride events; campaigns to end homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools; advocacy work, as well as portraits of the young people themselves.
Pride is an event keenly aware of its own history, presented in A Pride to Remember: An Illustrated Talk On The History Of Dublin LGBT Pride (Tuesday 17 June, 6.30pm, Dublin City Library, Pearse Street). Archivist and historian Tonie Walsh will chart the history of Dublin’s LGBT Pride festivals from 1974 to date. The highs and lows, the wonderful and bizarre are visited in this whistle-stop tour of ‘Ireland’s most colourful and raucous political queer event’. Support groups will be out in force, among them BeLonG To Sunday (Sunday 22 June, 3pm, Outhouse LGBT Community Resource Centre, 105 Capel Street). Youth LGBT group BeLonG To will offer a facilitated workshop on mental health, exploring the ways in which these issues can affect young LGBT people, and offer suggestions on ways to deal with such challenges. Within the sphere of political representation the status of LGBT people has improved significantly, yet there is still much to interrogate in Politics, Pride and Equality: The Debate (Monday 16 June, 5.30pm, Pearse Library, Pearse Street). This debate will feature some key voices in contemporary Irish politics, and shall cover some of the most pressing issues confronting the LGBT community in 2014.
For theatre aficionados, Dublin-based LGBT collective Acting Out will be presenting Love and Pride (Wednesday 25 to Saturday 28 June, The Outhouse, Capel Street, €10/6), an evening of short plays, sketches and songs celebrating Dublin Pride 2014. On a very different stage, it wouldn’t be a Pride Festival without some burlesque; the Burlesque Cabaret and Social Club (Saturday 28 June, 9pm, The Sugar Club, €20) hosted by Mr. Phil T Gorgeous is set to be a rainbow-spangled riot of an evening. Dance show with a difference Strictly Come Pole Dancing (Wednesday 25 June, 11pm, The George, 89 South Great George’s Street) promises a night of ‘fantastical feats and jaw-dropping dancing’, featuring host Lady Veda and special guests. There are more divas in documentary I Am Divine (Tuesday 24 June, 6.30pm, €9, Irish Film Institute; presented in association with GAZE International LGBT Festival Dublin and Dublin Pride 2014) detailing the life of drag queen Divine, muse to filmmaker John Waters.
On the music spectrum, there is plenty to sing about, not least the Big Gay Sing Dublin (Sunday 15 June, 8pm, Bord Gais Energy Theatre), where Gloria, Dublin’s Lesbian and Gay Choir, and The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus are bringing the hugely successful event to Dublin for one night only. Mixing tradition with progress is Géilí (Wednesay 18 June, Pantibar, 8 Capel Street, 8.30pm), an exquisite culmination of Irish music and dance with talented Irish dancers and guest host. As the blurb urges, ‘Dust off your brogues and grab a partner, this is Céilí gay style!’
Party animals are spoiled for choice with the multitude of club nights on offer. On Friday 27 June, choose carefully between Dyke Nite (The Button Factory, €10), a celebration of Ireland’s lesbian talents featuring talented local DJs, bands, performers and local celebrity faces; and Glitterbomb (The George, 89 South Great George’s Street, 8pm), claiming to be ‘the most sparkling night of the week’. Closing off the festival is the annual El Styra’s Pride Pop Party (Saturday 28 June, Essex Street East, Temple Bar, 5pm) which promises a throwback marathon of the best pop remixes from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s 00’s and today.
For the sporty, check out Dublin Pride Run: Our City, Our Pride, Our Run (Friday 20 June, Phoenix Park, 7.30pm, €20), a fun run covering 5km open to everyone. You are welcome to jog, run, walk, or prance your away around the beautiful Phoenix Park course, followed by a delectable after-party in the Polo Club for all runners and supporters. For the less energetic, be sure to sink a few pints at My Big Fat Gay Pub Quiz (Thursday 26 June, 8pm, The Front Lounge, 33/34 Parliament Street, €40 per table of 4), featuring ‘20% gayer questions and oodles of audience participation’.
Last but by no means least, be sure not to miss the most iconic event of them all: Dublin Pride Parade (Saturday 28 June, beginning at the Garden of Remembrance at 1.45pm, concluding in Merrion Square. For route details see here). The parade that concludes Dublin Pride festival is the largest of its kind in Ireland: in 2013, there were over 36,000 people marching. Dust on some glitter and wave that rainbow flag.
For full events listings, check out http://dublinpride.ie/events/
