My Queer Diary: 14th - 20th July '25

Welcome to My Queer Diary, a weekly digest of LGBT+ events taking place around Edinburgh. Feel free to get in touch: myqueerdiary@proton.me

This week’s digest was written the preceding Wednesday night due to going on holiday so there might be some bits and bobs missed this week.

Thanks to the community organisers, event promoters, artists, workers and business people keeping the queer community thriving.

Monday 14 July

Queer Boardgames

18:00-20:30, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW

Join us every 2nd Monday of the month for an informal and friendly evening of boardgames, from short card games to longer campaign based games.

LGBTQ+ NA

18:30-19:45, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a fellowship or society of people for whom drugs had become a major problem. Narcotics Anonymous uses a 12-step model developed for people with varied substance use disorders. There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using.

Tracks Drag Show

21:00, Subway, 69 Cowgate, EH1 1JW

Join host Elizabeth Moore on the Biggest Stage in Scottish Drag!

Tuesday 15 July

Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus Summer Open Evening

19:30, LifeCare Edinburgh, 2 Cheyne Street, EH4 1JB

Thinking of joining a choir? Do you sing tenor, baritone or bass? Come along to the Edinburgh Gay Men’s Chorus Open Evening and see what we’re all about! Whether you’re a seasoned singer or just love to sing in the shower, everyone is welcome – no auditions, and no experience necessary.

LGBTQ AA

19:45-20:45, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

Wednesday 16 July

Queer Gardening Evening Session

10:00-14:00, Gracemount Community Garden, Gracemount House Dr, EH16 6FD

Gardening and socialising in nature for queer people. The sessions are very relaxed, no experience is necessary and all are welcome!

Pink Pony Pageant

22:00, Paradise Palms, 41 Lothian St, EH1 1HB

We’re bringing back our same-song format, where three kings will all have to perform RUSH by Troye Sivan and add their own personal touch to it for the chance to win!
Are you team Hagi? Team Jo Crawford? Or team Freddie Darling? Judged by Mystika Glamoor and Daddy Delight with pumping tunes from DJ Zak.

Drum&Face

23:00-03:00, CC Blooms, 23-24 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA

What is Drum&Face? Edinburghs best club night combining live drums alongside a top quality DJ in real time, Resident DJ & Drag Queen DJ Roche on the decks. Local musician and drumming diva Stevie Sticks. Club classics, queer anthems, throwbacks, mashups, remixes and much more. Request friendly club night.

Thursday 17 July

Trans Drop-in Sexual Health Clinic

16:30-18:30, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW

An inclusive, welcoming space for trans and non-binary people to get tested and discuss PrEP, contraception, or overall sexual health and wellbeing

Friday 18 July

Go on, have a sofa night.

Saturday 19 July

Queer Gardening Group

10:00-14:00, Gracemount Community Garden, Gracemount House Dr, EH16 6FD

Gardening and socialising in nature for queer people. Check our socials (@transitionedinburghsouth) for more details about each session. The sessions are very relaxed, no experience is necessary and all are welcome! You can come for the whole session or drop-in when suits you. Bring warm clothes and lunch :)

T-Climbing Edinburgh

11:00-12:30, Alien Bloc, 23 Dunedin St, EH7 4JG

Trans climbing group. All abilities welcome. Entrance to the gym costs £13 (plus £3.50 shoe hire if needed). If you haven't climbed at Alien Bloc before, register online and fill out the safety waiver so you don't have to do it on the day.

T Time Edinburgh

12:00-15:00, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW

An informal monthly social meetup open to trans and non-binary people (16+) in Edinburgh. Oliver from Waverley Care will join us to chat about the new community sexual health clinic for trans and non-binary people.

Saturday Chatterday ages 30-40

13:30-16:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St. Peter's Buildings, EH3 9PG

Saturday Chatterday is an event we started to help fight loneliness and help folk meet new people. Whether you really click and become friends, or only meet once, it's a great chance to meet new folk and their perspectives. We ask that you turn up as close to the 1:30pm start as possible. You can stay for as long as you want! We've decided to try out separating each event by age groups, in order to help people of similiar ages meet their peers!

Trans Active Edinburgh Beginners Gym Programme

15:30-16:30, Energy Gym, Boroughmuir Rugby & Community Sports Club, 2 Meggetland Wynd, EH14 1XN

We’re running a 6-week gender-affirmative gym programme led by a personal trainer on Saturdays at 3.30pm! We’ll have the gym and facilities to ourselves for the duration, and we’ll go for coffee/cold drinks in the cafe afterwards. 12 spaces available so sign up asap.

Campy Ceilidh!

20:00-00:00, ESHC 34 Basement, Edinburgh Student Housing Co-operative, 34 Wright's Houses, EH10 4HR

Edinburgh's newest and most fabulous monthly ceilidh night! Campy Ceilidh is a night filled with whimsy and wonder, lead by the incredible Pied Piper Ceilidh Band who'll keep you dancing all night long! Each night will also features some incredible local drag, and for our first gig we will be joined by the magnificent hunk JAY GNORMOUS! All calling will be gender neutral.

Sunday 20 July

Tea4T - transgender social

12:00-14:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St. Peter's Buildings, EH3 9PG

An event for trans socialising, with free tea and pastries of your choice! Come mingle, connect, and process together in a safe supportive space. If you'd rather process alone, a tea and pastry will be available for you to have alone for takeaway. It's the least we can offer right now.

Queer Joy book club

12:15-14:00, Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive at the Edinburgh Palette, 151 London Road, EH7 6AE

Join us at Lavender Menace for our monthly book club. In July, we're reading The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson by Tourmaline. We meet on the third Sunday each month to discuss queer books through a lens of finding joy in LGBTQ+ stories. Booking essential.

Lesbian Words

14:15-16:00, Lavender Menace Queer Books Archive at the Edinburgh Palette, 151 London Road, EH7 6AE

Join us for our monthly discussion about lesbian books! We get together on the third Sunday of each month to chat about books and media about lesbians, sapphics, and/or queer women. Lesbian Words is open to anyone who wants to talk about lesbian or sapphic books. You don’t have to be a lesbian to join, and the group is trans inclusive: trans women, trans femmes, and non-binary folks welcome.

Clothes Swap

15:30-19:30, Augustine United Church, The Sanctuary, 41-43 George IV Bridge, EH1 1EL

FREE Clothes Swap event - no entry fee, no need to bring anything, just yourselves! Clothes Swap: no fees, changing rooms will be set up. No need to bring any clothes, but welcomed if you do. Trans+ individuals prioritised for Pay What You Can (PWYC) haircuts. We will have 1 hairdresser, and 1 barber on site. On-site mending for damaged clothing. Leather care and basic shoe repairs. Masking will be mandatory.

Planning ahead…

Things coming up further ahead than one week that might sell out and assorted flora.

Queer Lino Printing Workshop

Thurs 3 July, 16:00-19:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St. Peter's Buildings, EH3 9PG

Queer Lino Print Workshop with Celesti Ink, Led by Orion (he/they) a queer, trans, and neurodivergent tattoo artist based in Leith with a deep love for lino printing, this 3-hour workshop is all about carving, inking, and creating in good company.