Louisville’s Pride Season Kicks Off June 2 at Mile Wide Beer

Grab a pint and toast Louisville’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month (or any day of the week/month/year) on Friday, June 2 from 2 p.m. to midnight at Mile Wide Beer Co., 636 Barret Avenue. A dedicated event supporting LGBTQ+ folks and their friends, family and loved ones will kick off the series of events leading up to the annual Kentuckiana Pride Festival and Parade.

The event will also commemorate the launch of the third batch of Mile Wide’s “Dorothy's Riot” beer. Proceeds from this brew help to advance Queer Kentucky’s mission: to bolster and enhance queer culture and health through storytelling, education and action. With a unique art design every year created by different artists, the beer has become synonymous with the organization.

This year’s celebration coincides with a call to support the rights of LBGTQ+ communities nationwide: In 2023 alone, at press time, 491 anti-LGBTQ+ legislative bills have been brought forth nationwide, according to the ACLU (readers can drill into Kentucky’s stats here). Many of these bills, according to a recent Queer Kentucky email, have included banning access to gender-affirming care and banning drag artists from performing on stages throughout the country.

“This is in an attempt to erase queer folks and silence our existence. With your help, our pride event can be a triumphant moment of visibility for queer people,” said Queer Kentucky Executive Director and Founder Spencer Jenkins, in a recent email.

The schedule is as follows: 

2 p.m.: Dorothy's Riot release

4 p.m.:  Mini-market with vendors

4:30 p.m.:  Beginner-friendly yoga

5-7 p.m.: Live DJ

7-7:30 p.m.: Larah Heylane performs

7:30-9 p.m.: Drag Show

9 p.m. -12 a.m.: Louisville Silent Disco w/ DJ Spring Break

Click here for more information.