St. John’s Pride, a volunteer run nonprofit organization has released their ‘Gay Agenda,’ AKA the festival schedule for 2025. The annual festival will run from July 9-20, with a variety of events across town.
Wednesday, July 9
12-1pm As it does every year, the Pride festival will commence with a flag raising ceremony at City Hall. This is intended to “honour the work done to bring out community and festival to the forefront of the city during our time of commemoration and celebration.” The flag raising includes short speeches from the organizers, a ceremony from First Light, and a performance by Spectrum Queer Choir.
4:30-5:30pm Virtual panel called Queer Beyond the Western Sphere will share the lived experiences of racialized queer folks.
6-9pm In the Evening, St. John’s Pride is hosting Beers for Queers at Quidi Vidi Brewery. $1 from every pint sold will go to Trans Support NL, the Grand Marshals of this year’s parade.
Thursday, July 10
3-5pm A Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Sharing Circle will be held at First Light, for 2S and Indigenous people to discuss their experiences. Note that this is a closed event, registration information can be found on First Light’s social media.
7-8pm Out in Faith, a multi-faith group focused on spirituality will host a community discussion entitled Facing the Storm Together at The Lantern, for community members to reflect on their spirituality as a way of facing rising 2SLGBTQIA+ phobia.
7:30-10pm Later, at the LSPU Hall, drag performers Madame Daddy and Mocha Dawn Under Productions will host Boiz in The Hall: Drag Kings, Things & Boylesque focusing on the often overlooked non-female-presenting drag. This “Grand Masc-querade” will feature performers Johnny Diamond, Thing Moxie, Uncle Curtis, Magic T, Deizel Ryder, Boo Boo, Slater Beckett, Whoreville Pecs, CJ Stardust, and Ace Diamond. This event is 19+, $30 general admission, $40 VIP.
7:30-9:30pm Simultaneously, there will be a panel focusing on Trans History from at Majestic Theatre Hill Bar + Cafe. This panel explores historic activism work seen in our communities historically, and a discussion of the work that still needs to be done – which honestly, is a lot, considering the terrifying, rampant moral panics targeting trans and non-binary people at the moment.
Friday, July 11
6-8pm, Back to Our Roots event, will be a designated space for racialized communities, keep an eye to Pride St. John’s social media for confirmation of the event location.
8pm-12:30am Anyone out-and-about Friday night has a chance to see Pride After Dark at Sheraton Hotel. This event will have performances from burlesque performer Bitch Sassidy, drag performer Karla Marx, and Canada’s Drag Race Season 5 contestants, Jaylene Tyme and Tara Nova. The headliners will be supported by a variety of talented St. John’s drag artists, including Sacred Serpent, Eda Kumquat, Mocha Dawn Under, Andrezi, Char Noir, and Irma Gerd. 19+ event, general admission is $40, VIP is $90.
Saturday, July 12
8am Starting bright and early at Quidi Vidi Lake, show up for bird watching with The Queer Birders, an equally educational and gay time in the scenic Quidi Vidi area.
1-4pm head over to The Hub on Merrymeeting for a Family Pride event hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters Newfoundland.
Sunday, July 13
Sunday is perhaps the most jam-packed day of the entire festival – there’s surely something for everyone.
10am-2pm at the St. John’s Farmers Market is a free-to-attend Queer Market with various items, fine crafts, and baked goods for sale, highlighting small queer-owned businesses and allies in our city.
10am-2pm there will also be a Paws for Pride fundraiser event at the Kenmount Road Animal Hospital. Bring your pets for nail trims, photos, and limited microchips in support of St. John’s Pride.
10:30am-12:30pm at Steffen Dance Studio is a Drag & Burlesque Professional Development Panel, co-produced by QuadrangleNL and Dream Haus Productions for any local performer looking to up their game.
2-4pm at Harbourside Park stop by Pride on The Harbour hosted by Palestine Action YYT.
3-5pm at First Light is a 2-Spirit BBQ.
