Pride Month 2022 guide: The biggest LGBTQ events taking place in Sarasota and Manatee

June marks Pride Month, celebrating the LGBTQ community, and Sarasota-Manatee will feature a full roster of festivities throughout the month, with some local organizations hosting numerous events.

Following Fabulous Art Foundation's Pride | Be Fabulous Arts & Music Festival in May, fellow Sarasota LGBTQ nonprofit Project Pride SRQ will host events throughout June, including Pride car and pet parades returning to downtown Sarasota as well as a new The Grand Carnival event featuring "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" performer Trinity the Tuck. Local LGBTQ website SarasotaOUT.com will also host a Big Gay Weekend on June 10-12 featuring free beach and pool parties.

Other festivities will include another Pride car parade in downtown Venice, a night featuring a Lady Gaga laser light show at Bradenton's The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, and a month-long lineup of events at University Town Center. Here, presented in chronological order, are the biggest Pride events taking place this month in Sarasota-Manatee (event details subject to change.)

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Photos:Sarasota's Pride | Be Fabulous Arts & Music Festival

More:The best events in Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Punta Gorda area: April, May, June 2022

Taste of Pride

Project Pride SRQ and Venice Pride present this third annual event where various Sarasota-Manatee restaurants and other businesses will offer discounts, special offers or free items to celebrate Pride Month, with some even adding rainbow items. June 1-30; ppsrq.org/taste-of-pride-2022

G2H2 with Pride Party and Art Show

The monthly Gay Group Happy Hour (G2H2) meets at downtown Sarasota's Art Ovation Hotel for a special edition tying into Pride Month and an art show by Hector Esteban, along with free appetizers, 50/50 raffle and door prizes. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 2; Art Ovation Hotel, 1255 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota; $10 cover; g2h2sarasota.com

Drag Bingo with Beneva Fruitville

Popular Sarasota drag queen Beneva Fruitville hosts this event featuring three games of bingo for a chance to win prizes, with food and drink available for purchase from Bar George, Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Cafe, and Brewed Monday Coffee. The event is rated PG-13 and may not be appropriate for kids. 7-9 p.m. Thursday; The Green at UTC, 140 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota; utcsarasota.com

Venice Pride Concert 

Venice Pride hosts this concert at Centennial Park featuring Moxy Stardust Band, which performs music ranging from the Beatles to Alanis Morissette to Dua Lipa. The Mayor's office will also proclaim June as Pride Month at the concert. 7-9 p.m. Friday; Centennial Park, 200 W. Venice Ave., Venice; veniceflpride.com

June Artwalk: Pride

Bradenton's colorful Village of the Arts neighborhood will mark Pride Month with June's edition of its Artwalk, held the first Friday and following Saturday every month, featuring galleries, shops, restaurants, live music and treats. 6-9:30 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; Village of the Arts, 1227 12th St. W., Bradenton; villageofthearts.com

'This is Me' Flash Mob

Beneva Fruitville will once again lead a flash mob performance of "This is Me," the Oscar and Grammy-nominated song from the 2017 film "The Greatest Showman," at Sarasota Farmers Market. 10-10:30 a.m. Saturday; Sarasota Farmers Market, 1 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota; ppsrq.org/event-details/this-is-me-flash-mob

Ride for Pride Car Parade

The Venice car parade will meet at 1 p.m. in the parking lot of St. Mark's Episcopal Church before beginning at 1:30 p.m., with participants encouraged to decorate their rides in Pride gear and colors and a prize awarded for the best decorated car. 1-2 p.m. Saturday; St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 508 Riviera St., Venice; no entry fees; register in advance; veniceflpride.com

The Grand Carnival

This "untraditional gala" will feature a performance by Trinity the Tuck, the season four winner on the popular television series "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" and contestant on the current seventh season, along with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe and Lady Gaga, Cher, Tina Turner and Britney Spears tributes. 7-10 p.m. Saturday; Sarasota Municipal Auditorium, 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $50 (includes open bar and appetizers); ppsrq.org/thegrandcarnival

Broadway Brunch

Downtown Sarasota restaurant Bijou Garden Cafe debuts a new monthly Broadway Brunch series, with June's event featuring Beneva Fruitville performing selections from Broadway, cabaret and film, paired with a special menu. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday; Bijou Garden Cafe, 1287 First St., Sarasota; 941-366-8111 or bijougardencafe.com to make reservations

UTC FIT – Zumba Pride Party

UTC FIT, a free outdoor workout series held Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, hosts this special Pride edition featuring a Zumba class with instructor Yael Campbell, with attendees encouraged to wear colorful workout gear for a dance fitness party featuring a live DJ and giveaways. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday; The Green at UTC; utcsarasota.com

