Everyone knows Portland Pride starts in June—despite the parade kicking up zir heels in July. Pride is already here, and the Merc is keeping a rolling calendar of event picks you might love. In this installment: a dedicated meet-up for queer Asians at a wife-and-wife owned wine bar, bingo from Tomorrow Theater's ORIGINAL bingo queen Violet Hex, a queer disco dance night at Kenton Club? This list will grow! Send us your party plans!

Wednesday, June 11

PDX Queer Asians 

Community & Activism 

PDX Queer Asians is celebrating its third anniversary with a Pride Month meetup at the queer-owned Stem Wine Bar—the locale where the social club hosted its very first meeting in 2022. (We love a full circle moment!) Centering "lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer, trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, intersex, and asexual folk of East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, SWANA, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent," the party will be a chill environment to meet new faces and connect with old friends over a glass of wine or two. Cheers, queers! (Stem Wine Bar, 6 pm, 21+) JANEY WONG

Thursday, June 12

Bottoms

Arts & Culture

Upon its release in 2023, Stranger critic Julianne Bell called Bottoms the “horny gay teen comedy of my dreams.” And it is a triumph; it’s vulgar, sex-obsessed, and hilarious in ways that pent-up young lesbians deserve. The score by Charli XCX and Leo Birenberg really hits the idealistic queer ‘coo’s of youth. Director Emma Seligman and co-writer Rachel Sennott defy the traditional comedy film arc—30 minutes of comedy followed by 60 minutes of moralizing—to keep audiences laughing for the entire 91-minute runtime, even as the story becomes increasingly absurd. (Clinton Street Theater, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages) SUZETTE SMITH

Friday, June 13

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Bingo hosted by Violet Hex

Arts & Culture

Adapted from a '98 glam rock musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows a genderqueer German singer who lands in the rural Midwest after an adverse outcome following gender-affirming surgery (the titular “angry inch”). John Cameron Mitchell wrote, directed, and starred as Hedwig in the punky, ingenious masterwork of queer cinema. Haven't seen it?—even pearl-clutching Roger Ebert admitted it was "strange how the movie seems to be loud, flashy and superficial, yet gives a deeper dimension to its characters." Tomorrow Theater ups the ante in everyone's favorite way: with a game of bingo hosted by cult cinema drag starlet Violet Hex. Don't forget your daubers. (Tomorrow Theater, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO

Saturday, June 14

Ye Olde Gay Faire

Community & Activism

Hear ye, hear ye. Mike Bennett's creature-ridden cafe-slash-adventure, Wonderwood Springs, plays host to a monthly faire boasting face painting, live music, hair tinsel, bard-led storytime, and, for whatever reason, live goats. (I'm not complaining!) Each month features a different theme, and this very gay edition will add drag performers and LBGTQ+ vendors to the mix. You can sip a butter brew latte and other seasonal elixirs on Wonderwood's menu while you're there. (Wonderwood Springs, 10 am, all ages) LC

Punk Rock Pride

Your favorite stretch of SE Foster is hosting a Pride block party of epic proportions on June 14 and raising funds for Transgender Law Center along the way. Doubtful the'll actually shut down Foster—though the combined cool factor of Bar Carlo, 5 and Dime, Starday Tavern, Atlas Pizza, and Eastside Tattoo probably could.  Lana Electra bookends the day with a Gothic drag brunch at 1 pm and an evening show come 11 pm. Bar Carlo brings an all ages show in the day, with a bill that includes bands Transpanic, Latter Day Skanks, and headliners Triple Lutz. Starday hosts the night, with Streetwalker Barbie and Coy Pussy, among others. And there's fucking more: a queer punk makers fair in the streets, a polaroid photo booth by paisley, and $100 flash spots at Eastside Tattoo. You could essentially spend your whole Saturday between SE 65th and 66th; we've done it before for less noble reasons. (SE Foster between SE 65th and 66th, 1 pm to late, 100 percent of the ticket sales and raffle benefit Transgender Law Center) SS

New Wave

Arts & Culture

Debuting to buzzy acclaim last year at Tribeca Film Festival, Elizabeth Ai’s New Wave documentary brings to light underground culture in 1980s post-war Vietnam to exceptional results. The attitude is big, but the hair is bigger. New wave music, a freshly flamboyant sense of fashion, and queer culture collide in the film giving those of us too young to have experienced new wave in real time a peek into a fabulous subculture, while injecting Gen-Xers with pure sentimental bliss. The genius programmers at Tomorrow Theater have booked DJ MV for pre-show tunes along with an Asian American inspired doughnut pop-up! (Tomorrow Theater, 7 pm, tickets here, all ages) NP

Cole Pulice

Music & Nightlife

Building gorgeous soundscapes on their new album Land’s End Eternal, Cole Pulice has brought a serene lushness to my listening as of late. The compositions feel like they beckon the listener to slow down, and take in life’s details unseen until that very moment. I highly recommend putting Land’s End Eternal on your turntable, opening all the windows of your home you can, and drift between daydreaming and sleep. And what a perfect backdrop for Pulice to perform at the Old Church—it feels like it’s been a minute since we’ve been treated to this type of performance at TOC, it’s sure to be a special one. (The Old Church, 7:30 pm, tickets here, all ages) NP

Sunday, June 15

Twirl: A PDX Queer Disco

Music & Nightlife, Drag & Performance

The Twirl huns have been blowin’ backs out (on the dance floor) for a minute now building one of Portland’s best queer dance nights from the ground up. The formula is simple: stellar tunes, drag queens and kings, fun themes, and sweaty homosexuals. Truly, what more could you want? Appropriately, June’s Twirl is their “Daddy’s Day” celebration with a style theme of polka dots (Elle Woods would be proud). DJs Renaissance, Casual Ana, Hot Dog Lady, and LéMix take over the decks on Kenton Club’s massive patio, with special guest performances by Jay Colby, Rob D. Builder, and Chanel Quinzel. Throw a look and throw some ass, honey! (World Famous Kenton Club, 3 pm, tickets at the door, 21+) NP