10 Tips for a Superstar Pride Celebration 2024

June means Pride! Why settle for just ordinary Pride celebrations when you can have a Superstar Pride bash? These parties help us feel (more) seen, loved, and supported. We get to come together, share our stories, and be proud of who we are. Plus, it’s a mega-confidence booster! So, if you’re thinking about throwing your own Superstar Pride party, do it! It’s a beautiful way to celebrate who we are and spread love and positivity. You won’t regret it!

Pre-Plan Your Celebration

I sold this first tip too short last year. I ended up just throwing things together at the last minute. Yeah — I don’t want to do that again!

Getting everything sorted early is the best decision you’ll ever have — for almost anything, including a Superstar Pride Celebration!

• First off, you gotta make sure your schedule is clear. Nothing worse than planning a big bash and then realizing your boss has been emailing you to come back to the office right this instance, right?

• Invite the right people. You want folks who will appreciate the queer effort and make the party funtabulous. My party list consists mostly of a mix of old gay friends and new acquaintances (feminine men, transwomen, and others). I also have some cis-allies there! The key is inviting people who don’t need reminders of what decorum and respect are in Pride parties.

• I wish I could skip this but money makes the world work, babe. So let’s talk budget. Unless you’re a trust fund baby, it’s crucial to know how much you’re willing (or can) spend before things get crazy. I kid you not, I learned this the hard way when I went all out on rainbow decor but had no cash left for snacks! Before everything, draw out your inner accountant and divide your budget for decorations, food, and entertainment.

Pick a Theme and Decorate Accordingly

Last year, I went all out with my “Disco Rainbow Extravaganza” theme — sparkly disco balls, neon lights, and a dance floor that lit up like something outta Saturday Night Fever. I had to skip lots of Pride things cause of the pandemic, so I had to give it my all whenever I could.

I know my last year’s theme is over the top. But everyone loved it! Still, there should be a cap to the “Queer Everything” when picking a theme.

Remember — the LGBTQ+ culture isn’t only about unicorns and rainbows. This becomes even more important if you have not-very gay folks.

A charming tea party with pastel-colored biscuits and tea sets can still be a Superstar Pride Celebration as long as you’re with your friends who accept you as you are.

But back to themes and decorations, because hey, we queers are naturally creative. So let’s show off just that!

• 80’s Glam –Who doesn’t love big hair, bold fashion, and legendary tunes?

• Magical Unicorn – I mean, just go all the way and be dramatic with pastels and glitter galore!

• Freddie Weekend –If you’re a music lover, you can pick a theme based on iconic queer artists like Freddie Mercury.

After the theme, go crazy with the decoration. The more colors, the better — but don’t let it look tacky, either! Don’t let your gay mommas down!

Create an Inviting Atmosphere

Creating the right vibe is nothing short of magic. Fairy Godmother has nothing on us in this department.

Create Your Own Playlist

Many don’t appreciate just how music affects the atmosphere, so when picking a playlist, don’t just go for random Spotify playlists!

Go for songs you know those in your party list will enjoy. If you have 20 guests, pick one fave of each and let the algorithm work its AI hands.

If it’s themed around an artist (like Freddie in the previous tip), then center the playlist on his songs!

Pick songs that match the energy you want your party to have. Do you want the queer folks to dance? Or just chill?

Go For Lighting

Lights set the mood just right. Imagine having an 80s Glam party and you don’t have a disco ball. I don’t recommend too bright lighting though.

Queer folks enjoy the semi-mystery after all. Not too dim either! You don’t want everyone feeling like they’re in an impromptu BDSM play where they’re blindfolded and spilling drinks everywhere!

Appropriate Each Space

If you plan to have a dancefloor, know that not everyone will want to dance for hours. Be sure to accommodate everyone with their preferred space!

Have spots where people can sit and chat, too. These spaces don’t need to be too big or too far from each other. Some comfy bean bags would suffice.

Plan Engaging Activities

Queer folks ain’t just gonna stand and dance around all night. You gotta have some other fun stuff lined up! Lemme give ya some ideas.

• Tailored trivia game – Pick questions that any queer person can answer. No need to Google! It’s just the common infos that circle around queer spaces. Make it personal to your group, like “Who’s the hot host Stephan tried to take home last summer?”

• Themed charades – If your party list is a mixed bag of everyone, then charades won’t fail you! Make them act out “RuPaul’s Drag Race” or “Mamma Mia” without saying a word. Hilarious, right? Even the shy peeps will come outta their shells!

• Photo booth –I know everyone has their smartphones but do NOT skip your LGBT Photo Booth! Even if you don’t have a dedicated photographer, leaving a rainbow backdrop and a bunch of props like feather boas, glittery hats, and oversized sunglasses will be more than enough. Everyone on your guest list will have something to post to remember your #PridePartyGoals party!

Inclusive Food and Drinks

What kinda party has no food? Aside from making sure no one goes hungry; you also need to consider everyone’s dietary needs.

So, ask your party list goers if they have any allergies or preferences (vegan, etc.). You’ll also need to label everything to avoid any misunderstanding!