Loud & Proud Dance Party

The Green at UTC also hosts this dance party featuring music by DJ Brianna Lee, and food and drink from Bar George and Origin Craft Beer & Pizza Cafe. 8-10 p.m. June 9; The Green at UTC; utcsarasota.com

Game Night with Beneva Fruitville Pride Edition

Mellow Mushroom holds a Pride edition of its game night event featuring Beneva Fruitville, where attendees can enjoy pizza and cocktails while playing games such as trivia, bingo and name that tune. The event features adult language and is not suitable for children. 8-10 p.m. June 9; Mellow Mushroom, 6727 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; $10 per person; facebook.com/mellowmushroomsarasota 

Pride Booze Cruise: Nightclub at Sea

Part of Big Gay Weekend, this two-hour, 21-and-up party at sea includes live entertainment, special prizes and raffles, with a full bar and snacks available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Fabulous Arts Foundation. 10 p.m.-midnight June 10; LeBarge Tropical Cruises, 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota; $47; biggayweekend.com

Pride Car Parade

The third annual car parade celebrating Pride Month returns to downtown Sarasota's Main Street, featuring vehicles sporting Pride gear and colors, with the best decoration winning prizes. The parade will start near the intersection of Main Street and N. School Avenue and end by Bayfront Park, with a free afterparty at O'Leary's Tiki Bar & Grill. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. June 11 (arrive early for setup); Main Street, Sarasota; no entry fees, register at ppsrq.org/carregister

Pride Pool Party

Big Gay Weekend continues with this free pool party at Golden Host Resort (the home of iconic tiki bar Bahi Hut) featuring LGBTQ expo vendors, DJs, food truck, poolside games and more. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. June 11; Golden Host Resort, 4675 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; free, cabana and table reservations also available; biggayweekend.com

Pride – A Mythological Toga Party

Rosemary District restaurant and bar Oasis will "be transformed into purgatory, where mortals, creatures and the gods come together to await our fate" for this party, where attendees "will indulge in libations and dance at epic proportions." 10 p.m.-2 a.m. June 11; Oasis Restaurant & Bar, 1525 Fourth St., Sarasota; $10 cover, $30 VIP, VIP tables also available; biggayweekend.com

Big Gay Beach Party

Big Gay Weekend includes the return of this free beach party for the LGBTQ community and allies at North Lido. Because there are no amenities at this section of the beach, attendees are encouraged to bring their own umbrellas, beach blankets, etc. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. June 12; North Lido Beach, Sarasota; free; biggayweekend.com

UTC Night Market

The monthly outdoor market celebrates Pride Month with live music by Moxy Stardust Band, over 40 LGBTQ+ and local vendors, rainbow-themed treats and community organizations including Project Pride SRQ, Venice Pride, ALSO Youth and Fabulous Arts Foundation onsite with giveaways and resources. 5-9 p.m. June 16; The Green at UTC; utcsarasota.com

Pride Pet Parade

Bring your pooch or feline friend to this pet parade circling around Bayfront Park, with the best dressed winning a prize. 9-10 a.m. June 18; Bayfront Park, 5 Bayfront Drive, Sarasota; ppsrq.org/pet-parade-2022 to register

Lights & Love: A Celebration of Inclusive Love

The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature hosts this event as part of its monthly Bishop After Dark program, featuring an open bar cocktail hour starting at 6:30 p.m. and an 8 p.m. Lady Gaga laser light show, part of the museum planetarium's recently returning laser light nights. There will also be a 7 p.m. Lady Gaga laser show ($15) separate from Bishop After Dark. 6:30-9:30 p.m. June 23; The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, 201 10th St. W., Bradenton; $45, $36 members; bishopscience.org

The Grand Flag March

A 700-foot Pride flag will be unfurled across Sarasota's John Ringling Causeway as part of this second annual event. Participants are encouraged to arrive early to find a parking spot under the bridge or by the nearby Bayfront Park. 7:30 p.m. June 25; John Ringling Causeway, Sarasota; ppsrq.org/event-details/the-grand-flag-march to register

Pride Picnic 

UTC closes out Pride Month with this community picnic, inviting attendees to bring a blanket and enjoy live music by Matthew Ragas Band, food trucks, games and more, with the first 200 people receiving a complimentary slice of rainbow cake from Carlo’s Bakery. 6-8 p.m. June 30; The Green at UTC; utcsarasota.com

Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.