Attend Transgender Pride in the Park, Go to Lesbian Camp, Experience Hot Fix Sideshow, Debut your Drag Act, Visit the New Pride Source Events Page
Summer may theoretically be winding down, but apparently nobody told Michigan's queer calendar. The next couple of weeks offer everything from an old-school picnic to sword swallowing, open-stage drag and an all-new way to find an endless parade of LGBTQ+ events throughout Michigan. In other words: Summer isn't over until the queers say it's done.
1. Picnic With Pride
Transgender Michigan's Transgender Pride in the Park (say that five times fast) returns for its 26th year, bringing together trans folks, friends and allies for an afternoon of food, entertainment, speakers, vendors and excellent company. Bring your own picnic or buy food on-site, then settle in and make some new friends.
This gathering also commemorates the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot, when trans people in San Francisco fought back against police harassment years before Stonewall. Transgender Michigan co-founder Rachel Crandall-Crocker knows something about making history herself: She created International Transgender Day of Visibility, now observed every March 31.
Aug. 22, noon–6 p.m., Martin Road Park (1900 Orchard Ave., Ferndale). tinyurl.com/MItranspicnic
2. Experience Camp Camp
Did you spend your middle school summer camp years thinking, "This would be considerably better with less talk of boy crushes and more acting out of girl crushes?" You're in luck, because Midwest Sapphic Society and LGBTQ+ campground Campit Outdoor Resort are joining forces for Sweat HER Weather Weekend, which is basically lesbian camp for grown-ups with the instructions to "grab your tent, your camp chair, your emotional support Stanley, and at least one flannel." Waiting for you? Midnight swims, campfires, dive-in movies, a drag king contest and karaoke. On Saturday night, you'll experience — and this is why that particular red checked shirt must go in your duffle bag — the legendary Flannel Ball. Claim your spot before it's gone.
Sept. 11–13, Campit Outdoor Resort (6635 118th Ave., Fennville). tinyurl.com/flannelweekend
3. Run Away With the Sideshow
Sideshows and queers go together like BLT sandwiches and summer, so how lucky are we that the Coney Island-born, queer-inclusive Hot Fix Sideshow is bringing its gloriously weird traveling show to Detroit this August. Be prepared for fire performance, sword swallowing, glass walking, aerial arts, mentalism, escape acts and feats of strength. The Detroit stop features sideshow performer Cyclone Jack Sullivan, fire eater and sword swallower Kita St. Cyr, burlesque performer Maggie McMuffin and Latinx burlesque performer Queensiñera.
Aug. 29, 8 p.m., Tip-Top Showbar (440 E. Lafayette Street, Detroit). tinyurl.com/sideshowMI
4. Give Drag a Chance
Watching drag is one of the most lovely things on earth. Watching someone else work up the nerve to try drag for the very first time? That's heavenly. Pronto's "You've Got Drag" is an open stage welcoming performers whether they're seasoned pros, developing a new act or finally ready to find out what happens when the bedroom lip-sync makes contact with an actual audience. That makes it a particularly fun night for spectators, too: You never know exactly what you're going to get, and you get the pleasure of being part of the crowd cheering performers on.
Aug. 20 and 27 (and ongoing), 10 p.m.–1 a.m., Pronto Lounge & Showbar, Royal Oak. tinyurl.com/trydrag
5. One Link to Rule Your Queer Calendar
Drag bingo on a Tuesday, a trans hiking club on Saturday, a queer moto ride, a lesbian night, a Dungeons & Dragons campaign for teens. Michigan's LGBTQ+ community stays busy, and now there's one place to keep up with all of it: Pride Source's brand-new Events hub, live now at pridesource.com/events.
Filter by vibe (nightlife and drag? arts and culture? support group?), by city (Metro Detroit to Traverse City and everywhere between) or by budget (free events only, we see you), pulling hundreds of listings from partners like Affirmations, Necto and UP North Pride, updated constantly.
Got an event? Submit it at pridesource.com/submit-event.
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