Montgomery News

GAITHERSBURG, Md. The City of Gaithersburg celebrates Pride Month in June with an official proclamation and programs that celebrate the strength, dignity, and achievements of LGBTQIA+ communities. Join us in making a stand for inclusivity and equality for all of our neighbors. Explore all of our Pride Month activities here.

An official proclamation designating June as Pride Month in the City of Gaithersburg will be presented at the Mayor and City Council meeting on Monday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend the meeting at City Hall, watch it live on YouTube or watch it via Zoom by registering here.

Accepting the proclamation is Emily McDermott, a social studies teacher and sponsor of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at Northwest High School. Emily encourages students to take what they learn in the classroom and use it to create a positive change in their community. Some examples of projects that students have initiated include starting a rainbow library, implementing gender neutral bathrooms,

participation in Diversity Night, holding a Pronoun Day, and working with the MCPS Bridge to Wellness Program.

Pride Month is celebrated annually in the United States during the month of June, which has become a symbolic month around the world for LGBTQIA+ people and allies to come together in various celebrations of acceptance and equality.

Activities and programs celebrating Pride Month include:

DiVerse@Casey Poetry Night 

June 1, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Casey Community Center

Free

Hear works from featured poet Kim Roberts and poems from the DC Pride Poem-a-Day program. Readings from featured poets will be followed by an open mic, where members of the community can share an original poem. DiVerse Gaithersburg presents poets with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds from the metro area, including Gaithersburg.

Discovery Day: Rainbows 

June 4, 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Community Museum

Free

Rainbows are symbol of PRIDE and more. Stop by the museum to explore rainbows through science and art.

Just for Families: Storytime at the Arts Barn 

Unicorn Day by Diana Murray and Luke Flowers 

Arts Barn

June 9; 1 p.m.

Free; Registration is required here.

Join the Arts Barn for an engaging story and creative arts activities. A parent or guardian must accompany their young person.

The Laramie Project 

Moises Kaufman and the Members of the Tectonic Theater Project

In partnership with The Montgomery Playhouse

June 9 - 25

$22, $20 (students aged 15-21)

Purchase tickets here.

In October 1998, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, an openly gay college student, was brutally beaten and left to die on the plains outside Laramie, Wyoming. Hailed as one of the most captivating and encompassing pieces of contemporary theater, The Laramie Project is a breathtaking collage that explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which we are capable. Recommended for ages 15 and older. Mature subject matter.

In the Galleries: Arts Barn Student Art Exhibition – We Are Family 

Arts Barn

June 9 – August 12

Students of the Arts Barn visual arts educational programs share their interpretation of what “family” means to them.

Tasty Books: Julian is a Mermaid 

June 10, 10:30 a.m.

Casey Community Center

$5/person; Register here.

When riding the bus with his abuela, Julian meets some people dressed as mermaids. Julian loves mermaids and wants to be one. When he gets home, he tries to dress up like a mermaid. Come on this beautifully illustrated journey where we experience Julian’s love of mermaids and see how his abuela reacts to Julian being a mermaid. Winner of the Stonewall Book Award, this is a fantastic way to celebrate Pride Month with your family.

“Me, Myself and Her” Film Screening 

June 11, 7 p.m.

Arts Barn

$8; Purchase tickets here.

Marina and Federica have been together for five years now. They share the same apartment, bed, and face cream. They laugh, they fight, but even so sometimes they are not sure if they're a couple or not.

In Italian, with subtitles. With award winning actresses Sabrina Ferilli and Alessia Barela. Recommended for ages 16 and older.

Storytime Station: Free to Be Me 

Tuesday, June 27, 11 a.m.

Community Museum

Free; Pre-registration required at museum@gaithersburgmd.gov

Preschool read aloud and movement fun. This month we read books that explore how we can be the best version of ourselves with guest reader Miss Bella.

Comedy and Magic: Improbable Comedy 

June 30, 8 p.m.

$22/$20 Student (15-21)

Purchase tickets here.

In celebration of PRIDE Month, Improbable Comedy is getting a rainbow makeover and showcasing local queer comics. Some of the best LGBTQIA+ performers will make you laugh with their stand-up routines, touching on personal topics of relationships, family, love, and more. Recommended for ages 15 and older.

Skywatching: How to Become an Astronaut 

July 8, 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Observatory Park

Free; Registration required here.

Brian Murphy, Ph.D. Candidate in Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh and Citizen-Scientist Astronaut Candidate with the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences and Out Astronaut, will talk about how you prepare to be an astronaut. Hands-on activities followed by telescope viewing.

Original source can be found here.