Buddies in Bad Times Theatre Will Host QUEER PRIDE FESTIVAL 2026

Buddies in Bad Times Artistic Director Ted Witzel has announced the company's annual Queer Pride Festival, with over 30 shows, concerts, events, and parties taking place throughout the Buddies space at 12 Alexander St., from June 5 to 28, 2026. 

This year's headliner is Cain Culto, a singer, rapper, producer, and visual artist making some of the boldest, and most fearless music available today. Culto combines high and low art, political protest, satire, and controversy to create undeniable pop magic.

"With the growing buzz around Buddies' nightlife reboot, this year's Pride lineup is building on that momentum with a killer lineup of dance parties, drag, comedy, and the kind of subversive queer art only Buddies can do," says witzel. "Expect the return of many mainstay Buddies Pride favourites, spiked with a jolt of energy from new parties and events from the best of queer Toronto and beyond. This is Pride with a point of view, a month of queer excellence, and a lineup of legendary DJs, drag icons, performers and artists taking over the largest dance floor in the Village and the boldest and sexiest performance venue in the city."

New and notable this year include Christopher Sherman's live reading series, Horny Newsletter; Khadija Mbowe's genre-defying opera-pole-burlesque hybrid Arias of Seduction, presented by Operatika and Buddies; two extra-special editions of Buddies' new weekly nightlife event, SLUR, programmed by Rae Abunahla, with guest appearances by Gay Jesus and Vivek Shraya.

Returning favourites for Queer Pride include full-venue parties by Buddies Parties-in-Residence New Ho Queen, Something Creative Co. (bi bi baby), and Gay Rights; the 21st edition of WISHING WELL produced by STARLIGHT and Liz Staples; the Pride Legacy Pageant, produced with Vision Drag and hosted by Lemon (Canada's Drag Race); two comedy nights: Homo Night in Canada, and Gay AF Comedy; burlesque from Les Femmes Fatales; the 10th annual Two-Spirit Cabaret presented with Native Earth Performing Arts, and the Buddies' Emerging Creators Unit Showcase.

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