It all began on June 28, 1970, when thousands of people returned to NYC’s Greenwich Village to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the movement widely credited for propelling gay rights. It became an annual event and now Pride is synonymous with the start of summer, marked by celebrations not only in New York but across the USA, and around the world.

Last year, all eyes were on New York as the city welcomed more than 5 million people to celebrate and the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall. High-profile revellers included Madonna, Lady Gaga, Donatella Versace, Marc Jacobs, Christian Siriano, the cast of “Queer Eye,” Andy Cohen, Senators Chuck Schumer and Andrew Cuomo, among others.

This June, organizers across the country are pivoting a month’s worth of festivals into virtual experiences.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

New York, New York

More than 100 of the greatest drag performers are scheduled to appear for Pride 2020 Dragfest hosted by NYC Pride and supported by GLAAD. The three-day festival begins on Friday, June 19 and will feature fan-favourite performers from Rupaul’s Drag Race and other legendary queens. Shows will run each day from 6:30pm to 8pm EST. Tune-in on NYC Pride and GLAAD’s Facebook pages.

Washington, D.C.

In Washington, this year’s party won’t stream drown America’s Main Street on Pennsylvania Avenue with the sun-setting on the stunning U.S. Capitol. Instead, on Sunday, June 14 Grammy Award Winning DJ Tracy Young will livestream the legendary Sunset Dance Party with a set that will surely get you feeling festive. Visit capitalpride.org to learn more.

“Pride is certainly one of our favourite times of year in Washington, DC — an opportunity to uplift our LGBTQ community and celebrate our city’s progress as a leader in LGBTQ rights,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “Thank you to everyone who is helping us save lives by celebrating Pride at home. While events will certainly look different this year, our pride remains as strong as ever.”

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The City of Brotherly Love plays host to Season 5 of Netflix’s Queer Eye also premiering in June. In lieu of traditional celebrations, other activities have popped-up to fill a virtual void. PrideFLIX Philadelphia calls on a 26-year tradition of sharing the stories of LGBTQ people, and will present a stellar line-up of LGBTQ documentaries, feature films, and web series. Follow the schedule throughout June from the comfort of home here.

“We felt it was our duty to fill the void created from the postponement of this year’s pride,” says Festival producer Bill Egan. “By supporting this virtual festival, folks can support future pride events. If we all can’t be together in person, at least we can come together virtually and share our stories.”

Los Angeles, California

Organizers of L.A. Pride have also announced they are “reimagining the way it will celebrate its 50th Anniversary.” To commemorate the milestone, watch for exciting initiatives that will be hosted on numerous digital platforms throughout June and beyond. For updates visit lapride.org.

Other events include:

San Francisco’s 10th Anniversary Celebration and Rally June 27-28.

Denver Virtual Pride June 20-21.

Portland Pride which has a monthlong series of activities planned.

It all culminates on June 27 with Global Pride 2020. Here organizations from across the USA and around the world will celebrate with musical performances, speeches from activists, and addresses by notable public figures. The event will stream 24 hours of content, which organizers say will reflect the “beautiful diversity of LGTBTQ of people everywhere.”

Happy Pride!