The best Gay Pride events in NYC
We round up the best Gay Pride events in NYC, including the Stonewall 50th Anniversary and World Pride
It's Pride Month, which means LGBTQ revelers from around the globe come together for the NYC’s massive Gay Pride Parade. But if you’re looking for LGBT things to do, the march is just the beginning: we’ve assembled the best parties, protests, fund-raisers and performances that you can’t miss at this summer’s celebration. And did we even mention Pride Island, Pride’s own music festival? Pride is about to get lit.
RECOMMENDED: Full coverage of Gay Pride in NYC
Gay Pride events in NYC
LGBTQ+ History, Neighborhood and Pub Tour of Greenwich Village
Meet at the arch at Washington Square Park and cruise through eons of queer history in the nexus of the West Village. Along with an expert queer tour guide, you'll journey through the gay nexus's history (back to the 1630s), indulge in a complimentary cone at Big Gay Ice Cream, hit up bars like Marie's Crisis and the Stonewall, and learn about the continued battles that queer activists face in NYC and beyond.
Jinkx Monsoon and Major Scales: The Ginger Snapped
Drag multihyphenate and old-school starlet Jinkx Monsoon reunites with her musical collaborator Major Scales for a manic night by the piano, at which they'll share songs from their forthcoming album and attempt to tame Jinkx's swings in mental stability.
Out to Climb
Brooklyn Boulders invites guests to climb its rainbow route, with a donation to the Ali Forney Center for every selfie posted at the summit. Head to both the Brooklyn and Queens locations for totally wild Pride celebrations, boasting drag queen acro yoga, sunset sun salutations, flower crown making and pop-up shops.
Folsom Street East
Celebrate kink-and-fetish freedom at the annual leathery street fair, modeled on the massive Folsom Street fest in San Francisco. You'll be able to show off your filthiest look, shop wares and catch drag performances and lose it to pulsing DJ sets.
Zach Zimmerman: Clean Comedy
When stand-up Zach Zimmerman embarked on a career in comedy, his mother advised him to keep it clean. To celebrate the release of his decidedly un-Christian album, Zimmerman is flying his mom in from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to weigh in on the filthy material of over 25 comedians. On the lineup for judgment are Aaron Jackson, Andy Ward, Blythe Roberson, Carmen Christopher, Dave Mizzoni, Drew Lausch, Edy Modica, Gabe Gonzalez, Halcyon Person, Jason Gilbert, Jenny Gorelick, Jovough Jackson, Karen Chee, Mary Houlihan, Matt Rogers, Phillip Markle, Ruby Fox, Tessa Skara, Zach Teague, Sam Campell, Simone Leitner and Peter Valenti.
World Pride Opening Ceremony
NYC kicks off its biggest Pride ever at Barclays Center, with Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi Lauper and Ciara performing to raise money for Ali Forney Center, Immigration Equality, and SAGE.
Teaze
Beloved women's Pride party Teaze teams up with the style collective DapperQ for this epic lewk-turning dance party.
Pride Island
Why is NYC Pride better than any other festival in the land? Ours has its own music festival. Head to Pier 97 for a breezy day in the sun with your favorite acts and their fans. This year's lineup is quite a banger, with Grace Jones, Kim Petras and Teyana Taylor shutting it down by the water.
NYC Pride March
The city's most legendary parade goes jumbo-sized to celebrate World Pride and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. More than 80 floats, 350 marching organizations and thousands of spectators come together for a celebration of love, equality and a whole lot of drag. March begins at 26th St and Fifth Ave and continues down Fifth Ave to the Stonewall Monument and up Fifth Ave to 29th St.
PrideFest
RECOMMENDED: Full coverage of Gay Pride You know those street fairs that pop up around the city whenever the weather is nice? The ones everyone pretends to hate, but secretly can't resist walking into? Pridefest is one of those—but with way more sequins. In addition to enjoying the usual street-fair fare—tube socks, hilarious T-shirts, greasy treats—you can pick up information about public health, collect swag from corporate sponsors, and mingle with a crowd full of Pride revelers and shell-shocked Village residents.
Femme Fatale
NYC Pride's official rager for women-identified revelers welcomes over 1,500 party girls to Hudson Terrace for food, laughs and nonstop dancing courtesy of DJs Mary Mac, Bonnie Beats, Nikki Lions, Lena and Kittens.
Queer/Art/Film
IFC's always-excellent queer viewing series roars back with a killer 2019 season. The summer season promises a high camp showcase worthy of World Pride, with screenings of Split, Death Becomes Her, Thank God It's Friday and 9 to 5.
Stonewall 50 at La MaMa
The East Village Off-Off Broadway institution La MaMa celebrates the golden anniversary of the Stonewall riots with a month of queer performance. Writer-director Nia Witherspoon's immersive play Messiah (May 23–June 2), set against a hip-hop backdrop, examines the legacy of black nationalism through the prism of a teenage trans protagonist. The performance series Squirts (May 31–June 2) highlights new voices in the NYC queer scene. Global Gay (June 6–9), directed by France's Salvino Raco, explores the experiences of LGBTQ people around the world; 13 Fruitcakes (June 13–16), created by South Korea's Byungkoo Ahn and Gihieh Lee, looks at a baker's dozen of queer historical figures, as portrayed by a Korean cast that includes drag star "More" Jimin. Bearded Ladies Cabaret's Contradict This! A Birthday Funeral for Heroes (June 20–30) drags gay iconography into the spotlight. And on June 8, the peerless Taylor Mac presides over a special edition of La MaMa's Coffeehouse Chronicles series.
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