My Queer Diary: 16th - 22nd June '25

Welcome to My Queer Diary, a weekly digest of LGBT+ events taking place around Edinburgh. Thanks to the community organisers, event promoters, artists, workers and business people keeping the queer community thriving.

There’s a ton going on over Pride weekend. I haven’t seen specific events for The Regent, Dreadnought and St. Leonard’s bar, though I’m sure they’ll be celebrating. Official Edinburgh Pride info is in this pdf ‘The Pride Guide’ including maps.

A few groups are doing pre-march banner/placard making (Wuthering Dykes, That’s So Fruity), and arranging groups for the march too (asexuals, students).

P.S. Ran out of time to check all the links this week so sorry if any don’t work.

Monday 16 June

Pride Jewellery Beading Workshop

14:00-16:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St. Peter's Buildings, EH3 9PG

Come along and make up to two pieces of beaded jewellery - bracelet and/or earrings - in whatever colours you like! Make wire wrapped or simple bead hoop earrings, or comfy stretch bracelets. All tools and materials will be provided.

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.

Tuesday 17 June

Queer Milk

10:30-12:00, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 4 Duncan Place, EH6 8HW

This support group is for LGBTQ+ parents who are giving human milk to their babies. Whether you are chestfeeding, breastfeeding, using SNS, co-nursing, giving expressed or donor milk in a bottle, combi feeding with formula this group is for you.

Edinburgh Street Historians LGBTQ Free Walking Tour

18:00-19:30, The High Street Wellhead, EH1 1QX

This is a walking tour of Edinburgh focusing on LGBTQ history from the battle of legalisation to the modern issues faced by the community in the current day. Running Tues, Thurs, Fri and Sun this week.

Second Skin : Inside the Worlds of Fetish, Kink and Deviant Desire

19:00-20:00, Lighthouse Bookshop, 43-45 West Nicolson Street, EH8 9DB

In 21st century commodity culture, we are all, in a sense, fetishists. We think of fetish as existing ‘behind closed doors’, yet it plays out in clubs rammed with hundreds of bodies, on live streams for tens of thousands of subscribers, and in the pages of Vogue and on high fashion runways. In Second Skin, Anastasiia Fedorova takes us on a tour through different fetishes – leather, latex, cars, medical gloves, and the dominatrix, to name a few.

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.

The Handmaiden

19:45, Cameo, 38 Home St, EH3 9LZ

Also showing Wednesday at 15:30. Confined in a mansion in 1930s Korea, Lady Hideko is a bird in a gilded cage – and a seemingly easy target for a duplicitous Count, who hires Sook-hee, a talented young pickpocket, to act as her handmaiden (and help in his plan to seduce her). But Sook-hee may have a different plan in mind, and a tangled web soon begins to weave around the handmaiden, her charge, the Count, and Hideko's domineering uncle.

Wednesday 18 June

Try Quadball - a queer-friendly sport for all!

18:00-20:00, The Meadows, Middle Meadow Walk, EH3 9GE

Do you like rugby, handball, or dodgeball? Put them all together and you get Quadball! Come along to our taster session and try Quadball! The Edinburgh Kelpies and Holyrood Hippogriffs welcome all genders, identities, and all abilities in this fantastic mixed-gender team sport, and no experience in Quadball or any other sport is necessary.

Come and Try Squash

18:00-21:00, Centre for Sport and Exercise, 46 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ

We are an LGBTQ+ inclusive racquet sports club for Squash, Tennis and Padel. We will be hosting a Come and Try Squash event open to any and all LGBTQ+ people of all skill levels and abilities. This will provide a chance for old players and new to have a game, get some coaching and have a chance to meet LGBTQ+ players from the local community.