If you’re the host, you’ll be responsible for everything everyone puts in their mouth!

Let’s talk drinks! Some years ago, I made these colorful beverages. I had both boozy and non-boozy versions because not everyone wants to get tipsy, ya know?

Plus, my lesbian friend at that time was pregnant. These drinks don’t need to be Instagram-worthy, either. They just need to taste yummy!

Putting in the extra bit of effort for food and drink options will make people feel included and loved. Pride parties should be all about that!

Sensual and Intimate Moments

None of us can deny that some attend parties to meet other queers. Hopefully, to meet friends and romantic partners. So double your party as a Pride event and a matchmaking function.

Moreover, sometimes, people just need a quiet corner to have a heart-to-heart or maybe connect on a deeper level. This doesn’t have to be an in-your-face fact though.

No need for a big sign of “Lovers’ Corner” or whatnot! Just set up some cozy spots where folks can relax. Some deck chairs, fairy lights, and maybe a throw blanket or two will do the job.

Note though, that despite all of this, you must remind everyone to only talk with those they want to talk to. Always be on the lookout for any guests who look like they’re not comfortable, especially around a stranger.

If you do, be lowkey about it, go towards that friend and chatter a bit then make an excuse to get them away from the other person.

Something like “Hey, there’s something I want to tell you, oh sorry, lemme snatch Margarett for a while, OK?” Then, ask that friend for the specifics.

If you do this for this year’s celebration, that friend will be more likely to attend the next ones as they know you have their back.

Partner with Local LGBTQ+ Businesses

This one’s a key way to network and make the local LGBTQ+ businesses boom! If these businesses are active in the community, it’ll be easy to know and reach out to them.

I prefer talking to the owners or at least the managers for the specifics of the partnership to avoid misunderstandings. Also, contracts!

Even if it’s just a simple email to the official businesses’ email line, go and send it. A simple “Hello! This is X.

I’m emailing you about what we talked about earlier. So I ordered X cupcakes on X (date) and the total price is $X. Can you confirm?”

I’m not saying any of these businesses will cross you. But I learned through the years that sexuality and gender have nothing to do with people’s greed. This is just a tip that can save you lots of trouble if push comes to shove.

One thing I did was get a drag queen friend of mine! And since she was there to entertain, it was only fair that her time was compensated — every cent was worth it!

Since she kept everyone happy and busy, I had ample time to also enjoy my own party!

Comfort and Safety

Remember what I talked about in point 6? Let me talk more about it. Superstar Pride parties are often drowning in noise and fun.

But there will be guests who are uncomfortable for various reasons. In my experience, the most common issue was how to get home.

(I had booze, so I know many will be drunk.)

When I planned my last Superstar Pride party, I was all about making sure no one had to worry ’bout getting home.

I organized rideshares and even got a couple of shuttle services. Queers have more fun when they know they don’t have to stress about how they’ll get back home.

Plus, you’ll feel like a superhero making sure all in your party list are safe and sound.

First aid kits aren’t talked about much, but you have to have these around. You never know when someone might need a Band-Aid or something.

Have the contact info for local emergency services ready too, just in case. I had a little sheet printed with all the updated emergency numbers posted on my fridge.

Thankfully, we didn’t need it, but it gave everyone peace of mind knowing it was there.

Educate and Empower

Pride Month isn’t just about the glitz, glam, and glitter. We’ll never be here if our old queers didn’t fight for it. So we owe it to them to learn and grow together, ya know?

It doesn’t have to be Times New Roman, single-spaced, 8-font pamphlets on LGBTQ+ history, rights, and advocacy! Some catchy phrases scattered on colorful paper will be enough.

This year, I plan to print cute trivia on coffee mugs so my friends can read this info while they’re sipping their morning mud.

There’s also nothing wrong with inviting some community leaders to drop by. They don’t need to make speeches either!

Just their presence there can make the other guests interested and they’ll research about them, then learn about their advocacy.

Follow Up

Okay, so after the party’s over and everyone’s had a blast, what’s next? Follow up. Every time I threw Superstar Pride parties, I made sure to send out short gratitude messages to everyone who came.

You know, like, “Hey, thanks for showing up and making the night epic!” Little things like that make people feel special. Plus, it’s a nice way to keep the good vibes going even after the party’s done.

I also always ask for feedback. Yeah, it sounds sorta boring but believe me, it helps a ton! I usually shoot a quick text asking, “What did ya like the most? Anything we could do better next time?”

Folks appreciate being heard and it gives you cool new ideas to make the next Superstar Pride even better.

And don’t forget to share the memories! I love compiling all the photos and videos and making a little album or a shared folder. But gotta respect everyone’s privacy.

Some queer folks might not want their pics all over social media, so ask first or set up a private group where only your friends can see the photos.

Last time, I made a fun slideshow and sent it out to everyone. It was a hit and let us relive those fab moments!

Celebrating Pride is more than just a party. It’s about lifting each other up, learning more, and showing that we’re here, we’re together, and we’re proud. So, what’s in your Superstar Pride party itinerary this year?