June is a month-long celebration of love, equality, and freedom. Pride parades, festivals, and parties worldwide unite members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Hosting a Pride-themed party is a great way to show support and celebrate the queer community. From decorations and food to activities and party favors, there are so many ways to make your Pride celebration unforgettable.
Get Your Pride Party Essentials from Party City
Pride Party Essentials
Organizing a Pride party is a great way to come together with your friends to celebrate love and acceptance. To ensure your Pride party is unforgettable, we’ve got you covered with 20 unique ideas.
1. Invitations: Kick off the Celebration
Invitations are crucial for getting guests excited for your Pride party. Design an eye-catching invitation with a rainbow background or the pride flag to showcase your party's theme, and use fun fonts to give information like time, date, and place. You can design digital or printed invitations or shop for pre-made options.
2. Decorations: Pride Flags, Banners, and Balloons
The decor is key in setting the right atmosphere for your Pride party. Start by hanging Pride flags and banners inside and outside your party venue. Then, add different colored-balloon bouquets around your space, or assemble a rainbow balloon arch at the entrance to welcome guests to your celebration!
You can also create your DIY decorations by crafting colorful paper garlands, pom-poms, or table centerpieces. For example, grab a colorful stack of construction paper and cut hearts from each piece. Then, connect them all with a ribbon or string, and ta-da! You now have a colorful heart Pride banner you can hang in your kitchen, entrance, or anywhere you like.
3. Music and DJ: Dance the Night Away
Music adds energy and fun to any party. Hiring a DJ for your Pride party is a great option if your budget allows it. Professional DJs can bring speakers, colorful lights, and other equipment to keep the party going.
Even if a DJ isn’t in your budget, you can always create a playlist with songs your guests will love.
Pride-Themed Food and Drinks
To keep the Pride theme alive, check out our ideas for themed food and drinks.
4. Rainbow-Themed Cocktails and Mocktails
Get creative with colorful cocktails and mocktails. You can stick to classic options like margaritas, mojitos, and daiquiris or experiment with new recipes with colorful garnishes, edible glitter, and layered drinks. For example, you can craft a Rainbow Sangria with layers of fruit-infused wine or a refreshing Rainbow Lemonade garnished with fruit slices.
5. Delicious and Colorful Finger Foods
Offer delectable finger foods, like sliders, spring rolls, and veggie trays, to satisfy your guests. Use colorful ingredients and garnishes like tomatoes, avocado, purple cabbage, and yellow bell peppers to keep with your theme.
6. Desserts: Cakes, Cupcakes, and More
Desserts are the perfect way to end a festive meal, and a Pride party is no exception. Serve colorful treats like decorated cookies, rainbow-layered cakes, cupcakes with colorful frosting, and fruit tarts with vibrant toppings. You can even set up a DIY dessert station where guests build ice cream sundaes with different toppings.
Entertaining Activities and Games
Now let’s look at some ideas for activities and games that will make your Pride party a hit!
7. Trivia: Test Your LGBTQIA+ Knowledge
Test your guests' knowledge of LGBTQIA+ history, famous individuals, achievements, and organizations through Pride trivia. You can have guests break into teams and offer prizes for winners.
Need some inspiration? You can find plenty of resources online for Pride-related question ideas.
8. Drag Show: Showcase Your Fabulous Performers
Nothing says "Pride" like a captivating drag show! You can turn your celebration into a runway by encouraging your friends to dress up as their favorite drag persona. This is a great way to celebrate self-expression, creativity, and everything that makes us unique.
9. DIY Pride Outfit Contest: Express Yourself
Encourage your party guests to express their individuality and support for the LGBTQIA+ community by hosting a DIY Pride outfit contest. Guests can create and wear outfits showing off their favorite colors, patterns, and symbols representing queer culture.
You can even have a panel of judges pick winners in different categories like "Most Creative," "Best Theme," or "Most Inspirational."
More Pride Party Inspiration
10. Pins and Stickers: Nurture the Movement
Get creative with party favors for your guests, like Pride pins and stickers. Lay out these goodies on your party tables, or make party favor bags for your attendees to take home. They’ll appreciate having a memento to remember your celebration!
11. Accessories: Glasses, Bracelets, and Flags
Lay out accessories for your guests to wear proudly at your party, like Pride glasses, bracelets, and handheld flags. If your party starts later, add glow sticks to the mix for a multi-colored bash.
12. Icebreaker Activities
To help everyone feel more at ease and ready to celebrate, have everyone participate in an icebreaker activity. You can play “Two Truths and a Lie,” “Charades,” or have everyone go around and introduce themselves!
13. Fundraising for LGBTQIA+ Organizations
Part of celebrating Pride month is giving back to the community. As part of your event, consider asking guests to make donations to an LGBTQIA+ organization that supports a cause you’re passionate about. You can pass out information about the organization at your party and take the time to share with your guests why it’s important to you.
14. Promoting Local LGBTQIA+ Businesses
Think of creative ways to promote local LGBTQIA+ businesses at your party. Maybe you order catering from an LGBTQIA+-owned restaurant or pass out hand-crafted party favors from a local queer artist. Promoting local businesses is a great way to give back to your community during Pride month.
15. Creating a Safe and Inclusive Environment
Make sure your Pride party is safe and inclusive to everyone and find ways to keep all your guests engaged. This can include having coordinated activities, encouraging everyone to dress for a theme, or just taking the time to greet all your guests personally.
16. LGBTQIA+ Book and Film Discussions
If you’re hosting a smaller Pride gathering, you can encourage conversation by engaging in LGBTQIA+ film and book discussions. Have your guests read a book or watch a movie before your party, and make time to talk about the art while you’re all together. This is a great way to celebrate different perspectives and learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community.
17. Themed Nights: Movies, Music, and More
Want to put a fun twist on your Pride party? Host a themed event and encourage everyone to dress for the occasion. Some popular Pride themes include disco, drag, and rainbow.
18. Karaoke Night: Sing Your Heart Out
Keep the party going with a Karaoke station everyone can enjoy! Give your guests the option to pick their favorite song, and let them sing their hearts out. You can even start a friendly competition and have everyone vote on their favorite performance.
19. Pride Photo Booth or Balloon Backdrop
Give your guests the perfect photo opportunity and set up a photo booth! You can rent a booth or make your own with a plain white background and a few seats. Remember to include fun props like rainbow hats and sunglasses to encourage everyone to strike a pose!
If you don’t want to rent a booth, you can assemble a rainbow balloon backdrop perfect for pictures. Balloon backdrops are easy to build, and Party City has balloon kits with all the tools you need to create a masterpiece.
Let Party City help you throw an epic Pride celebration! We’ve got everything you need to make the night memorable, from rainbow balloons and necklaces to themed centerpieces, tableware, and banners. If you opt for a Pride parade instead, shop our rainbow boas and tutus to create the perfect outfit! Explore our Pride collection today, or visit us at a store near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the color scheme of a pride party?
The most common color scheme of a pride party is based on the LGBTQIA+ rainbow flag, which includes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. However, many different flags represent different groups within the LGBTQIA+ community, so feel free to include other flags and colors.
How can I decorate my pride party?
When it comes to Pride party decorations, think bold and colorful! Decorate with rainbow balloons, Pride flags, Pride-themed tableware, and more.