The rainbows have taken over Kolkata again, because the Kolkata Pride is back! As the Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk — India’s and reportedly Asia’s oldest — returns, along with a month of Pride celebrations, there is a host of events lined up in the city, including the very first Kolkata Queer Arts Month.
My Kolkata brings you a one-stop guide to all things Pride from a month that will be filled with colour, pomp and joy. Here are the dates, times and venues for you to decide which events you can attend and which one speaks to you the loudest.
December 7
After a cosy winter evening of karaoke at Tavern, Park Street will be swathed in the spirit of the celebrations — not Christmas! At 11pm, Pride flags will be put up all over the Kolkata neighbourhood including at establishments like Trincas to kick-off the 10-day countdown to the walk.
Check out a glimpse of last year’s flags flying high on Park Street.
December 8
Attend the flag-off for the very first Kolkata Queer Arts Month (KOQAM) at Experimenter Gallery on Hindustan Road Gallery at 6pm. The opening will mark the start of a series of talks, performances and exhibitions at Experimenter. The opening preview for KOQAM will be from 6-8pm and the first of the events will be ‘Fourth Conversation Piece’ with Aveek Sen.
The event will be followed by dinner at The Lalit Great Eastern at 8pm.
December 9
A health camp will be organised at Peerless hospital in Pancha Sayar, along the EM Bypass. The ‘Doctors Sensitisation Camp’ is an effort to help doctors be more sensitive when handling patients from the LGBTQIA+ community. The camp will be held between 5-7pm.
December 10
Want to make noise for a cause? Come down to Porshi Qanteen, Jodhpur Park at 12 noon to attend a workshop on poster making and sloganeering. Seven days to the Rainbow Pride Walk, this would be the ideal way to set the tone for all that is to come a week later.
Glimpses from the Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk 2022 Soumyajit Dey/My Kolkata
December 12
Kolkata Queer Arts Month will open at its second location, Kolkata Centre for Creativity, on December 12 from 5pm. Curated by artist and fashion designer Kallol Datta, the inaugural KOQAM will feature an exhibition at KCC, which will run till January 3, 2024.
December 13 and December 18
Experimenter will play host to a food micro-residency conducted by Chef Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar of Edible Archives between December 13-16 and on December 18. Also, a lecture will be held at Experimenter on December 13 from 4pm by Don Hasar of the Himachal Queer Foundation. Author Yashica Dutta will also be in conversation with Sandip Roy after the lecture. The evening will close with a never-seen-before performance by Indian drag star Dame Imfala.
December 14
Come down to Tavern on Park Street, on the evening of December 14 to witness a live band as well as karaoke night as part of a special feature for Pride. The queer-firendly hangout spot will also host karaoke nights on all Thursdays through Kolkata Pride Month.
December 15
The Lalit Great Eastern should be where you are on the evening of December 15. The star hotel is returning with another Pink Party and this time it is a gala evening for a good cause. The Pink Pride Fundraiser Ball will start at 8pm, so be there to dance, enjoy and be part of a good cause.
December 17
It’s the grand show of Kolkata Pride — the 18th Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk. First held in 1992, this is Asia’s oldest, boldest, and possible largest Pride walk. Lady Brabourne College, Park Circus Maidan will be the starting point for this year’s walk. So be there at 2pm to witness the pride, joy and colour as the community and allies gather to celebrate being themselves. The post-walk party details are yet to be announced so keep a look out for that as well.
December 22
Kolkata Centre for Creativity will play host to talks that will feature Indranjan Banerjee, curator at KHOJ International Artists’ Association. Perfumer Bharti Lalwani will also have a session from 4pm.
December 27
Kolkata Queer Arts Month will bring their events at Experimenter to a close on Wednesday, December 27 at 6pm.
January 3
The activities and events for KOQAM at Kolkata Centre for Creativity will be brought to a close January 3 at 6pm.
Kolkata Pride Month began on December 3, 2023 and events will be going on until January 4, 2024. Check out https://kolkatapride.org and their social media handles to get information about all upcoming events.