7-10pm at the LSPU Hall is a History With a Drag Queen: The Villain Edition a comedy show hosted by Karla Marx who has a PhD in History and Gender Theory, exploring queer villains throughout history. Advance tickets are $24.50 on the LSPU Hall website, or $29.50 at the door.
Monday, July 14
6-8pm at the St. John’s Farmer’s Market is a free Chosen Family Dinner, hosted by The Quad. Note that there will be vegetarian/vegan options available, and though the event is free, they have a limit of 80 people, so register ahead of time through their Instagram!
7-9pm at Majestic Theatre Hill Bar & Cafe sees the second instalment of Pride Talks panels, with Who Keeps Us Safe?, a talk posing hard-hitting questions regarding community safety, policing at Pride, and what steps need to be taken to create safer spaces going forward.
Tuesday, July 15
8-10pm all the way out at Topsail Beach is the longest-running event of the city’s yearly festival: the Annual Pride Beach Party. Note that this event is contingent on fire bans, should it not go ahead as planned St. John’s Pride will reschedule to a new date.
Wednesday, July 16
6:30-8:30pm At Rocket Bakery on Water St. is a Living Library and Funky Book Swap for folks to hear the story of queer elders, and pick up or trade gently-used books.
7-9pm at the Bella Vista see campy burlesque showcase Glitter Tits and Rainbow Bits from a talented lineup of performers celebrating queer sexuality and the art form of burlesque. Advance tickets $25, or $30 at the door, and it goes without saying that this one is 19+.
7-9pm at Majestic Theatre is a Queer Movie Night being hosted by the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival. The event will screen Lakeview, a “heartfelt and sharp-witted comedic feature” from award-winning filmmaker Tara Thorne.
Thursday, July 17
7-9pm at St. John’s newest and cutest coffee shop Boreal Cafe, catch Dry Humour Comedy Show by a sober event by NewFunny Crowd, a local comedians collective that highlights up-and-coming comedians, giving under-platformed folks or people just starting out the chance to perform.
7-9pm At First Light Performance Centre, there is also a Songwriter’s Circle hosted by Evelyn Jess, a folk artist and singer/songwriter. Show up and share some tunes!
Friday, July 18
2-5pm in the heart of Water St.’s summertime Pedestrian Mall, stop by to see some family-friendly drag from a variety of local performers. Look for the Rainbow Wall!
6-10pm on George St is the 4th annual Drag on George Lip Sync Battle. 10 performers will battle it out for the grand prize of a free trip to Toronto Pride 2026, and bragging rights, of course. Competing will be drag performers Divine Diamond, Aly Catt, Fifi Fofum, Whoda Thunkett, Claws, Rodger Bijoux, Dollie D. Lustredusk, Vamp Vira, Andrezi, and Tetley Teana.
7-9:30pm at First Light Performance Centre there will also be a performance from Spectrum Queer Choir, a non-audition community choir for queer people and allies, since 2011.
Saturday, July 19
10am-12pm, starting at Quidi Vidi Lake is a Pride Fun Run organized by NL Events.
8pm-12am at the Bella Vista is the festival’s 4th annual Quadrangle Drag Bingo. Hosted by performers Demi Gworl, Fashionista Jones, Lavender Blonde, and CJ Stardust, attendees will have a chance to win a variety of prizes. Each game of bingo will be followed by performances, chances to use the photo booth run by Kyle Callahan, or buy 50/50 tickets. Admission $35, 19+. (SOLD OUT)
Sunday, July 20th
12-1:30pm To cap off an absolutely wonderful pride season, see the St. John’s Pride Parade downtown. Starting at City Hall and ending at Bannerman Park, many community organizations, nonprofits, local businesses are invited to march in the parade to display their solidarity. The Grand Marshals of this year’s parade will be Trans Support NL.
Applications to march in the parade close on July 11.
1-4pm After the parade, Pride in The Park, an event at Bannerman Park with music, performances, and local food vendors.
From all of us here at The Muse, have a very happy, and safe Pride.
