How Bookstores Are Celebrating Pride Month
In celebration of Pride Month, independent bookstores have been sharing their plans including special events and displays. If you are interested in connecting with a store listed to learn more about their plans, feel free to reach out. Additionally, if you have something planned for Pride Month this June, let ABA know!
Here are how some bookstores plan to celebrate this month, listed by state:
California
Capital Books
Window and floor display, new sidelines, plus a booth at our local Pride Festival.
Colorado
The Crowded Bookshelf
Heavy marketing for LGBTQ+ books and authors, participating in local Pride parade and highlighting LGBTQ+ titles, and vendor at Pride festival showcasing LGBTQ+ books.
Off the Beaten Path Bookstore
We have a great window display next to our front door, featuring contemporary LGBTQ+ fiction and nonfiction books with some colorful merch, as well as a display featuring titles from historical queer figures and books on LGBTQ+ history! On top of that we are featuring a drink of the month in our cafe called the Burn it All Down, a spicy iced chai with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. 100% of the drink’s sales for the month of June are going back to our local Pride chapter!
Florida
Tombolo Books
We have two pride events this month. Andrew Holleran will be here with The Kingdom of Sand — this event will be in collaboration with Metro Inclusive Health. We also have a Pride Writers panel. Plus, several story times throughout the month will feature LQBTQ books, authors and illustrators!
Georgia
Charis Books & More
- Gender-Creative Parenting Collective
- Yerba Buena — Nina LaCour in conversation with Casey McQuiston
- Coming of Age Queer and Catholic: The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School's Sonora Reyes in conversation with Burning Butch's R/B Mertz
- Trans & Friends — Youth Group
- Asylum: A Memoir & Manifesto — Edafe Okporo in conversation with Charles Stephens
- Queer Romance Book Club Reads: I’m So (Not) Over You
- What's the T?: The Guide to All Things Trans And/Or Nonbinary — Juno Dawson in conversation with E.R. Anderson
- This Body I Wore: A Memoir — Diana Goetsch in conversation with E.R. Anderson
- LGBTQ+ Book Club Reads: The Secret To Superhuman Strength
- All the Blood Involved in Love — Maya Marshall in conversation with Aurielle Marie
- Housewarming Happy Hour with Matt Armato and Beau Ciolino
Little Shop of Stories
We will be inviting kids in our community to come out and help us paint a handprint rainbow on our front window, holding a Dress Your Pet for Pride contest, and having a mini kids Pride parade that will end in a Pride story time. We are also holding several virtual Pride events as well.
Kentucky
Carmichael’s Bookstore & Carmichael’s Kids
We have Pride Month displays at each store location and will share out relevant community events to our social media channels.
Maryland
Bread + Roses Bookshop and Cafe
We did a tie dye celebration event to kick off Pride month with white logo t-shirts, and we plan to do one or two more tie dye events in the rest of June. We also have displays of books that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and books by LGBTQ+ authors throughout our store. Many of our staff members are also going to Provincetown for Pride to celebrate together!
Caprichos Books
We will be going big at Salisbury Maryland's First Pride event on June 25! We have partnered with Salisbury PFLAG to support their monthly book club and to share copies of All Boys Aren’t Blue which has been banned in the counties surrounding and including Wicomico here on Maryland’s Shore. We will also be celebrating with Upper Chesapeake Pride in October!
Massachusetts
All She Wrote Books
Tabling @Waltham Pride — June 4 (All Day)
Our First Ever Drag Queen Story Hour w/Miss Bella Luna — June 11, 10:00am
Adult Queer Storytime w/author Neema Avashia — June 21, 7:00pm
Pride Comedy Show w/Local Comics — June 25, 8:00 pm
Tabling @Trans Resistance March — June 25 (All Day)
New Art Exhibit In Store Featuring Queer Artist Alex Mancini
Whitelam Books
We will have a Pride window display, and we are hosting author Joanna McClintick for a 'Twas The Night Before Pride storytime event on June 18.
Michigan
Booksweet
- In-store display
- Banned Book Club meeting on Alex Gino's Melissa
- Rainbow Readers story time with advocacy group Stand with Trans
- Pride-themed “book party” (story time) at Ann Arbor Summer Festival with Black Men Read
Minnesota
Zenith Bookstore
Pride month display:
Missouri
Redux Society
We are featuring Queer books all month! We have selection lists of books featuring characters from each major sexuality and gender identity. We also have a personality quiz to find out which LGBT+ book you should read next with over 40 possible outcomes!
We are hosting Queer Dance Nights, featuring local queer authors, and raising awareness as a Queer-owned business.
Montana
Country Bookshelf
At least one window display, one or two table displays (table for adults, either a table or set of shelves for kids), blind date with a queer book, and possibly more shelf displays.
North Carolina
Urban Reader Bookstore
We'll be offering books and discount sales.