Javad Daraei: Two Dead Films and One Still Alive

19:00, Cameo, 38 Home St, EH3 9LZ

Filmmaker Javad Daraei will present two short films. The screening will be followed by a conversation with the artist. I Don’t Like Here (2016) - A trans teenager seeks his true self despite rejection by Iranian society and the inability of his parents to understand. Limit (2017) - A man in a quiet neighbourhood asks for help from people whom he is seeing until someone suddenly enters his home…

Pride Speed Quiz

20:00-22:00, Edinburgh Street Food, Leith Street, EH1 3AU

We’re kicking off Edinburgh Pride weekend with a special edition of our weekly SpeedQuiz – a celebration of queer joy, icons, and culture! Expect questions on LGBTQ+ history, music legends, iconic films, TV moments, and the trailblazers who’ve made Pride what it is today.

Fag of the Year

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

You’ve heard of Fruit Salad’s incredible competition “dyke of the year”, but it’s time for gay men and thems to finally have their moment to shine. Are you a fag with a special talent? A gay skill you’d like to flaunt? An extra limp wrist? Any proof that f*gs actually have any discernible talents?

Drum & Face

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

We have the pleasure of giving you a nice warmup for Edinburgh's Pride taking place June 21st. Free entry as always and we expect you to bring your A Game! DJ sets by DJ Roche and live drums by Stevie Sticks.

Thursday 19 June

LEAP Sports Festival Fencing Taster

18:30-20:30, Leith Community Centre, 12A Newkirkgate, Leith, EH6 6AD

We are Dunedin Fencing Club, an inclusive Edinburgh sports group aiming to make the sport of fencing more accessible and welcoming to all. Join us for a fun filled taster session of fencing games and new friends! Open to anyone over 16 who’s part of the Pride community for anyone of any ability, experience and fitness. All kit is provided.

This Princess Kills Monsters: Queer Fairytale night with Ry Herman

19:00-20:00, Lighthouse Bookshop Garden, off West Nicolson Street, EH8 9DB

Ry Herman has outdone themself with their latest offering, This Princess Kills Monsters, in which a princess with a mostly useless magical talent takes on horrible monsters, a dozen identical masked heroes, and a talking lion in a quest to save a kingdom—and herself—in an affectionate satire of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The Twelve Huntsmen.

QuickFalls Queer Speed Dating

19:00-21:00, Three Marys, 63-65 Henderson Street, Leith,EH6 6ED

Welcome to QuickFalls Queer Speed Dating for 18 and up! This speed dating event will be geared toward the queer community, where everybody will date everybody, regardless of gender!

Friday 20 June

The Big Day: A storytime special with Rachel Plummer

09:30-10:15, The Edinburgh Bookshop, 176 Bruntsfield Pl, EH10 4DF

We're thrilled to welcome local author Rachel Plummer to the bookshop for a storytelling session in honour of Edinburgh Pride! Join us as Rachel reads from their joyful and inclusive picture book, The Big Day — a GIANT celebration of love in all its forms. Perfect for children and families, this event offers a warm, welcoming space to celebrate Pride through storytelling, imagination, and creativity.

June Zine Club

14:00-16:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St Peter’s Buildings, EH3 9PG

Bring your own projects to work on or dive into our collection of collage materials and art supplies to make your zines! We will have a bunch of prompts lists if you are stuck for ideas! We also welcome you to bring your own zines for creative feedback, self-promotion, ideas, and/or to trade with others!!

Edinburgh Frontrunners 5K Pride Run

19:00 (Registration and number pick up is from 18:00-18:45), Holyrood Park, EH8 8HG

The Edinburgh Frontrunners 5K Pride run is back - and this time it's bigger and better than ever! Happening on the eve of the Edinburgh Pride event, we are delighted to be running around the beautiful Holyrood Park.

Hot Comedy

19:30-21:30, Coco, 125b George Street, EH2 4JN

‘Hot Comedy’ is an inclusive comedy night in Edinburgh at Coco, featuring Pro, Semi-pro, and up-and-coming acts from Scotland and the rest of the UK. In aid of Pride month any money raised by donations will be going to local queer charity LGBT Health & Wellbeing. Host: Nicholas Elliott, Headliner: Michael Welch, Featuring: Maddie Fernando, Iryna Gil, Sarah Bradley, Joe Pedan, And More!

