I don’t know where this year has gone, but it’s almost June, which means Pride Month is almost upon us. That means it’s time for 30 straight days of celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in all its glory, showering members and allies alike with love, positivity, and all-around good vibes (and maybe some Pride presents too, wink wink).
Those truly dedicated to making the most of the magical month may choose to throw a Pride-themed party, and if you’re one of those people, I have some good news. Below, I’ve put together a step-by-step guide to hosting the best damn Pride party there ever was, complete with rainbow-inspired recipes, Pride outfit ideas, actually-fun party games, a killer playlist, and so. much. more. (Saved you money on a party planner and/or a whole lot of anxiety. You’re welcome.)
I also made sure that there are some options for virtual festivities on the list as well, in case you and your friends would rather stay PFH (party from home, duh). No matter how you choose to celebrate, I hope you do it with—you guessed it—PRIDE! Now go forth and spread those good vibes! Love y’all, mean it.
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1. Send out actual invitations.
Okay, I know this one is extra for many reasons. But after the last few Prides we’ve had (thanks, COVID), don’t you want to do something nice and cute and pure as hell? Yeah, I thought so. I mean, whose heart doesn’t skip a beat when they get mail that’s not from your health insurance or a Fresh Direct offer? Think about commissioning a local artist or perusing Etsy to add a super personal touch to these bbs.
2. Plan your outfit in advance.
You can also pick it out five minutes before, but this entire article is about decreasing any party-planning stress you might have. So we’re going to work ahead here. Keep it on theme, keep it off theme, wear your finest black-tie gown—it’s really up to you! Or, you can just keep up with your daily sweatsuit rotation (yeah, I see you working from home).
3. Say it all with a graphic tee.
While we’re on the topic of outfits, might I remind you that Etsy has t-shirts and sweatshirts with just about every slogan you can think of on them? Snatch one up to make a bold statement literally the second you walk into the party.
PortlandApparels Protect Trans Kids Sweatshirt
Now 30% Off
Theprintshophere LGBTQ Awareness Hoodie
Now 45% Off
CuTeesCustomShirts What A Beautiful Day to Respect Other People’s Pronouns Shirt
Now 40% Off
PortlandApparels Support Drag Shirt
Now 30% Off
4. Establish a good* menu.
Food writer Jesse Szewczyk and 75 (!) cooks and celebrities from across the LGBTQ+ community put together this truly amazing cookbook. The recipes are not only delicious, but are also super meaningful.
*No, I’m not going to let you buy a bag of chips from the bodega and call it a day.
5. Choose a signature drink.
You really want to commit to being the hostess with the mostest? Then try out this Rainbow Sangria drink via Delish.
You’ll need:
1½ bottles of chilled moscato
½ cup triple sec
Juice of 3 limes
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 cups blackberries
3 cups blueberries
6 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 cups diced pineapple
2 cups diced mango
2 cups halved strawberries
In a large pitcher, stir Moscato, triple sec, lime juice, and sugar until combined. In separate glasses, layer blackberries, blueberries, kiwis, pineapple, mango, and strawberries. Pour wine over fruit and serve.
6. Queue up a solid playlist.
Virtual, IRL, or all by yourself, you’re going to want an A+ playlist. Don’t just wing it by hitting “shuffle all songs” and be at the mercy of the tech gods. No, no. You could either spend the morning curating your own playlist and share it with your guest list ahead of time, or choose from one of the many pre-made Pride playlists out there. Spotify already has one ready to go so you can check this off your list:
7. Download (and send around) festive Zoom backgrounds.
The Zoom reality is still, um, a reality. But we’ve all had so much fun f*cking around with different backgrounds during every meeting, why not bring that over to your Pride party! Check out some fun ones below:
8. Blow up some balloons.
(1) No one ever really grows out of the balloon-loving phase, and (2) they’re Insta bait. Have fun!
9. Set up a glam bar.
Pride is all about expressing yourself, and getting all done up can be a fun way to let your inner colors out. Bust out that multi-shade eyeshadow palette (you know, the massive one you only use two colors from?), allllll the glitter, and some spray-in hair color, and let your guests go to town. The more mirrors, the better.
10. Bake. The. Rainbow.
No party is complete without cake, right? Whip up an on-brand dessert for the occasion (cute apron highly recommended). If you’re not an ~experienced~ baker (bc a rainbow cake requires some layers, as you can imagine), I recommend opting for a kit, like this fun one that has everything you need to create a colorful surprise cake a la Flour Shop.
11. Get inked with a tat station.
You know it’s real when you put it in ink. Even if that ink is actually like, synthetic rubber and totally not permanent at all. Regardless, your party needs a tat station, which means you need to get to Etsy and add several sheets to your cart. Don’t forget to bring out a bowl of water and a couple of washcloths for easy application!
12. Charge “cover.”
But like, don’t actually keep it. Ask for a few dollars from your guests and call it cover (because yeah, your party is as impressive as any fancy nightclub!), then give it to your Pride charity of choice. Looking for some good options? We gotchu with our list of the 25 best LGBTQ+ organizations to donate to during Pride month (and every other month).
13. Dole out some Jell-O shots.
There’s no time like the present to break out these college classics. Scour the grocery store (or Amazon) for Jell-O mixes in every color of the rainbow, and prepare to get mixing. You can create layered rainbow shots (like the ones below) or simply set out your lil glasses in ROYGBIV order. Either way, hello Insta fodder.
14. Take all the Polaroids.
You see this on every party-planning-tips article because it’s timeless and basic in the best way, so just do it. You know you want to.
15. Watch a movie.
You can only mingle for so long, so you might as well have a fabulous, on-theme flick ready to stream.
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16. Get your hands on a karaoke machine.
It’s a Pride tradition, enough said. And who doesn’t love a pink microphone that you can hog all night?
17. Set out materials to make posters.
If you’re planning on heading out to a local Pride parade post-party, set up a space where guests can get crafty and make signs with their favorite statements. A quick trip to the dollar stores (or scroll through Amazon) is all you’ll need to get your supplies—don’t forget the glitter glue!!!
18. Give out party favors.
Because who doesn’t love a loot bag?! If I were you, I’d pop in a pair of these rainbow-jeweled huggies earrings. To say I’m obsessed would be an understatement.
Associate Lifestyle Editor
Sarah is the associate lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan where she covers food, home, health, career…basically all the things you love to love — follow her on Instagram.
Associate Lifestyle Editor
Hannah Chubb is the associate lifestyle editor at Cosmopolitan, covering all things home, travel, food, health, career, and more. She spends pretty much every hour of every day curating the internet for the best new products, trends, and travel destinations. You can typically find her looking for houses she can’t afford on Zillow or Airbnb, planning her next meal before she gets to the restaurant, or taking all of the Justin Bieber classes over and over and over again on Peloton. Follow her on Instagram.