It’s June, which means Pride month kicked off with a bang on Thursday. As one can imagine, the massive LA County region has plenty to jump into from specialty dishes featured all month long at Southland restaurants to dancing or drinking at bars, cafes, clubs, or full-on parades and festivals. Amidst the fun are fundraisers designed to bring awareness and safe spaces as anti-LGBTQ sentiments and increased violence occur throughout the country. The rundown is below.

WeHo Pride festival starts June 2

For decades, the official annual Pride parade and festival was exclusively hosted in West Hollywood. In 2023, festivities are spread out throughout the city with the three-day WeHo Pride Weekend starting today, June 2. Streets are officially closed surrounding West Hollywood Park next door to the Abbey where one can find a street fair with live music. WeHo Pride begins Friday with the Friday Night Out Loud concert right in the grassy park featuring RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Shangela, singer Carly Rae Jepsen, and iconic recording artist Grace Jones. For tickets plus a complete list of street closures and shuttles, head to the WeHo Pride website. 647 North San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

LA Pride in Downtown

From Friday, June 9 through June 10 is LA Pride in the Park at the LA State Historic Park next to Chinatown. Mariah Carey and Megan Thee Stallion are headliners. There’s plenty of food and beverages — including bars for those over the age of 21 and a sober space — along with local vendors and sponsored giveaways. 1245 North Spring Street, Chinatown, CA 90012

Throughout the month of June

• Any location of Coolhaus is not only donating $25,000 to GLAAD from June to July but also serving the love-out-loud ice cream sandwich made with strawberry cheesecake ice cream and rainbow confetti sprinkle cookies. It’s available via DoorDash nationwide.
• Verve Coffee Roasters developed a cascara spritz in honor of Pride month and is donating sale proceeds to the nonprofit It Gets Better Project. Head to one of Verve’s five SoCal locations. 451 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

• Classic LA doughnut maker Randy’s prepared a deep-fried specialty for Pride. It’s a vanilla icing with rainbow drizzles, with proceeds LGBTQ Center Orange County, Los Angeles LGBT Center, and Riverside LGBT Center. 805 West Manchester Boulevard, Inglewood, CA 90301
• From Friday through Sunday, Niku Nashi Sushi has a three-course lunch special from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the patio. It’s a steal at $16. 7302 Melrose Avenue, Fairfax, CA 90036
• All month long, Lilly Rose at The Wayfarer DTLA put together what they’re calling a high tea and highball service with rainbow-colored cocktails, boozy teas, highballs, and bites like the colorful tea tower of treats with rainbow cupcakes, macarons, and truffles. This is available every Friday through Sunday in June from 2 – 4 p.m. and $65 per person. Book a rez on OpenTable. The Wayfarer Downtown LA, 813 Flower Street, Downtown, CA 90017

Lilly Rose

• Throughout June is Pride Mondays at the Melrose Rooftop Theatre. They’ll screen LGBTQ cult classics which start with $25 admission and upgrades that can include a charcuterie board and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot while watching The Birdcage, Brokeback Mountain, Philadelphia, and the final weekend with Priscilla Queen of the Desert. 603 North La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069

• The Artist Tree scheduled Pride festivities for the entire month of June. The cannabis consumption lounge and dispensary will showcase artwork from LGBTQ artists, a Pride-themed puff and paint, a June 7 party with RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jaida Essence Hall, and one of the best balcony views for the WeHo Pride parade. For full info, head to the Artist Tree site. 8625 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
• In a first for Los Angeles, is a South Asian Pride Night at the Los Angeles LGBT Center on June 30. It’s co-sponsored by WEHO Pride with performances, food, comedy, drag, music, and dancing. Doors open at 6 p.m. and close at midnight. Tickets range from $25 to $70. 1118 North McCadden Place, Hollywood, CA 90038

Pride outside of LA and beyond the month of June

Though Long Beach already kicked off Pride in May, the 40th three-day long festival is happening August 4 through 6 starting with the Long Beach Pride Parade, then the festival at Marina Green Park near Shoreline Village.