Image: Marco
The Big Queer Picnic
Held annually in Sophia Gardens, this outdoor Pride event provides a less overwhelming alternative for the neurodivergent community, alongside any families and anyone looking to take a breather from the parade crowds.
The event is free and open to everyone, in line with the Big Queer Picnic’s goal to celebrate the community’s diversity without commercialisation. This year the picnic takes place on 22 June, starting at 1pm, and promises a stellar lineup of queer artists with extraordinary talents, ranging from singing and poetry to dancers and drag artists.
Guests will have the option to sit as close or as far from the performers as they need to feel most comfortable – a consideration which highlights the event’s inclusivity, with maximum fun in a more relaxed setting. Better yet, the picnic is not just family-friendly, but dog-friendly too, so you can bring your furry friends along!
For more details about the event, visit facebook.com/BigQueerPicnic/
Everywoman Festival
Back for another year of supporting, educating and empowering women, the one-day Everywoman 2024 festival is back on 15 June. Founded by Julie Cornish, a colorectal consultant surgeon specialising in pelvic health and cancer, the festival came about from a desire to help women be better informed about the ways their bodies work, potential problems, and avenues for support.
On a mission to debunk online misinformation, the team behind Everywoman focuses on sharing evidence-based information with the public, inviting expert speakers, and making sure every woman knows where they can find help – from the NHS to charities and private organisations.
Tickets are available online, and offer access to one speaker event and one workshop at a time of your choosing. Some of the sessions specifically target issues experienced by cis women and those assigned female at birth, but the festival as a whole is for everyone interested in women’s health, regardless of their gender identity.
Book your ticket at everywomanfest.com
Velvet Night
Hosted by Escape Events, who specialise in events for bi and lesbian women, Velvet is a quarterly bi and lesbian disco bonanza hosted across a range of chic, dimly-lit spaces reserved exclusively for guests.
This month’s party is taking place on 28 June in Peppermint Bar, starting from 7pm with a singles meet and mingle before everyone gets chatting and dancing. The perfect night for meeting like-minded people, enjoying a few cocktails and boogieing on the dance floor, Velvet offers early bird tickets and bulk discounts, so you can rope your friends in and grab three tickets for just £14.
Book your entry at eventbrite.co.uk/e/velvet-night-tickets-887846983227
Hell Haus Queer Chaos
If you are over 18 and drag is your scene, Fuel Rock Club is the place to be on Sunday 2 June, from 8pm until 11pm, for a show jam-packed with some of Cardiff’s favourite queer performers, including Sera Tonin, Ivory Glam, and Vanity Act.
Located at the heart of the city, among the bustle of nightlife, the club’s eclectic atmosphere will not disappoint. Doors open at 8pm with the first act going on at 8:30pm – giving you enough time to grab a drink and socialise. Individual tickets cost £8, while groups can snag a bargain and purchase a five-ticket package for £30. So, grab your friends and support this Pride event.
Grab your tickets from eventbrite.com/e/hellhaus-queer-chaos-tickets-885770261697
Come As You Are
Taking the antics up a notch with an adult-only event, next in our round-up is Cardiff Cabaret Club’s double-night Pride special, ‘Come As You Are’, taking place over Pride weekend on 21 and 22 June.
Dubbed as ‘a raucous celebration of the self – where everybody is welcome’ and hosted by DJ Wolfy’, the burlesque show promises the club’s signature combination of silliness and sensuality, delivered by some of the city’s favourite performers, along with guest stars.
Doors open an hour before each performance, giving you ample time to snag a table, socialise and enjoy a tipple from the Cabaret bar. In fact, you can have a refreshing beverage delivered straight to your table if you order through the venue’s app!
Planning to go as a big group? Get there early so you can all sit together and cheer for Foo Foo Labelle, Goldie Luxe, and Cadbury Parfait.
Secure your spot with tickets from wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2024/come-as-you-are