Femmergy Pride

20:00-01:00, The Biscuit Factory, 4-6 Anderson Place, EH6 5NP

Kick off your pride weekend in Edinburgh with a bang and join us to celebrate the best weekend of the year! Enjoy drag and dancing in the Biscuit factory from 8pm on Pride Friday. FEMMERGY is an intersectional, open space to celebrate femme art and music and have a boogie. EVERYONE WELCOME.

LEZ

21:00-01:00, Home Bar, 69 Home Street, EH3 9JP

ENTER LEZ ZONE. We are returning to HOME Bar to kick off Pride weekend with a great big FINE, bunch of humans. We are welcoming along Sly Dig and Mairi 'b' Pots to supply the tunes. FLINTA community, we are calling on you to come in your herds. In light of recent events, we want to create a safe space to celebrate the trans community in the best way possible, with music and dancing.

Showtime Friday with Titania Gemini

21:00-03:00, Planet, 6 Baxter's Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3AF

Planet’s Pride weekend kicks off with Friday showtime - DJs from 9pm and drag performances from 10:30pm.

Pre-Pride Party with DJ Melted

21:00-01:00, The Doghouse, 18-24 Clerk St, EH8 9HX

Keep an eye on their instagram for more details… or just turn up and see what’s going on!

Saturday 21 June

Queer Gardening Group

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

Gardening and socialising in nature for queer people. This week Summer Solstice and nature writing. 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 :)

Pride Breakfast

10:00-12:30, Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road, EH8 8AS

LGBT Health and Wellbeing proudly present this event in partnership with Dynamic Earth. We warmly welcome you for an accessible gathering on the morning of Pride in Edinburgh. Event includes climate crafts and activities, breakfast, welcome and short speeches, Ivy Big Band performance.

Pre-Pride March Social

10:30-12:00, Kafe Kweer, 5 St. Peter's Buildings, EH3 9PG

Opportunity for people who would be marching alone to come to meet others and form a group.

Trans Climbing Session at Alien Bloc

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

Join us for our next bouldering session at Alien Bloc. T-Climbing Edinburgh is open to all trans and non-binary folk, whether you’re completely new to climbing or a regular. What to expect: someone from the team will be at the door to say hi and help you sign in. We’ll start with some warm ups, then climb until around 12.30, feel free to dip out earlier if you need to. Afterward there’ll be time for a coffee and chat.

Pride at Planet & Planet Drag Party Bus!

11:00-03:00, 6 Baxter's Pl, EH1 3AF

DJs all day and night! The Planet Bar Drag Shuttle Bus will be running all day between The Festival Village and Planet completely free and passengers will receive a special voucher for Planet Bar and Steamworks.

Pride in our Community: Your Space! Your Protest! Your Pride!

11:00-12:45, Holyrood Park, Queen's Dr, EH8 8HG

The Equality Network are doing Pride in Edinburgh differently this year and we can't wait for you to join us. This year is about coming together in unity, allowing for our collective joy and anger – and demanding better. Our wee stage will host a range of speakers from across our diverse community and will engage with intersectional issues. This event is not affiliated with Edinburgh Pride.

Queer Yoga Edinburgh at LEAP Sports Festival Fortnight

11:30-12:30, Holyrood Car Park, Holyrood Car Park, EH8 8AZ

Join us during the LEAP Sports Festival Fortnight for a yoga session in Holyrood Park! This taught session is for LGBTQ+ people who would like to practice yoga with their community, moving and breathing mindfully whilst connected to the sounds of surrounding nature. Open to all levels of experience, we will have around a 60 minute movement and meditation practice.

Pride at Palms

12:00-03:00, Paradise Palms, 41 Lothian Street, EH6 6BU

Hail or shine there will be a muckle rainbow over Edinburgh town on Saturday as Scotland’s longest running celebration of diversity brightens up the city - join us after the parade on our new extended terrace and through until 3am… featuring: Kook, Femmergy, Fruit Salad, Queer Theory, Mystika Glamoor, Buckfast Barbie, DJ Zak from Bolton.

