I don't know where this year has gone, but it’s just about June, so 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 want to throw a Pride-themed party, and if you're one of those people, I have some good news. 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 games, a killer playlist, and So. Much. More. Am I your official party planner? Yes. And I'm also free.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, I hope you do it with—you guessed it—PRIDE! Now go forth, read this article, and spread some joy! Love y'all, mean it.
Send out actual invitations.
Okay, I know this one is extra for many reasons. But don’t you want to do something nice and cute and pure as hell? Thought so. (I mean, whose heart doesn’t skip a beat when they get mail that’s not from their credit card company!?) Think about commissioning a local artist or perusing Etsy to add a personal touch to these babies.
Plan your outfit in advance.
You can also pick it out five minutes before, but this entire article is about decreasing party-planning stress, 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).
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.
CuTeesCustomShirts What a Beautiful Day to Respect Other People's Pronouns Shirt
...or DIY your own.
Let your guests get graphic by setting out some plain t-shirts, plus fabric paint and/or markers somewhere inside the party. You're going to need a lot of colors, obv, so make sure to plan ahead. Feel free to host a "Best T-Shirt" contest if you have competitive friends, too.
Establish a solid menu.
No, I'm not going to let you buy a bag of chips from the corner store and call it a day. Food writer Jesse Szewczyk and 75 cooks and celebrities from across the LGBTQ+ community put together this truly amazing cookbook (that's currently on sale!). The recipes are delicious, but they're also super meaningful, and you should try a few.
Clarkson Potter Tasty Pride: 75 Recipes and Stories from the Queer Food Community
Choose a signature drink.
Committed to being the hostess with the mostest? You're going to want to batch up a signature cocktail ahead of time, so you don't have to play bartender all night long. If you need a recipe, we've got some amazing party drinks here, or you can stay on theme with this Rainbow Sangria from Delish.
Queue up a solid playlist.
Above all else, you’re going to need an A+ playlist. Don’t just wing it by hitting “shuffle.” If you don't want to spend all morning curating your own playlist with the help of your friends (always a great option), you can choose from one of the many pre-made Pride playlists out there. Spotify already has one ready to go, FYI, so you can check that off your list.
Blow up some balloons.
Because 1. No one ever really grows out of the balloon-loving phase, and 2. they’re Insta bait. Have fun! Don't pass out!
Go all out with an arch.
Somewheeeere over the rainbow...is your amazing party. Beef up your balloon game by setting up a rainbow arch above your doorway or photo wall. There are plenty of kits available that make the setup super easy, or you can freestyle it and call yourself a balloon artist.
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 get glam. The more mirrors, the better.
Bake. The. Rainbow.
No party is complete without cake, right? Right. So I highly recommend whipping up an on-brand dessert for the occasion. If you’re not an experienced baker, you might want to opt for a kit (because a rainbow cake requires some layers, as you can imagine). This one here has everything you need to create a colorful surprise cake a la Flour Shop.
Toss some candy salad.
Candy salad is all the rage on TikTok right now (Alix Earle even made a batch), and dare I say it's the ultimate Pride party snack? Not only will your guests get a sugar rush, but the bright candy colors will act as decoration if you put the sweet mix in a clear jar or bowl.
Get inked with a tat station.
You know it’s real when you put it in ink. Even if that ink is not permanent. Long story short, 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!
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 best LGBTQ+ organizations to donate to during Pride month (and every other month).
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 packs in a plethora of colors, 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.
Play rainbow pong.
It's like regular beer pong, but with a kaleidoscope of plastic cup colors instead of just plain red ones. So much more aesthetically pleasing!!!
Make it a picnic.
Hell yeah, you wanna take this outside! June is lovely no matter where you live, so embrace the outdoors and make your Pride party a Pride picnic. If you've got your own backyard, great. (I'm jealous.) If not, scope out a cute and breezy park and claim your territory. I always recommend unbreakable dishware for alfresco occasions, for the record.
Take all the Polaroids.
You see this in every party-planning-tips article, yes. But it's because it’s timeless and basic in the best way, so just do it. Cop a camera. You know you want to.
Watch a movie.
You can only mingle for so long, so you might as well have a fabulous, on-theme flick ready to stream. May I recommend Prom?
Set up a build-your-own-bouquet bar.
Head to your local florist or grocery store (Trader Joe's has the best cheap flowers, FWIW), and pick up blooms in every color of the rainbow. Sort them into individual jars, then let your guests go to town designing their own beautiful bouquets. Bonus points if you get cute paper and ribbons to tie them up!
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?
Stage a drag show.
Who needs RuPaul when you can host your own drag show? (JK, we'll always need RuPaul.) But really, if your guests are down, have them show up in their best lewks for the occasion.
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 store is all you'll need to get your supplies—don't forget the glitter glue!!!
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.
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.
Hannah Chubb is the 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.
