The Dublin LGBTQ+ Winter Pride 2021 festival takes place from November 27 to December 11, with events to cater for everyone. Now in its third year, the festival has already become a staple of the Irish LGBTQ+ calendar. 

Supported by Fáilte Ireland, this year will feature a selection of Oscar Wilde themed events that will celebrate the life and work of one of Ireland’s best-loved LGBTQ+ writers.

The Wilde events will kick off with Wilde Poets, an evening of poetry and wit at Street 66 on Tuesday, November 30. 

On Thursday, December 2 and Friday, December 3, The Little Museum of Dublin will host The Queer Dublin Tour. Described as “From Oscar Wilde to Nell McCafferty – not forgetting Panti Bliss! – some of the most remarkable Irish people have been more than a little bit queer. On this hilarious and moving tour of the Little Museum, you will discover the history of Ireland through a brand new prism.”

Also on Friday, December 3, the fabulous Tonie Walsh (Curator of The Irish Queer Archive) will host The Wilde Walk. A truly unique walk on the Wilde side, the tour will take in some of Dublin’s more colourful queer history ending with Wilde themed cocktails and entertainment at Pantibar

On Saturday, December 4  Wilde Child takes place at CHQ Dublin. This fun for all ages event will see a Wilde edition of Drag Storytime read by Attracta Tension. A family-friendly hour of magic and wonder with the fairytales of Oscar Wilde.

A very special Oscar Wilde House Guided Tour will take place on Sunday, December 5. As you explore the rooms and staircases of the house, you will hear the fascinating history of the colourful Wilde family. There are tales of heartbreak, tragedy, intrigue, court battles and scandal.

The week of Wilde themed events will conclude that evening with Wilde History. A very special evening in Oscar Wilde’s family house on Merrion Square where Tonie Walsh and Sara Phillips (Trans activist and historian) discuss Wilde, his contemporaries and the fascinating LGBTQ+ subculture of 1800s Dublin and London.

But Oscar Wilde is not the only LGBTQ+ offering this year. One of the festival’s annual features is World AIDS Day on December 1. This year the festival will be teaming up with EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum, HIV Ireland and GCN to bring you Living: A Unique Portrayal of People Living with HIV in Ireland. The exhibition will be launched at a special fundraiser event presented by Ireland’s national treasure Panti Bliss.

Marking the end of a year reflecting on 40 years of HIV and AIDS, this artistic representation will celebrate the leadership role people living with HIV contribute to the HIV response, particularly in relation to confronting and challenging stigma. The unique celebration will take place in the CHQ Building in Dublin’s IFSC and will be hosted by Panti Bliss.

There will also be the Winter Pride Hub at CHQ open from Monday, November 29 until Saturday, December 11, where you’ll be able to stock up on Pride-themed Christmas gifts. You can also visit the exhibition of the Irish Names Quilt, the stunning images from ‘Living’ and ‘Out in The World: Ireland’s LGBTQ+ Diaspora’ at EPIC.

The programme of events also includes the Winter Pride 2021 Treasure Hunt on Saturday, November 27. The outdoor event will begin from Nealon’s bar on Capel Street from 3 pm. Teams of up to four people are heartily encouraged to prove their sleuthing skills on a route around Dublin city, both north and south of the Liffey, to be crowned the winners. 

To ring the new year, Winter Pride will be joining forces with Mother to host a spectacular New Year’s Eve Block Party. This year’s extravaganza will be headlined by Ireland’s queen of the avant-garde, Róisín Murphy. The event will take place in the iconic Collins Barracks and will be hosted by Panti. She will be joined by the fabulous Mother DJs as well as more brilliant acts to be announced.

Booking and further information can be found here. Attendees are advised that all events will be subject to change depending on Covid regulations.