Pride Month A&E Events 

• Corey Kimzey
• Floral artist Corey Kizmey presents work at Red Butte Garden’s “Blooming With Pride”

Arts and culture spaces have always been a safe(r) haven for queer folk, so it's no surprise to find local organizations and venues celebrating Pride Month with a bevy of LGBTQ-themed events. Here's just a smattering of what you can experience throughout the month of June.

Crowdsourced Queer Comedy Showcase. It's not a first-time event, or even one unique to Pride Month, for Crowdsourced Comedy to provide a special space for queer-identifying comedians, but it's a great time for you to consider checking out their monthly 90-minute showcase at Why Kiki bar on Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m.. The lineup varies monthly, but regularly features Crowdsourced's talented slate of stand-ups and improv comedians. Tickets are available only as tables of two or more, $15 advance and $20 at the door (if available). Buy online at crowdsourcedlive.com/shows. 69 W. 100 South, crowdsourcedlive.com

Under the Umbrella Pride Month events. The queer-themed neighborhood bookstore offers a wide range of readings, exhibitions and other events throughout the month. Author showcases include TJ Alexander (Triple Sec) on June 6 at 6 p.m.; J.R. Yusuf (Dear Bi Men: A Black Man's Perspective on Power, Consent, Breaking Down Binaries and Combating Erasure) on June 21 at 6 p.m.; authors from Collective Tales Publishing's Collective Humanity anthology on June 27, time TBA. A Queer Art Gallery opening will also be featured opening June 8, 4 – 6 p.m., and an Always Queer Pride Market pops in on Saturday, June 15, noon – 5 p.m. 511 W. 200 South, Suite 120, undertheumbrellabookstore.com

Urban Arts Gallery: SLC Queer. Utah Arts Alliance's wonderful venue has made it an annual tradition to showcase celebrating queer artists and their stories. The group exhibition will be on display June 4 – 30, with an artist reception for the June Gallery Stroll on Friday, June 17, 6 – 9 p.m. The show is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours. 116 S. Rio Grande St., Tue – Thu & Sat – Sun, noon – 9 p.m.; Fri, noon – 10 p.m., urbanartsgallery.org

SAW: The Musical – The Unauthorized Parody of "Saw." Okay, I can hear you thinking: "Saw? The horror movie with all the complicated torture apparatus? How is that a Pride Month event?" Yes, it is indeed based on the original 2004 hit Saw—and yes, it is as unapologetically queer as it is unapologetically gory. Producer Cooper Jordan looked at the premise—involving a killer psychotically determined to make people appreciate their lives—and turned it into a campy off-Broadway allegory about the relationship between these two men trapped together in a bathroom. The touring production runs June 14 – 23 at the Midvalle Performing Arts Center Studio 5400, with tickets beginning at $30. 2525 Taylorsville Blvd., Taylorsville, arttix.org

Utah's Hogle Zoo Pride Month events. Zoo Brew—after-hours 21+ events for enjoying adult libations in the company of animals—are not unique to this time of year. But the June event takes on a special theme of "PRIDE With Our Pride," celebrating diversity and sponsored by the BW Bastian Foundation. The event takes place Wednesday, June 12, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., with tickets $21.95/$18.95 for zoo members. Then on Saturday, June 15, 6:30 – 8:30, the regular Paint Night after-hours event presents "PRIDE-ful Giraffes," with artists of all skill levels welcome to apply all the colors of the rainbow to creating images of this month's animal ambassador; all materials are provided and included with the $45 fee, 18+ attendees only.

Red Butte Garden: Blooming With Pride. New for 2024 at the beloved arboretum and gardens is this special one-day-only event inviting the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to celebrate the beauty of the natural world. The centerpiece is a curated exhibition of artistic floral and plant displays by seven artists—Corey Kimzey (pictured), Alyssa Cumpton, Bekah Ogan, Kat Nix, Lya Yang, Mal Strunk and Megan Foote—chosen among 45 applicants in a nationwide pool. Visitors will also be able to participate in family-friendly, hands-on activities, science walks and drop-in health & wellness classes. The courtyard will also feature a tabling space for local organizations. The event takes place Friday, May 14, noon – 8 p.m.; admission is free, but timed registration is required. Visit the website for registration and other details. 300 Wakara Way, redbuttegarden.org

Crossroads of the West Gay Rodeo. Did you know that there was a Utah Gay Rodeo Association? Pick up your jaw and dust off your cowboy hat, because the world is a wide and varied place. The Crossroads of the West Gay Rodeo takes place June 22 – 23 at Ogden's Golden Spike Event Center, and features such events as bull riding, bronco riding, calf-roping, horse speed and agility events and more, plus food, vendors and other entertainment. Doors open at 10 a.m. daily, and events kick off at 11 a.m.; general admission tickets are $15 per day. 1000 N. 1200 West, Ogden, utahgayrodeo.com