After the exuberance of the Utah Pride Festival, the state more or less returns back to its conservative self. But that energy doesn’t need to get shoved back into the closet. There's an abundance of upcoming opportunities and events for that post-weekend LGBTQ momentum to be carried forth.---

The most extravagant event to note is the Human Rights Campaign Utah Gala on June 11. Tickets are a bit spendy, but for the well-to-do LGBTQ, it’s an excellent place to rub elbows with scenesters and the folks behind the country’s largest LGBTQ activist organization. And, of course, it supports the ongoing mission of HRC.

The following weekend, check out the annual smash hit, Damn! These Heels Film Festival, the only one of its kind in Utah. Presented by the Salt Lake Film Society and the SLC Film Center, it showcases the best in international and domestic, documentary and narrative LGBTQ films. This year will feature screenings of award-winning films, such as Beginners, Circumstance and Gun Hill Road, along with many other buzz-worthy flicks.

Some regularly scheduled events include the bi-monthly wilderness excursions with the Lambda Hiking Club. They meet twice a month with an easy hike at the beginning of the month and a more difficult hike later. This includes the June 11 hike to Birch Meadows in Millcreek, and the June 25 hike at Pine Meadows in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Simply Social is a weekly shindig that’s all about eating good food and building community; they scour Salt Lake City for fine eateries, mix it up each week and add some social time before and after the 8 p.m. meal.

On the second Friday of every month, the Cyber Sluts throw a wickedly entertaining Bingo party at the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Admission is $5, which includes your first game board and proceeds are donated to the Utah Pride Center..

Along with a bevy of activities for the community, the Pride Center offers a weekly meet-up geared towards the activist in everyone, called Gays and Straights for Social Justice.

A wide assortment of bands graced the Utah Pride Festival stages, many of them local. So keep on supporting the likes of Marinade and Dances with Wolves, to name a couple. The Suicycles and Andy Livingston also played and were featured in Gavin’s Underground.

For more LGBTQ events as they pop up, check out the our LGBTQ events page. And, just for fun, here's a video of what went down at the 2011 Miss City Weekly Pride Pageant: