Every June in the United States, 10s of millions of people across the country celebrate Pride Month. In June 2019 (the 50th anniversary year of the Stonewall Uprising), around 5 million people alone attended WorldPride in New York City. This annual celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community continues to grow as more people honor the history of the community and champion the fight for all to live as they are.
There are so many ways—big and small—to celebrate Pride Month, whether you’re a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, an ally or an advocate. Here are some things to know about Pride Month along with ways anyone can celebrate this June!
What is Pride Month?
Pride Month is a month dedicated to uplifting, celebrating and supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. In the United States, Pride Month takes place every June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, an event that began on June 28, 1969, in NYC, that changed the discourse surrounding LGBTQIA+ activism in the U.S.
While June 28th is recognized as Pride Day, the entire month of June is filled with Pride events, from parades to parties to workshops and more. And the United States isn’t alone in recognizing Pride Month—many countries around the world also celebrate it (some outside of the month of June) every year!
Why do we celebrate Pride Month?
Pride Month is about bringing people together to commemorate the LGBTQIA+ community’s campaign for civil rights and recognize that there’s still more to be done in the pursuit of equality and acceptance. It’s important to show solidarity to strengthen the community. When we gather together, we celebrate the community’s progress, show appreciation for their achievements, raise awareness for issues they face and support the right to love and to be who you are.
How can I celebrate Pride Month?
With approximately 400 Pride organizations held across the U.S. in June, there’s no shortage of ways to show your support of the LGBTQIA+ community and celebrate (especially as this number doesn’t include all of the smaller celebrations or ways people mark Pride Month).
Attend a Pride parade
Possibly the best-known Pride celebration, Pride parades are the perfect way to get out and celebrate with the community in a fun way. Check to see if your nearest city is holding a Pride parade or march and head out to cheer and dance with hundreds, thousands or maybe even millions of people!
Some of the biggest Pride parades in the U.S. include:
Throw or attend a Pride party
If large crowds aren’t your thing (but being at great parties is), plan a Pride party! Decorate your heart out with tons of rainbow decor, serve up a yummy selection of snacks and drinks, curate a playlist of classic and current LGBTQIA+ anthems and, of course, encourage everyone to wear outfits that absolutely slay. You can find tons of decor, supplies and styles right in our curated Pride Shop!
Organize a fundraising event for a cause that supports the LGBTQIA+ community
There are tons of ways to celebrate Pride Month, but showing meaningful support for the LGBTQIA+ community is one of the best ways to celebrate (if not THE best). You can organize and host an event focused specifically on an LGBTQIA+ cause, or simply add a fundraiser to your Pride party. With Evite, you can add a fundraiser or crowdfunding right to your invitation so your guests can give easily and securely.
Two causes to consider supporting:
The world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ young people.
Committed to creating a world where diversity is celebrated and all people are respected, valued and affirmed.
Create an LGBTQIA+ network at work if you don’t already have one
While many workplaces have an LGBTQIA+ network as part of their DIB (Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging) programs, if yours doesn’t have one yet, consider volunteering to create one! LGBTQIA+ networks offer members of the community (along with allies and advocates) a place to contribute, grow, be supported, support, learn and feel safe. In addition to uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community within your company, your network can also make an impact outside of the workplace through community action and volunteerism.
We recommend reaching out to LGBTQIA+ employees, allies and advocates to gauge interest in creating a group. Then, reach out to HR to submit a formal request to create the group. How your network will function really depends on what the group wants and the size of your organization, but peer-to-peer support, open discussions and volunteer opportunities are some of the ways your Pride network can flourish in a meaningful way.
Go to a drag brunch or drag show
Everyone has heard of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and while the show is a fabulous introduction to the art of drag, it doesn’t compare to seeing a live show filled with incredible dancers, singers, comedians and glamor. Drag brunches have become a popular weekend activity for people looking for some great entertainment with their mimosas (don’t forget to bring a bunch of dollar bills so you can tip your favorite performers!), and there are even Drag Story Hours the whole family can enjoy.
Join a book club or discussion group that features LGBTQIA+ topics
A great way to learn more about LGBTQIA+ topics is to discuss them with others, especially with people who are part of the community. Book clubs are a wonderful way to meet and discuss with others—especially if you love to read (check out Bookclubs to find one near you)! If you prefer to sit, listen and absorb, search to see if there’s a lecture or discussion group in your area to participate in.
Support LGBTQIA+ businesses and creators
Put your money where your Pride is (and do it all year long!). One of the most fun ways to support the community is by shopping! Look for products and businesses created or owned by a member of the LGBTQIA+ community (Etsy, Target and Amazon alone have tons of amazing ones to shop) and enjoy both your new purchases and knowing you’re supporting someone.
Watch films and programs that showcase LGBTQIA+ stories
The magic of films, television shows and theater is their ability to tell a story that helps us, the audience, relate to and understand others better. From heartwarming LGBTQIA+ stories like “Heartstopper,” “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” and “Red, White & Royal Blue,” to real, groundbreaking documentaries like “We’re Here” and “Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt,” to the incredibly moving miniseries “It’s a Sin,” there are plenty of amazing stories to immerse yourself in and better understand the history and feelings of the community.
Learn more about the history of Pride Month and uplift the community all year long
The full history of Pride Month and everything you can do to support the LGBTQIA+ community cannot possibly be addressed in only one article. While Pride Month itself is only 30 days long, celebrating, supporting and learning more about the community is important all year long. If you’re an ally or advocate of the community, event planner and creative director Jove Meyer of Jove Meyer Events has a powerful Ally Pledge on his website to read and use in your own life. Shopping LGBTQIA+ businesses, participating in discussions, enjoying drag shows and reading books are wonderful ways to support the community and further your education.
What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from other signup tools?
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than other signup tools:
- 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
- Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
- No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
- Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
- Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
- User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
- Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.
Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
What is a SignUp Sheet?
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, SignUp Sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
How do I create a SignUp Sheet?
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
- Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:
- Signup sheets for one day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
- Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers, parent-teacher conferences, meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
- After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
- Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
- After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
- Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!
What information should be included on a SignUp Sheet?
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
- A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
- When and where the event is taking place.
- The organizer’s name and phone number.
- Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete.
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
What are the benefits of using a SignUp Sheet template?
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
- A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
- Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
- No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
- The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
- Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
- An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
- Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.