Edinburgh Pride March

12:30 for a 13:00 start, Scottish Parliament, EH99 1SP

From the Parliament the March will then go to: Canongate, High Street, George IV Bridge, Bristo Place, Lothian Street, Potterrow, Crichton Street, Charles Street and finish at The Pride Edinburgh Festival Village in the EUSA Complex.

Pride Community Fair & Queer Creatives Market

12:30-17:00, McEwan Hall & Potterrow, Teviot Pl, EH8 9AG

The Community Fair brings together a wide spectrum of companies, charities, community groups and engagement organisations from across the LGBTQI+ landscape. Quiet Hour 12.30-1.30 for those who want to avoid the busy period after the March arrives. Our Queer Creatives Market can be accessed via Potterow. We are excited to bring you Queer Creatives to share their skills and talents.

Edinburgh Jitsu Open sessions

13:00-15:00, 49 West Bowling Green Street, EH6 5NX

Edinburgh Jitsu are an informal and relaxed community club, welcoming to all. We recognise that identifying as LGBTQI+ may make trying out a martial art more intimidating so, as part of Festival Fortnight, we are delighted to offer a couple of FREE open sessions to come and try out our style of jitsu in a non-threatening and non-judgmental space.

LGBT Youth Space

13:00-17:30, Edinburgh Futures Institute, 1 Lauriston Place, EH3 9EF

Once again LGBT Youth Scotland are providing a Pride space for young people. Expect open mic performances, crafts, stalls, a community banner, face painting, temporary tattoos and nail stickers, and snacks and drinks.

Pride Edinburgh Main Stage & Community Stage

14:00-18:00, Bristo Square & Potterrow Dome, EH8 9AL

Main stage on Bristo Sq, with: Diana Vickers, Kelli-Leigh, Ellie Diamond, Chanel O’Conor, Darren Glasgow, Sylva, Rozie Cheeks & Sissy Scorpio, Blazin’ Entertainment, Lezzer Quest. Hosted by: Blaze.

Community stage in Potterrow Dome with local performers, hosted by Geezah with DJ Blondie. Headlined by The Marches.

Post-March Bingo with Doghouse Dolls

15:00, The Doghouse, 18-24 Clerk St, EH8 9HX

Dollhouse Dolls are back for a one off bingo special with (I imagine) drag queen hosts Purple Disgrace and Krystal Klear.

Pride at the Street

15:00-04:00, The Street 2b Picardy Pl, EH1 3JT

With Seven Inch Sal, The Roze Garden Cabaret, Roche Rabbit, Zak from Bolton, M.F.S.B., MC Daz Glaz, Live vocals from Mistrizz LP, Titty Titty Bang Bang - DJ Trendy Wendy with Mairi ‘B’ Pots on percussion.

Closet Brewing Big Pride Party Takeover

15:00 onwards, Salt Horse, 57-61 Blackfriars St, EH1 1NB

Join us as we celebrate Edinburgh Pride the best way we know how; drinking good beers with good people. We will have six glorious beers on tap, including our Pride favourite Gal Pals, and this time whenever you buy a serving, 10p is going straight to support Trans Kids Deserve Better Scotland. Hope to see you there in your best Pride regalia- sequins may not be compulsory but they are certainly encouraged!

Pride History Tours at The Real Mary King’s Close

16:00 & 17:30, The Real Mary King’s Close, 2 Warriston’s Close, High Street, EH1 1PG

Running every Saturday in June. The Real Mary King’s Close shares its research in a series of educational and thought-provoking ‘Pride History Tours’. These tours have been designed to reveal the hidden histories of LGBTQIA+ community life in Edinburgh from the mid-16th century until 1912. £2 discount for Scotland residents.

Pride was a Riot! Edinburgh Pride Unofficial Punk Afterparty

19:00-22:30, Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College of Art
Lauriston Architecture Building, Lady Lawson Street, EH3 9DF

Queer punk live music from Martha May & the Mondays, Brat Coven, Blonde Secret.

REVERENCE X PRIDE

19:00-22:30, The Banshee Labyrinth, 29-35 Niddry Street, EH1 1LG

New and fresh independent sounds: alt-rock / metal / post-punk / goth featuring: Shambolica, Demi & The Urge, Somnia & Dylan Wilson.

