Not everyone may be aware of this, but the roots of the Pride movement date back to 1969, during the Stonewall Riots – this was when relationships with the same sex were illegal in numerous US states. When law enforcement agencies raided and attacked the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, a total of 200 people refused to leave the premises – which, as you know, led to the breaking point. The activists fought with law enforcement well into the following day, while protesters rallied on until the next week. A year later, this landmark event was declared Christopher Street Liberation Day – the street where the Stonewall Inn was located, and this is the beginning of the annual Gay Pride event. Years on, the Pride event is widely celebrated all over the world.
So whether you’d like to celebrate the annual Gay Pride event with a bang – or you’re just thinking of celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding, or more in true LGBTQ+ style, here’s how to throw a fabulous party.
- Make everything rainbow-themed
Of course, the first thing you can do to have an LGBTQ party is to have everything rainbow-themed! You can start with the decorations and the bunting and say it with your chosen tableware and table décor. And don’t forget the star of the party: the food. You can have a rainbow-themed spread with rainbow pizzas (pizzas loaded with red and yellow tomatoes, broccoli, green olives, mozzarella cherries, fresh pesto, and fresh basil), rainbow cheesecakes, or easy rainbow cupcakes. You can serve up crowd-pleasers like nachos and dips – the sky’s the limit with the menu, and you can easily find a ton of rainbow-inspired recipes online.
Best of all, don’t forget the beverages – you can make a pitcher of mojito or alcohol-free martinis, and there are many great recipes on rainbow mocktails and cocktails online, too. But suppose you don’t want to worry and be bothered with the food at your event. In that case, you can take advantage of fairground hire companies (such as We Are Tricycle), who can set up some catering solutions for you – they can even set up game booths and stalls for you and create a fully bespoke party for your needs!
- Offer an ink station
Another great idea to celebrate Pride month – or to celebrate someone’s birthday or anniversary, for that matter – is to set up an ink station. And yes, we mean tattoos! Even if the tattoos aren’t real (you can set up a booth with synthetic rubber), you can give everyone a wonderful time choosing the tattoos they like. If you’re going for the real thing, get a reliable and fun tattoo artist, but if your tats aren’t real, don’t forget to lay out a bowl filled with water and several cloths for easier applications.
- Get everyone singing with great karaoke
If you want the party to end all parties, why not get everyone singing with a karaoke machine? Yes, there are plenty of built-in microphones with the songs, and you can choose from a list of awesome songs – especially songs associated with the Pride movement!
You can even have a contest, and the best singers can take home a special prize. Speaking of contests, why not ask your guests to come in their best Pride costume – and the ones who stand out will get another special prize for the night.