ORLANDO | Come Out with Pride will host its annual, adults-only Pride Prom at The Orlando Science Center April 28.
Come Out With Pride hosted its inaugural Pride Prom last year to provide “an accepting space where each of us can be our authentic selves and bring the date, or dates, we perhaps couldn’t for our high school prom,” as stated on its website.
“We just really want to create this accepting and welcoming space for the LGBTQ+, specifically the trans community, to be able to use this as an opportunity to celebrate themselves, and really have that queer joy opportunity that we don’t see enough, especially right now in the current climate that we’re in,” Come Out With Pride executive director Tatiana Quiroga says.
Because the Pride Prom is being held at the Orlando Science Center, this year’s theme will be “Planet EVO: Evolution is Inclusion.” Quiroga says the prom’s theme was chosen after the venue. Come Out With Pride wanted a theme that makes sense with the exhibits that are already in place at the venue. The main dance area will be in the DinoDigs room where guests can dance with the dinosaurs all night long.
“The thing about being at The Science Center is that there’s already some things that are built into the venue space,” Quiroga says. “We decided to lean into that.”
The Pride Prom advertises a “fun-filled night with all of the familiar prom festivities.” Attendees will get to dance, drink and take photos all night. There will be music provided by DJ Scott Robert, live entertainment and a photo booth provided by Firefly.
The Pride Prom headliner will be drag performer and openly trans woman Kerri Colby. Colby competed in the 14th season of the massively popular “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Pride Prom is a 21 and up only event and will have a bar with mocktail and nonalcoholic options as well.
There will also be a VIP Lounge, which is available for an extra cost, that will include an open bar from 8-9 p.m. as well as two complimentary drink tickets for later. The VIP Lounge will also include light bites, a separate VIP entrance and exclusive Meet & Greets with the Pride Prom performers and headliner.
This year, a Royal Court will also be nominated, just like they would be at a high school prom.
“We decided that this was our opportunity to throw ourselves a prom and we really wanted to share and create the opportunity for the rest of our community, our LGBTQ+ community and allies, to be able to experience prom as their authentic selves,” Quiroga says. “People are welcome to dress as their authentic selves, be as nonbinary as they want or as fancy as they want. There’s absolutely no dress code.”
Last year’s Pride Prom was attended by 550 people and Quiroga expects that number to double at this year’s prom. Over 500 tickets have already been sold.
“Planet Evo: Evolution is Inclusion,” Come Out With Pride’s 2023 Pride Prom will be held on April 28, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., at the Orlando Science Center. General admission tickets are $45 ($55 on day of event if not sold out) and VIP Lounge tickets are $115 ($125 on day of event if not sold out). Tickets and more information are available at ComeOutWithPride.org/Prom-2.
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