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If getting lit in a public library at night sounds like all your childhood party fantasies coming true, then the New York Public Library’s after hours series is exactly what you are looking for.
The June 7 event will specifically be celebrating the start of Pride Month at the New York Public Library's iconic Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Fifth Avenue from 7pm to 10pm.
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The festivities will include live music acts, a special collections display and after hours access to the library’s most emblematic rooms. You’ll also get to learn about the history of queer children’s books—many of which are still banned in states across the country, by the way—and get to browse through special edition LGBTQ tomes that are out of print or only available in the NYPL's research collection.
At one point, Be Steadwell, a Black and queer musician based in D.C., will perform inside the Rose Main Reading Room, which has been featured in movies like Ghostbusters, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Spiderman.
But there's more: a portion of the library will be dedicated to the screening of 16mm lesbian films and documentaries curated by the Reserve Film and Video collection. There will also be listening stations by the NYC Trans Oral History Project, an organization that is dedicated to preserving and passing on trans history, and craft stations where you'll get to try your hand at puzzles and have fun with coloring books.
Don't forget to get your customized book recs from NYPL librarians on site as well—all the while dancing to sets by DJ Mike Borowski.
The event is 21+ and you must show proof of ID to enter. Tickets are free, with a suggested donation of $15, and all proceeds will benefit library events. You can register for the NYPL’s Pride after hours here.