Top tips for going to a Pride event
Guide with Pride!
Taking a unit, district or division to a local Pride event?
We’ve put together some ways to help you have the best time, be proud and stay safe.
Before
Find your nearest Pride
So many towns, cities and counties have Pride events. Find out when your local Pride is happening with this calendar. Most Prides happen over the summer months, but some take place as early as May and as late as September.
Pride events can vary a lot. Most involve a parade, some are just events and some have both. If your group wants to walk in a Pride’s parade, you’ll probably need to register with the organisers, so check their website.
If that’s not an option for you, for example if you need to pay a lot or applications have closed, you could always watch the parade instead, or go to some of the other events which might be going on as well as the parade. Prides will often have an all-ages festival-style event on the same day as the parade. Some bigger celebrations might have lots of events planned over several weeks, from LGBTQ+ movie screenings to comedy nights.
Get planning
If you’re planning on walking in the parade, send an application to the organisers as soon as you can, make a schedule for the day with your volunteer team and get girls involved in planning.
Have a look at our guidance, get parent and carer consent to take young members away, fill in your risk assessments and budget if you need to.
Get ready
Time to get excited!
Why not get members to make banners and signs in a unit meeting? They could make flags out of paint and cardboard, sew a flag out of scrap materials, or decorate signs to hold.
Work out what you’re going to wear too! Will everyone wear bright, rainbow colours or will you wear Girlguiding uniform? Pick up extras to take, like flags, on our online shop. Shop our full Pride range.
Then, it's time to get everyone feeling enthusiastic for the big day! You could learn about LGBTQ+ women in unit meetings, discuss the Pride route or make rainbow coloured food – the options are endless!
During
Drink water
Make sure everyone brings a bottle of water. Whether you’re walking in the parade or not, celebrating is thirsty work. Stay hydrated!
Wear sensible shoes
Make sure people in your group are wearing sturdy, comfortable shoes like hiking boots or trainers. There’s going to be a lot of walking and dancing! Add some extra plasters to your first aid kit in case anyone gets a blister.
Sun cream (or raincoat!)
Be prepared for the weather! Because Pride happens over the summer, it’s often sunny. Make sure everyone puts on sun cream before coming so no one gets burnt. Check the weather forecast, and take a raincoat or poncho if it looks like it’ll rain.
Pack plenty of food
With all that walking and dancing, your group will work up an appetite. Bring snacks and lunch to eat as well.
Take hand sanitizer (maybe a mask too)
Stay healthy and keep your hands clean with hand sanitizer. You might want to wear a mask as well, as there’ll be a lot of people at the event.
Bring money
There are often stalls at Pride and young people might want to visit. Think about setting some time aside during the day to visit them and maybe set a budget for each member too.
Charge your phone and know who to call if you get separated
Make sure young members know what to do if they get lost: if they have a mobile phone, make sure they know who to call, set up an agreed meeting point, and consider the use of a wrist band with leaders’ contact info.
Look after yourself and your group
Pride can be a noisy, busy event so take steps to make sure you and your group don’t burn out or get overwhelmed. Pace yourself and the group and bring whatever you need to make your day manageable, like earplugs or fidget toys. Have enough leaders so that if the event is too much for any girls or leaders; they can break off from the group at any point and head to your agreed quiet space.
Supporting members who have questions
You might not have all the answers, so direct young members with extra questions, or needing extra support, to an organisation who can support them. We have more information on our pages about supporting LGBTQ+ members. You might have local groups in your area too. If there are, you might have seen them in the parade or at a community event stand already!
Take care of yourself too. Get lots of rest, chat through any thoughts and feelings with someone you trust, and maybe do some extra research if you came across anything you didn’t understand.
If members of the public have questions about Girlguiding at Pride
Being out and about in uniform or in units can sometimes mean members of the public have questions about Girlguiding. Do your best to answer questions from members interested in joining, or asking about how we welcome everyone in Girlguiding. You can direct them to our website to find out more.
After
Make sure everyone gets home safely at the end of the day, and keep checking in. In your next unit meeting, you could chat about how the day was for everyone and how everyone is feeling. Some members might be overwhelmed by feeling represented for the first time and seeing so many people that are part of their community. Some might be feeling a bit low now all the exciting events are over. Here's some activities from our programme to help start conversations.
Colour my mood
This activity, which was made with Rainbows in mind, helps girls understand emotions and think about who they can talk to about their feelings. Download the resource for free.
Happy thoughts
This activity was made with Brownies and Guides in mind. It shows them how to create and use a mindfulness jar to help clear bad thoughts. It also includes some mindfulness techniques to practice.
Download the resource for free.
Take a moment
This activity was made with Guides in mind. It gives girls the chance to learn calming techniques and learn the signs of a panic attack. Download the resource for free.
Checking in
This activity, which was made with Guides in mind, gives girls the chance to carry out a guided body scan meditation. It also includes tips for how to transform their space into a place of tranquillity.
Keeping afloat
This activity was made with Rangers in mind. It gives girls the chance to think about why support networks are important and how they can create a support network of their own. Download the resource for free.
Think resilient
Our Think Resilient resources are designed to encourages girls to talk about their mental wellbeing and the pressures they experience. The activities were made with Brownies, Guides and Rangers in mind.
