June is a month for celebrating inclusion and love around the world, better known as Pride Month. At SRISA, we support and celebrate with our LGBTQ+ family and community—it’s a time to honor love, identity, and expression in all their beautiful forms.
Pride Month, Italy
While Pride Month may have originated in the United States, Italy has a lot to offer in terms of Pride celebrations. Tuscany, in particular, has a rich history in supporting LGBTQ+ rights and has been a pioneer in the fight against discrimination since Leopold II in 1853, who abolished penalties for homosexuality during his rule. Below are some exciting events happening in Tuscany this year that you won’t want to miss!
Arcigaymerz
On June 8th, you can join Arcigay for their casual game night. Arcigay is an LGBTQ+ safe community here in Florence, and they’re hosting their last game night before summer officially starts. From 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm, enjoy meeting new people through various board games.
Toscana Pride Market
The Market for Toscana Pride is in Florence this year. A bustling market featuring local vendors from our community, you can find numerous shops selling vintage clothing and other goods here. This event will be held at IREOS, Florence’s queer community center just south of the river on June 14 from 4 pm – 7:30 pm.
Toscana Pride Events, Prato
Prato will be hosting Centro Per L’arte Contemporanea “Luigi Pecci.” Events range from talks, performances, and DJ sets well into the night.
Pride March (Toscana Pride)
The ABBATTIAMO MURI, TESSIAMO FUTURI) “Tear Down Walls, Weave the Future.” The march begins in Piazza Del Mercato Nuovo starting at 4 pm. This collective celebration is a safe community where everyone is welcome—where thousands of queer community members take to the streets for a peaceful protest for more rights and equality.
Daily Happenings
In case you simply want a fun night out close to home, there are plenty of places that are LGBTQ+ friendly in Florence. Twist Bistrot is another cafe located near campus, offering coffee and drinks, as well as drag evenings. With its proximity to campus and the movie theater, enjoy a day studying at Twist Bistrot and then relaxing with a movie afterward at La Compagnia.
More Ways to Celebrate
June isn’t the only time of the year to celebrate Pride; it’s always a good time to celebrate community and continue the fight for equality. Keep an eye out for the Florence Queer Festival happening from November 26 – 30th. Whether you’re marching in Prato this June or sipping cocktails at Piccolo, Pride in Tuscany is full of love and community year-round.
SRISA is More Than Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow
Our community is made up of all shades and colors ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍. We celebrate queer voices all year long—with events, gatherings, and a curated collection of queer literature in our library that honors the richness of LGBTQIA+ stories and perspectives.
Written by Summer 2025 student and intern Marina Hishikawa