Buddies Queer Pride is a series of events held at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (23 Alexander St) that showcases the LGBTQ+ community’s unstoppable spirit, featuring Toronto’s most exciting queer entertainers. Queer Pride is radical love and defiant self expression. It’s a time to celebrate everything that we are and all that we can be, while reimagining the spaces we create for all of our queer communities to come together.

Throughout the month of June, Buddies hosts a stellar line-up of Toronto’s most exciting queer entertainers, with guest producers bringing their best, alongside Buddies staple events. From fierce drag, burlesque, and late night parties, to the best in queer comedy, cabaret and theatre performances, there’s something for everyone at Buddies this June. Come catch a show and dance until last call. Come and connect with community. Come and celebrate your Queer Pride at Buddies.

Festival Highlights

Showcasing the best queer comedy in town, come have a laugh with familiar faces GayAF and Homo Night in Canada– and a new solo show by Anesti Danelis! Plus, new theatrical offerings from Chase Lo (Ruby) and David Benjamin Tomlinson (Fagnificent), and an offsite presentation of Boys In Chairs collective’s Access Me, sharing the stories of three queer, disabled men.

Support ECU artists at their Emerging Creators Unit showcase and join for a special Pride edition of QueerCab featuring emerging artists from across the city. Check out the new variety show CripCab, featuring the best of Toronto’s disabled performers curated by Buddies’ Emerging Company in Residence, The Disability Collective. Celebrate Pride across generations at the Youth/Elders Pride Party + Rainbow Seniors Showcase featuring community talent, snacks, and karaoke.  

Swing by for a late night at Lavender, Throb, enter into the Amateur Strip Night Judged by Drag Things, and don’t miss Steers and Queers‘ unmissable Night of 1000 Dollys. You can also dance the night away at our Tallulah’s Pride full-facility parties featuring some of Toronto’s best drag queens and DJs. And Buddies provides cool respite for the weary and thirsty on Pride Day afternoon at our Pride Tea Dance. Stop by to toast the end of the season!

The 2-Spirit Cabaret is back for its 7th edition! Join Native Earth Performing Arts at Buddies to celebrate, honour, and party with our Two-Spirit relatives. A celebration of the strength, beauty, and talent of queer and 2-Spirit Indigenous people, the Cabaret features music, dance, drag, performance art, spoken word, poetry and comedy. 

More info and tickets for all events can be found here.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.