Hot Milk

20:00, Vue, Omni, Calton Sq, EH1 3AU

Set in the scorching heat of a Spanish summer, Sofia and her ailing mother, Rose, travel to the seaside town of Almería to seek the help of Dr. Gómez, an enigmatic healer who may hold the key to Rose’s mysterious illness. As long-buried tensions simmer between them, Sofia finds herself drawn to the magnetic and free-spirited Ingrid.

Craic Pride Party

20:00, CC Blooms, 23-24 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA

Craic is back again with our pride month tradition of giving you not one but two craics, one on Edinburgh pride and our usual craic at the end of the month with a very special guest! This pride craic is an all trans cast, bar our amazing dj but they are an amazing ally and honorary trans person for the hour! The night will kick off at 8 with an hour long show of the amazing talents from all over the UK! We even have an audience game for some lucky person to win a prize!

Pride Party w/ Lee Marvin

20:00-late, The Doghouse, 18-24 Clerk St, EH8 9HX

As with the other Doghouse events, info is thin on the ground but its a party, what can you say.

DILF Edinburgh: Pride

22:00-04:00, La Belle Angele, 11 Hastie's Cl, EH1 1HJ

A dance party for bears, cubs, leathermen, rubbermen, jocks, pups + more. Pride anthems, floor fillers, vocal house. Application for a 4am licence pending…

Sunday 22 June

Crochet Club Edinburgh - Rainbows

10:00-12:30, Santosa Café, 21 Albert Street, EH7 5LH

A fun and creative crochet workshop with a fun, rainbow theme! This hands-on session will guide you step-by-step to create your very own handmade, decorative rainbow with tassles. This workshop is suitable for beginners as we use a repetitive pattern and a commonly used crochet stitch.

Queer Pride Picnic

12:00 onwards, Inverleith Park, EH3 5PA

A pride picnic for Disabled LGBTQIA+ people and their allies and families. Hosted by Disabled Queer Edinburgh. Donations welcome. Gathering from 12 near the entrance on Arboretum Place. Feel free to bring pride outfits, flags, games etc. Please bring your own food and things to share if you can (labelled with dietary info). Full access info in link.

Queer Gothic Words

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

A monthly book club focusing on queer gothic writing. Every month we choose a book (or selection of shorter texts) by LGBTQ+ authors, or featuring queer characters/themes to read and discuss together. We alternate between classic and contemporary texts. June's book will be Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.

Pride Sports Day

13:00-17:00, Pleasance Games Hall, Pleasance Sports Complex & Gym, 46 Pleasance, EH8 9TJ

The University of Edinburgh Sports Union have organised a Sports Day for LGBT+ students, with friends and allies welcome! The afternoon will be several 45 min sessions of each sport, with breaks in between. There will be football, self-defence, boccia, and pickleball. Please sign up using the link. See you there!

Social Sunday

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

Social Sundays are a great way to learn more about the archive and chat about your favourite LGBTQ+ books. You can come with friends or on your own – our volunteers will make you feel welcome.

Pride in Tennis

14:00-16:00, Inverleith Park Tennis Courts, EH3 5NY

Edinburgh Curveballs Racquet Sports invite you to a Pride month session with coaching and social. All abilities welcome. This is a chance for players old and new to have a game, get some coaching and meeting LGBTQ+ players from the local community. Rackets and balls available on the day. Post-tennis social at Hectors in Stockbridge. Sign up via the Spond app.

Planning ahead…

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

Pride Lecture: Miss Pirie and Miss Woods

Tuesday June 24, 18:30-20:00, The Georgian House, 7 Charlotte Square, EH2 4DR

This June, join us at The Georgian House as we mark Pride with a powerful true story from Edinburgh's 19th Century. In 1810, Jane Pirie and her fellow teacher Marianne Woods became the focus of a scandal when a student accused them of being in a sexual relationship. The resulting defamation case gripped Edinburgh and resulted in a ten year long court battle between the two school teachers and Charlotte Square's Lady Cumming Gordon.